Wellness Week: Stretch

Daily Stretch:

While not all of us work at a desk 40+ hours a week, everyone can benefit from taking care of our bodies and the tightness that we accrue each day. These are a place to start for total beginners or for those who take time to stretch daily. With stretching, please start slowly and work your way into a deeper stretch, if you try too much too soon you are in danger of hurting yourself and setting yourself back further than where you started!

  • Day 1- Chest Stretch-In a seated or standing position, take the arms behind you and, if you can, lace your fingers together. Straighten the arms and gently lift your hands up a few inches until you feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Avoid this move if you have shoulder problems.
  • Day 2- Spinal Twist- In a seated position with the feet flat on the floor, contract the abs and gently rotate the torso towards the right. Use your hands on the armrest or seat of the chair to help deepen the stretch. Only twist as far as you comfortably can and keep the back straight while keeping the hips square. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
  • Day 3- Neck Stretch- Sitting in your chair, reach down and grab the side of the chair with the right hand and gently pull while tilting your head to the left, feeling a stretch down the right side of the neck and shoulder. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
  • Day 4- Seated Hip Stretch- While seated, cross the right ankle over the left knee and sit up nice and tall. Gently lean forward, keeping the back straight and reaching out with the torso until you feel a stretch in the right glute and hip. You can also press down on the right knee to deepen the stretch. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat on the other side. Skip this move if it bothers the knees.
  • Day 5- Upper Back Stretch- Seated or standing, stretch the arms straight out and rotate the hands so that the palms face away from each other. Cross the arms so that the palms are pressed together, contract the abs, and round the back, reaching away as you relax the head. Don't collapse but, instead, imagine you're curving up and over an imaginary ball. Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. If twisting the arms doesn't feel good, simply lace the fingers together.

The way each of these sections is set up is that they can be done week after week. I hope that at the end of Wellness Week these sections will help you implement long-term change and set goals to move toward Living Well. Additionally, each of the sections and daily tips can help you set a goal for our Wellness Challenge that is now live!

(Quoted from verywellfit.com/best-stretches-for-office-workers-1231153)