Ever heard the term ‘desk posture’?
Desk posture, also known as kyphosis, sees the curvature of the upper back causing an excessive internal rotation of the shoulders. Although not limited to those with desk jobs, administrative roles that see individuals in front of the computer for the majority of the working day are those that often suffer from kyphosis more commonly.
These individuals may also complain of tightness in their neck, lower back and weakness of the hamstrings.
To minimize the progression and reverse the effect of kyphosis, there should be a focus on strengthening the core, glutes and hamstrings, and stretching the glutes, piriformis, and muscles supporting the spine, while encouraging movement of the lower lumbar. Here we provide a series of 10 stretches. Complete them as one sequence and progress through each carrying out the recommended reps or giving a couple a go in your lunch break to relieve tension before returning to the desk.
10-15 MINUTE STRETCH SEQUENCE:
NECK TILT WITH ARM EXTENSION – 30-60 SECS
SIDE LYING THORACIC ROTATION – 5 REPS EACH SIDE
SWISS BALL KNEELING THORACIC EXTENSION – 30 SECS x3
FOAM ROLL OUTS – x5
SEATED GLUTE STRETCH – 30-60 SECS
PIGEON – 30-60 SECS
COBRA TWIST – x3 EACH SIDE
PRONE LOWER SPINAL TWIST – x5 EACH SIDE
SUPINE LYING SWISS BALL THORACIC EXTENSION – 30-60 SECS
Neck tilt with arm extension:
- Seated or stood, incline your neck toward one shoulder ensuring shoulder stays down.
- Place hand on top applying gentle pressure.
- Extend opposite hand out flexed to increase the stretch down the neck.
- Hold for 30 seconds before repeating on the other side.
Side-lying thoracic rotation:
- Lay on your side with your knees bent at 90 degrees – ensure your shoulders and hips stay in line.
- Place arms straight out in front with hands together.
- Aiming to keep your knees together, and lower spine stable, open the top arm creating an arc through the air.
- Lower the arm towards the floor behind you as far as you can. You should feel a stretch across the shoulders and chest, and often into the lower spine.
- Hold this position before closing your hands back together.
- Repeat 5 reps on the right before rolling over and repeating on the left.
Swiss ball kneeling thoracic extension:
- Begin kneeling with your hands resting on a Swiss ball out in front.
- With your knees under your hips, roll the ball forward and lower your chest to the floor until you feel a stretch in your thoracic spine and in front of your shoulders.
- Keep your focus down and your neck relaxed, breathing deeply to relax into the stretch.
- Hold for 30 seconds before rolling up. Repeat 2 more times.
Foam roll outs:
- Remaining in the same kneeling position, place your wrists on the foam roller hands facing toward one another.
- Drawing your pelvis back and rolling the foam roller forwards, lowering the chest toward the floor until you feel a stretch across the pectorals, upper and lower back.
- Breathe in and out as the muscles lengthen and allow the chest to lower further before coming up and rolling back out to repeat 4 more times.
Seated glute stretch:
- Sitting upright in a chair, place one ankle over the opposite thigh, with the other foot flat on the floor.
- Hinge forwards at the hips lowering your chest toward your leg until you feel a stretch in the hip/ glute.
- Breathe while holding the stretch for 30 seconds before releasing and repeating on the other side.
Pigeon:
- Begin in a lunge position with one leg forward and the other back.
- Lower your front leg so that your shin is parallel to the mat.
- Extend your back leg straight behind with the top of your foot against the mat.
- Lower your chest towards the mat
- Ensure your hips stay forward – don’t allow the opposite hip to lift.
- Relax into the stretch for 30-60 seconds before repeating on the other side.
Cobra twist:
- Lay face down with legs extended and hands under your shoulders.
- Slowly push through the hands to extend the arms and raise the chest from the floor.
- Maintain this position, or for an increased stretch down the left and right quadrant, lift one hand and reach toward the hamstring on the same side, opening the chest out toward the side.
- Slowly square the hips and repeat to the other side.
- Lower to laying, before starting again.
Prone lower spinal twist:
- Lay face down with arms outreached laterally, palms down.
- Flex one knee to raise the shin from the floor.
- Rotate in the spine to drop the foot toward the opposite side of the body.
- Return hips to floor with spine neutral before returning the lower leg to the floor and repeating to the other side.
- Transition smoothly between the two sides, mobilizing the lower lumbar.
Supine lying Swiss ball thoracic extension:
- Sit on the ball before gently walking your feet out until lying.
- Keeping your knees bent for stability, relax your head back, allowing your spine to curve around the ball.
- For an increased stretch of the shoulders and traps, drop your arms above the head.
- For an increased stretch of the chest and pectorals, drop your arms laterally.
- Relax and breathe into it for 20-30 seconds, before slowly coming up. Take your time so that your head can readjust without causing dizziness.
Top tips…
- Ensure you maintain steady breathing throughout to allow oxygen to the muscles.
- Stretching may be uncomfortable, but it should never cause pain. Stop if you experience any pain.
- Ensure your muscles are warm.
- While at work, aim to stand and move around for 5 minutes every half an hour.
- Ensure you try to stand and move around for 5 minutes every half an hour to allow mobilization of muscles and joints.
- A laptop stand is beneficial in reducing the effects of kyphosis by allowing your eye level to remain high rather than needing to slouch and look down to complete tasks.
- A footrest or box to prop your feet under the desk will encourage the pelvis to sit neutrally and maintain alignment between the feet, hips and back.
- Aim to stretch for 10-15mins daily, but even 2-3 times a week will begin to reap the benefits and eventually see an improvement in your posture while decreasing discomfort when completing functional daily tasks.
Let us know how you get on. Likewise, give our yoga flow class a go with Jenni on Thursdays 18:65-19:45pm to increase mobility, and reach out to our therapy team; Josh, Jo, Calum and Alex who can offer further advice and relief to ongoing tensions, lower back pain and muscle imbalances caused by desk posture.