Desk Exercises: What you can do when stuck at your computer

Over the last few decades, computers have increasingly become an integral part of our everyday lives. This is even more true today as physical distancing has made us dependent on our computers for work, entertainment and social connection. An unfortunate side effect of our ability to be constantly connected is the hours we spend sitting in front of our screens. So, what can we do to stay active as we work from home, stream and chat online?
One of the most useful tools to stay active is a timer that you can set to remind yourself to move. Whether its working on a project or streaming an entertaining show, we have all experienced how fast time can fly when you are sitting in front of your computer. Setting an alarm on your computer, cell phone or grabbing the kitchen timer can alert you its time to move. Getting up and moving every 30-60min can be beneficial to our overall health. A 2017 study found a relationship between sitting for greater than 1-2 hours at a time and early mortality. The lead author of the study suggested that people who sit while working should move every 30min to reduce this risk1.
If you can, get up and go for a short walk around your house. Get a glass of water or walk up and down a few flights of stairs to take a break from the seated position. If you cannot leave your computer, here are some suggestions of ten exercises you can do while sitting or standing in front of your computer.

1. Shoulder Rolls and Shoulder Blade Squeezes: These two are easy to do while sitting in front of your computer. Sit tall and shrug your shoulders up to your ears then rolling them back and down. Then, squeezing the shoulder blades back and down, holding it for 3-5sec.
2. Chin Tucks: Sit tall and shift head back so your ears are in line with your shoulders. It should feel like you are lengthening your neck, like a string is being pulled up from the top of your head. Hold this position for 3 sec.
3. Military Press: Sit tall with your arms out to the side and elbows bent to 90°. Squeeze shoulders back and press arms up over head. Make sure to keep shoulders away from ears. You can perform this without weights for more of an upper body stretch or add weight to make it a strengthening exercise.
4. Seated Rotations: Sit tall and twist to the right, grabbing the right side of the seat with the left hand and hold. Repeat to the left side.
5. Seated Figure 4 Stretch: Cross right ankle over the left knee and let the right knee drop to the side. Lean forward with the body until you feel a gentle stretch to the back of the right hip and hold. Repeat on the left side
6. Seated Child’s Pose: Sit with hands on your desk/table, walk hands forwards, reaching out as far as you can, letting your head relax down. Hold that stretch, then walk the hands to the right to stretch the left side and vice versa.
7. Lean Back March: Sit on the front edge of your chair. Keep the core tight as you lean back slightly with a straight back. Hold that position as you slowly alternate raising and lowering your legs in a marching fashion
8. Sit to Stand: Without using your hands, stand up and sit down with control. Make sure to press up through both legs. To make it more difficult, do not let yourself sit all the way down, stand back up as soon as you touch the seat.
9. Heel raises: Use your desk for balance if needed. Rise up onto your toes and slowly lower back down. Make it more difficult by performing on one foot
10. One Foot Balance: Stand on one foot and hold. Make sure to keep hips level

Hopefully, this gives you some ideas of movements that can be done while you sit at your computer. You do not need to perform all of them every 30min. Choose 1-3 movements to perform every 30-60min you spend at your computer as a way to stay active while having to be sedentary.
If you have any questions about the exercises above or would like further information, please feel free to contact our clinic to speak with a physiotherapist.
This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis and treatment.
 
1 Diaz, KM et al. Patterns of Sedentary Behaviour and Mortality- U.S. Middle Aged and Older Adults: A National Cohort Study. Ann Intern Med. 2017; 167(7): 465-475