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Jaime Savarese

June 2010

Working at a desk can be havoc on your body, no matter how difficult or simple your job is. You may complain of headaches due to muscle tension, neck pain, shoulder stiffness, low back tension, or all of the above. Sitting in front of a computer all day can cause all of these complaints, but these five easy stretches can help alleviate symptoms.

1. Scalene Stretch: Hold the seat of your chair with your right hand. Reach your left hand over the top of your head and grasp the right side of your head near your ear. Exhale as you pull your head to the left, stretching the right side of your neck. Hold this stretch for at least 20 seconds. To increase this stretch, tilt your chin up. Repeat on the opposite side.

2. Anterior Neck Stretch: Tilt your head back as much as you comfortably can. Place one palm on your chest to stabilize the muscles. Keep your mouth closed as you hold this stretch for 20 seconds. To increase the stretch, rotate your neck slowly to the left and right.

3. Shoulder/Lat Stretch: Interlock your fingers and turn your palms upward over head. Exhale as you straighten your arms and lengthen your spine as you reach for the ceiling. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Exhale as you lengthen and stretch the right side of your trunk by tilting slowly to your left while reaching your right arm over to the left. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.

4. Low Back Stretch: Hold the left side of your seat with both hands. Exhale as you twist your trunk to the left, then pull your chest down toward your hands until you feel a stretch in the right low back. Try to touch your right rib cage to your left thigh. Hold for 20 seconds. *Note that this stretch may be difficult if your chair has wheels. Make sure your feet are flat and firmly planted on the floor.

5. Hip Stretch: Place your right ankle on top of your left knee, as if crossing your legs. Stabilize your right leg by holding your ankle with your left hand, and gently pressing down on your knee with your right hand. Exhale as you slowly lean forward until you feel a stretch in your right hip. Try to keep the center of your chest in line with your left thigh. Hold this position for 20 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.

Now that you are armed with this information, it’s up to you to implement these stretches into your day. They shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes total, so no excuses! A very wise person once said- its one thing to know how to do a push up, it’s another to get down on the floor and do it.

Jaime Savarese is a Licensed Massage Therapist with DREAM Wellness and is widely considered the foremost expert in Massage Therapy in Suffolk County, New York. If you’d like more tips feel free to visit Jaime at www.livethedreameveryday.com and be sure to join our mailing list.