It’s 3pm and you have been sitting at your desk all day sifting through emails, answering phone calls and working against a tight deadline. You reach for the diet soft drink or your wallet to head to the local coffee shop for revival, but what you really need is a refreshing stretch break!
You are not made to sit at a desk all day - your body
requires movement. “People
who sit at their computers for hours every day -- they’re in for serious
medical problems,” says Sharon Hame, MD, associate clinical professor at
UCLA’s department of orthopedic surgery. “We’re seeing more things than
carpal tunnel; those pains go up the arm to the elbow and shoulder and then
translate to the neck and back. It’s a huge problem." Experts say the solution is to break up your work day with
stretching exercises that can be performed at your desk.
Below is information on stretching, including a program you can do at your desk.
Click HERE to view the program.
Why should I stretch?
Stretching:
- Improves circulation
- Reduces anxiety, stress, and fatigue
- Increases range of motion
- Increases flexibility
- Enhances critical thinking
- Improves mental alertness
- Reduces chance for injury
- Reduces muscle tension
- Increases productivity
When can I stretch?
- Morning, noon, or night; stretch anytime during the day
How do I stretch?
- Click HERE to view pictures and descriptions of stretches you can do at your desk
What is the most common form of stretching?
Static Stretching:
- Static Stretching involves:
- Slowly stretching a muscle to the end of your range of motion, this is to a point of tightness without discomfort
- Relaxing, pleasurable and beneficial feeling
- Holding the position for an extended period of time, usually 15-30 seconds
- Does not include bouncing or jerking movements
Why is static stretching the best stretching
technique?
- It requires little time and assistance
- Has a low risk of injury
- Is most effective
What is flexibility?
Flexibility is:
-
The ability to move joints and muscles through their full range of motion
-
Enhanced through daily stretching
Why is flexibility important?
Flexibility is important because:
- The lack of flexibility creates
stiffness in your tendons, ligaments and muscles and can cause damage over
time
- If a certain muscle is stiff, weak,
or tight, the body will recruit other muscles to help with the movement
and can cause injury
- It is important to be flexible to
achieve better functional capabilities
- For example: reaching up high, or
bending down to pick something up
- It will help prevent injury and
soreness
- Being flexible counteracts the shortening that
occurs when muscles are repeatedly used
- For example: during
exercise or repetitive daily activity
- Aids athletic performance, relaxation, and posture
Citations:
American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM’s
Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription; Seventh Edition.
Maryland, Pennsylvania: American
College of Sports Medicine, 2006.
American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription; Sixth Edition. Maryland, Pennsylvania: American College of Sports Medicine, 2000.