Working at a desk means sitting and staring at a screen for long periods of time, and as a result, many of us get used to stiffness and pain in our bodies and often don’t do anything about it.
The best under-desk treadmills are great for increasing your activity levels while you answer emails and take calls, but not everyone has the space or ability to walk and work at the same time. Luckily, in these cases, a simple exercise routine can help relieve muscle stiffness and pain caused by sitting for long periods of time.
This session is led by a mobility coach Amir Zandinejad Designed to target problem areas of the upper body and improve posture throughout the day, whether you’re limited in space or just need to take a break from your screen, these exercises offer an easy way to keep your body in tip-top shape while you work.
What is Amir Zandinejad’s 8-move desk mobility routine?
This routine focuses on a movement called Controlled Joint Rotation (CAR), which sounds complicated but is actually a type of movement where you rotate a joint through its range of motion in a slow, controlled manner.
Zandinejad explains, “With CAR, we’re maximizing our range of motion and reminding our nervous system that these ranges of motion are important to us and that we want to maintain them. It also influences blood, oxygen, and nutrients to maintain tissue health.”
Repeat each exercise four to five times, except for the last two movements, for which Zandinejad recommends up to six repetitions.
According to published research: Lifestyle Medicine JournalSitting for long periods of time can lead to fatigue, reduced job satisfaction, high blood pressure, and pain, especially in the shoulders, hips, thighs, and knees.
So it’s important to step away from the screen and fit a little movement into your day, even if it’s just a few minutes to stretch at your desk. And as Zandinejad’s routine shows, it doesn’t take a lot of time or space to get started while sitting down to work and see the positive effects.
When performing movements, focus on slow, controlled movements. Even if you feel pain during an exercise, don’t force it. “Only perform a pain-free range of motion,” says Zandinejad. “If you experience pain or tightness in the range of motion, shorten the range of motion and work around the painful area before continuing with the rest of the movement.”
It’s important to remember that this is a very short period of time, so you won’t see huge changes right away, but taking a break from the screen to increase your body awareness, foster the mind-body connection, and help you stay in the present moment and reduce stress.
