1. Take frequent breaks, at least 5 minutes every working hour.
2. Neck and shoulder exercises:
- Shrug your shoulders up and down.
- Pull your shoulder blades together and then relax.
- Pull your shoulders down while gently leaning your head to each side.
- Rotate your shoulders back several times and then forward several times.
- Slowly turn your head side to side several times.
3. Arm and hand exercises
- Rotate your wrists in slow circles for a minute.
- Stretch your arms upward, palms up and fingers interlaced. Hold for a few seconds and then relax.
- Wiggle your fingers for 15 seconds.
4. Look at your arms, wrists and fingers while you type.
This is probably not an exercise you’ll find discussed in most places that help you be more comfortable at your computer. But we’re learning that our eyesight is an important way our brains know what’s going on in our bodies. For many of us, we don’t look at the keyboard while we’re typing. What this causes us a mis-match between what our muscles are signaling to our brains and what’s coming in through our eyes.
By “correcting” this mis-match, i.e. letting our eyes register what movements we’re making, the mis-match goes away and pain can be less. Studies are beginning to show that this technique may prevent and decrease repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Question: Did you try these exercises? Were these exercises helpful?
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jared Plemon and James Myers, DC, Chiropractor Dr Burt. Chiropractor Dr Burt said: Exercises at Your Desk http://bit.ly/cD0Fln [...]
This exercise can benefit all of us. Thanks for RT.
[...] situation where neck pain during working hours in front of the computer becomes a daily occurrence, stretches and exercises for your neck is a must. Additional exercises such as Isometric Neck Exercise would be a great addition to keep your neck [...]
[...] Exercises at Work: Try to practice exercises at your place of employment. Create a schedule for a 5 minute exercise every break time to just calm [...]
Great exercises, thanks!
I did mine while sitting on an exercise ball, which I use instead of a
computer chair. I have found that
sitting on a ball instead of a chair is helpful for
proper spine alignment. Because an exercise ball is not
stable, your body needs to try to balance itself on it. The perfect spinal
posture is coincidently the easiest to balance with. This helps improve your
spinal health, and decrease back pain. An exercise ball also causes to you to
change your position often to balance. For example, if you turn 45 degrees to
face the phone, your body will assume a new position. This helps reduce damage
caused by prolonged sitting in the same position. The kids like to play on it,
though, which can be hazardous with little ones if they fall back on to a hard
floor, for example, so I roll the ball away to a safe place after use.
[...] 10 hours a day texting on their Blackberries. Take an opportunity every 30 minutes to do some light stretching at your desk. I’m not asking you to break into a full downward dog. What I am suggesting is that you raise [...]