One of the most challenging aspects of exercising is simply finding time for it. Many of us find ourselves sitting at a desk for the majority of our working lives. How can one expect to stay fit sitting at a desk? Is it possible? At CMC, we work hard to find exercises that fit into your daily lifestyle. Here are some of our suggestions:

Keep your Spine Healthy: One of the main areas of the body that is affected by sitting at a desk for extended periods of time is the spine. It is the core of many of the actions performed at a desk job. Keeping your spine healthy is vital to general well-being and health. Some of the biggest problems that come along with working at a desk all day are the result of leaning in a particular position for extended periods of time. This can put stress on the body’s muscles and over time will cause fatigue and imbalance. Here are some simple exercises that you can do anywhere to loosen these muscles:

Neck: Slowly flex your neck forward, backward, and side to side. Refrain from rolling your neck around your shoulders. Shoulders: Bend your arms to place your hands on top of your shoulders, and gently roll your shoulders forward 10 times, then backwards 10 times. Arms: Arms are very important to keep loose if you are working at a computer for long periods of time. Brace your hands at the edge of the desk at about shoulder width. Gently lean forward while hunching your shoulders. As you lean forward, push your shoulders and elbows closer to the desk. Wrists: Rolling your wrists often can help prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, especially if you are typing for long periods of time. Every time you take a break from typing, it is a good idea to roll your wrists in each direction about 10 times. Ankles: Rolling your ankles regularly will help prevent restlessness and will improve blood circulation to the legs and feet. While standing, gently roll each of your ankles several times in each direction. Chest: To counteract the “hunch” that many people can often slip into when sitting at a desk for long periods of time, this exercise can work wonders if done often. In a standing position, open your arms and pull your shoulders back as if you are going to hug someone. You can take this a step further and extend your hands backwards as well, to really feel the stretch in the arms. Release this and repeat 3-4 times when feeling fatigued. Abdominal: To keep the abdominals from becoming fatigued, simply stand and contract your abdominal muscles, hold for a few seconds, and release. This can also be done with your hip muscles. Legs: While sitting, raise your toes onto their balls by lifting the heel and slowly place them back down. Repeat this until you feel your muscles becoming tired. This exercise can and should be repeated often, as sitting at a computer for long periods of time with no movement can lead to blood clots in the legs over time. Simply lifting your legs from your chair is another great exercise.

Additional Exercises:

Walk: It is important to leave the desk to take walks periodically. Even if it is just to get water, or to step outside for a moment of fresh air. Stroll down a long hallway or walk up and down a few flights of stairs.

Prevent eye fatigue: Looking at a computer all day can put a lot of strain on the eyes. Make sure you take some time out of your day to look away from the screen and give your eyes a break.

Breath: Something as simple as taking time out of your busy work day to take a few, full deep breaths is essential to staying healthy. When breathing deeply, try to fill both the diaphragm and the upper area of the lungs.

Use your chair with wheels: If you have a chair with wheels in your office, it might look a little bit silly, but there are many different types of movements you can do in a wheeled/rotating chair that keep your body loose and moving. You can use only your core, with your feet off of the ground, to swivel a chair and work your obliques. You can promote blood flow by pushing in and out from your desk on the chair with both your hands and feet.

These exercises are a great way to remain focused at work, prevent injury, and to keep your energy levels high. For more information on the risks of working a desk job, and the benefits of doing these simple exercises on the job, go here:

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