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Back pain? 5 exercises to do at your desk

Back pain? 5 exercises to do at your desk
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80% of people will experience back pain at some stage in their lives. Lower back pain is the main cause of disability in people under the age of 45, and it is the second most common reason that GPs are consulted. The majority of us work at computers or with machines, meaning the back and neck are often bent or curved. Computer work can cause a whole host of problems, so here’s how you can avoid pain and irritation in the office, with these five simple exercises. 

1) Soothe your eyes

If you work with your eyes glued to the screen all day, they can become tired, which leads to headaches. 

Try this basic “alphabet” exercise:

    • in a seated position, without moving your head, draw the letters of the alphabet with your eyes, making the letters as large as possible. 
    • at the end of the exercise, close your eyes for a few seconds and breathe deeply

2) Relax your lower back

The ‘pigeon’ exercise is effective for relieving your lower back and preventing problems related to sciatica:

      • sitting in your seat, place your feet on the floor
      • put your right foot on your left knee
      • breathe in and stretch your spine upwards
      • you should feel a stretch in your right thigh

The exercise should last between 30 seconds and a minute. Do the same thing on the other side.

3) Relax your wrists

The “sleepwalker” exercise will stretch out your muscles in order to prevent tendonitis from mouse/keyboard overuse. 

      • stretch your arms out straight in front of you, parallel to the floor, breathe in and raise your hands towards the sky, as if you were trying to touch the ceiling
      • when you exhale, relax your arms and face the palms of your hands towards the floor

4) Stretch out your back

This is the “cat and cow” exercise, which helps stretch out the back muscles:

      • sit on a chair, with your hands on your knees
      • alternate flexing your back backwards and forwards, breathing in when you round your back (backward flexion) and breathing out when you push your chest out and arch your back. 
      • repeat the series 5 times

5) Stimulate your circulation

This exercise prevents back pain and fatigue of the arms and legs, preventing problems such as heavy legs, by stimulating your blood circulation:

      • sitting on a chair, take a deep breath in and raise your right leg so that it is parallel to the floor. 
      • point your toes towards the ceiling
      • remain in this position for 10 breaths in and out
      • next, change legs

These exercises are taken from a yoga book written by Anne-Charlotte Vuccino, a yoga teacher who has her own yoga business. The book contains 65 movements and exercises for strengthening the back muscles as well as other parts of the body. 

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