I work a 9-5 office job without a standing desk. Needless to say, I’m feeling the pain, and stretching has become essential. At my last job, I worked from home and had a standing desk. So since starting at my new job, I’ve definitely been feeling the soreness and tightness in my body. Especially in my neck, shoulders, and hips. Not to mention the hand and wrist pain from typing all day. I’ve been doing my fair share of research and testing out the best desk stretches, so I wanted to share the most impactful stretches I’ve found with you all. Hopefully they’ll help bring some relief to your workday like they have for me.
Easy Desk Stretches and Mobility
I’ll break this post down into different areas of the body. Feel free to do all the stretches in one session, or just pick and choose based on where you’re feeling sore.
I’ll share stretches in these categories (click to jump to a section):
You should be able to do the majority of these streches while seated at your desk. But for the few that require standing, these can be done on your lunch, or if you have the ability to stand up and stretch throughout the day.
Happy stretching! 🧘♀️
Note: These stretches should feel good with a small bit of tension. You should not feel sharp pain during any of these stretches. If you are feeling pain, you’re stretching too far. Pay attention to your body and if you start to feel any pain, stop the movement. Make sure to move slowly and gently through all of these stretches.
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or personal trainer, these are just desk stretches that work for me. The stretches in this article should not be used in place of medical advice from a doctor or specialist. They should not be used if you have a medical condition that prohibits you from doing any of these stretces. Always talk to your doctor before starting new exercises or stretches.
Upper Back, Neck and Shoulders
>>> Shoulder Rolls
Optional: Interlock your hands behind your back to add to the stretch.
Stand/sit up straight with good posture. Roll your shoulders backwards in a circle (up, back, down, forward).
Do this 10x then reverse in the forward direction (up, forward, down, back).
Move through the slideshow below for a visual.
>>> “Prayer” Stretch (lats/shoulders)
Standing up straight, facing your desk, bend forward so your hips are hinged at around a 90 degree angle and your elbows and forhead are resting on your desk. (Don’t lock up your knees, let them bend a little.)
Clasp your hands together and tuck your chin down. Gently arch your upper back until you feel a stretch in your upper back and shoulders.
Note: Do this until you feel a stretch in your lats and shoulders, but you should not feel any pain. If you feel sharp pain, you’re stretching too far.
Hold for 20-30 seconds.
>>> Neck Rotations (shaking your head) and Nods
Sit up straight with your head facing forward. Slowly “shake your head” back and forth (turn to look from left to right) until you feel a slight stretch in your neck. Repeat 10x each side.
Face straight forward again. Tilt your head up and down (like you’re nodding your head.) Make sure to slowly move through the movement and hold for a second or two with each motion. Keep good posture throughout. Repeat 10x.
Hips and Glutes
>>> Seated Pigeon Pose
Sit near the front edge of your chair. Keep your left leg at a 90 degree angle (or foot slightly in front of your knee) and foot firmly on the floor. Place your right ankle onto your left quad. You should feel a stretch in your hip/glute.
If you feel the stretch, stay at this position. If you need a little more, put your hand on your hip and slowly lean forward.
Hold for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
>>> Open and Close the Gate (Hip Opener)
Stand up straight and shift your weight to your left leg. Lift up your right knee in front of you (slightly to the left side) and move it out to the right side of your body, as far as you can comfortably. Bring your foot back down to the floor.
Reverse this movement and lift your right knee up and out to the right side of your body, then move your knee across your body until it’s in front of you (slightly to the left). Drop your foot back down to the floor.
You should feel like you’re “opening and closing a gate” with your leg.
Repeat this motion 10x (open + close) then switch legs.
Move through the slideshow below for a visual.
Wrists and Hands
>>> Wrist and Finger Stretch
On a flat surface (like your desk) place your palm down, facing away from you. Lean forward slowly until you feel a slight stretch in the wrist.
One by one, slowly stretch each finger upwards until you feel a slight stretch. Hold each one for 5 seconds. If you feel extra tense in one of the fingers, hold the stretch for longer (around 15-20 seconds) to loosen it up.
This should feel good and a slight stretching sensation. You should not feel any sharp pain – if you do, you’re stretching too far.
>>> “Paint the Fence” Wrist Mobility
Hold both arms out straight in front of you. Bending hands down at the wrists, move your hands up until they’re slightly higher than your head (still out in front of you.)
Gently move hands up with palms facing forward and reverse the motion, bringing hands back down to around hip height (still holding out in front of your body.)
Continue this motion, up and down, 10x.
Move through the slideshow below for a visual.
>>> Wrist Circles
Hold both hands out in front of you and form fists. Slowly move your hand in a circle clockwise.
Repeat 10 circles this direction, then switch directions and make 10 counterclockwise wrist circles.
Move through the slideshow below for a visual.
In Conclusion: Desk Stretches
I hope these desk stretches helped to relieve some tension and soreness from your daily life!
I set a daily reminder on my phone and try to do these at some point every day at work. Feel free to bookmark this article for later so you can keep up with your daily stretch routine.
If you enjoyed this post, you’ll also like:
- The EASIEST Way to Create Better Habits
- 7 Simple Tips to Sleep Better
- How to Motivate Yourself to Work Out Again (5 Easy Tricks)
Thanks for reading! <3
Unfortunately, I had to disable open comments due to a ton of spam comments coming in, so comments will only be open for a month after a post goes live now. But you can always send me an email if comments are closed and you want to get in contact. 🙂
