![]() ![]() For the cow part, reverse the motion, letting your stomach drop and gently arching your lower back. ![]() Exhale, contracting your abs and rounding your spine, again as a cat would. If you’d like to try it that way, start in a tabletop position with knees hip-width apart and toes flexed. In yoga, this pose is done on all fours, Hoffman says. Repeat on each side three times, for a total of a minute and a half. Next, round through your spine, as an angry cat would, tucking your chin. For a deeper stretch, clasp your hands behind your back.ģ. Lift your chin and gaze up at the ceiling, broadening your chest and allowing a slight arch in your lower back. Take a comfortable seat on the floor, or sit on the edge of your chair with your feet planted hip-width apart, and place your hands on your knees.Ģ. But “when your body is open, it helps keep you in proper ergonomic alignment.” This back and chest opener encourages better posture, she says.ġ. Tightness in the back and chest can lead you to hunch, Hoffman says. Same deal here –– do this stretch on both sides three times, for a total of 2 minutes. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on the other side. Rest your heel against the wall, gently straightening your raised leg. With your left knee bent, raise your right leg in the air. Lie down on your back near the corner of a wall. If you’re working from home, you can try a variation of this on the floor. There are lots of ways to stretch your hamstrings. Do three reps on each side, for a total of 2 minutes. Straighten one leg before you, then lean forward till you feel the stretch. Take a comfortable seat on the floor, or position yourself on the edge of your chair with your knees bent, and stabilize your core.Ģ. Stretching these muscles –– which you’ve probably done before –– can help you stay flexible and avoid injury.ġ. Hamstring tightness is another thing that can contribute to back discomfort. “The hamstrings tend to be tight on everybody,” says Hoffman, a former yoga instructor and devoted yogi. “You can go up to 45 to 60 seconds.” If it feels bad, stop what you’re doing and take a breather. “Go slowly,” Hoffman says, “and breathe.” If this stretch (or one of the others) feels really good, feel free to hold it for longer. Do three reps on each side, for a total of a minute and a half. Hold for 15 seconds (or fewer, if you feel discomfort), and slowly return to starting position.ģ. ![]() Slowly bring your right ear toward your right shoulder, stopping when you feel the stretch. Contract your core, and pull your shoulders down and back.Ģ. Sit or stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward (if you’re seated, make sure they’re planted on the ground). Do this stretch a couple of times a day to soothe tension and reset your posture.ġ. Peering down at a screen involves a forward head motion that strains the cervical spine (the top part in your neck) and the muscles that support it. The term “Tech Neck” (also called “Text Neck”) refers to overuse injuries of the head, neck, and shoulders caused by craning over technology (aka looking at your phone all day). Once you heal and have your doctor’s approval, you can go ahead and give them a try.) (If anything hurts - or if you’re already dealing with a chronic injury or muscle strain - hold off on these. Repeat each movement three times before moving on to the next. Aim to hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Once or twice a day, set aside 5 minutes to tackle the moves below. Stretching can help keep muscles flexible and strong, and protect you from injury. Think about incorporating stretching into your daily routine. “Our glutes get deactivated by being sedentary, and weak glutes can make you more prone to lower back discomfort.” “Sitting at an office or a dining room table all day can fatigue and weaken muscles,” says Abbe Hoffman, MS, an ergonomist with Rally’s parent company Optum Health. If you’ve been exercising less on top of spending more hours bent over a laptop, you may be setting yourself up for discomfort. Working in a way that isn’t ergonomically supportive - think perching on a barstool at your kitchen counter, or click-clacking away on your computer while seated on your mushy couch - doesn’t do your body any favors. Just weeks into the pandemic, 90% of the poll’s 213 respondents were already dealing with musculoskeletal pain. In April, the American Chiropractic Association conducted a poll on Facebook to find out how people were feeling while sheltering in place. Since the COVID era began - and forced millions of Americans to shift to remote work and virtual learning - chiropractors have reported a spike in complaints. If you’ve got a stiff neck, a sore back, or hamstrings so tight you can barely touch your toes, you’re not the only one. When was the last time you got up from your chair for a stretch or a walk? ![]()
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