Try This 10-Minute Stretch to Fix Sitting Pain
By Sandy Schroeder
Many of us sit all day every day, working our way through the work at hand. If you feel stiffness in your hamstrings, hips, shoulders, neck or chest, you may need to find ways to loosen up.
Over time, muscle tightness can lock into place, creating pain, and reducing mobility. It happens gradually, but it can take a lot of time and effort to undo. As you sit, the hips flex, shoulders hunch, the chest caves and the head drops forward, shortening and tightening the body’s muscles.
The 10-Minute Stretch Fix
This 10-minute stretch from Prevention.com may reverse a whole day of sitting. (Be sure to check with your doctor and chiropractor for approval before you begin.)
This stretch opens the shoulders and chest, reversing the flexed and tightened joint sitting positions. Instead, everything is extended and lengthened. Best of all, it feels amazing!
How to Do It
Create two piles of pillows on your bed or the floor. Lie back, letting the pillows support your back, shoulders and buttocks. Reach out, stretching your legs and arms off of the pillows to form a star. Lean your head back, and breathe deeply. Hold for at least three minutes. This stretch can be intensified using a stability ball instead of pillows.
Seeing Your Chiropractor
As you continue to work on flexibility, The Joint Chiropractic clinic near you is well equipped to help. Loosening up the body to ease pain and increase mobility is a natural at The Joint.
A gentle targeted spinal adjustment may help you achieve additional pain relief, and an overall wellness. You may feel fresh energy and alertness, too.
At that point, you may want to use weekly 15-minute adjustments to stay at your peak. As you regain flexibility, your chiropractor can help you evaluate your workplace, suggest more stretching exercises, and monitor your progress.
Workplace pointers – Make sure your chair provides good back support. Sit with your feet flat on the floor, keeping the chin level, and the monitor at eye level. Leave a couple of inches between the back of the legs and the edge of the seat. Sit up straight. Avoid bending the head forward.
Five-minute hourly breaks – For each hour that you sit, step outside or stand and stretch for five minutes to loosen the muscles. If you need to, set a timer to make sure you get that five-minute break.
When you are ready to get started, stop by The Joint Chiropractic clinic near you. Choose from an array of affordable healthcare plans that require no insurance. Discover the convenience of weekend and evening hours, and enjoy walk-in visits. No appointments are needed.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Irvine, Calif.