4 Stretches To Show Your Desk-Bound Employees

Sitting at a desk all day can cause sore muscles and pain in your employees. Allowing them moments to get up and exercise during their workday will keep them happy and healthy and we all know employee satisfaction is extremely important.

Loosen Up with Shoulder Stretches

Hunched over a keyboard all day can wreak havoc on an employee’s shoulders and back. Shoulder stretches can help employees loosen up. Shoulder rolls are easy and merely require employees to gently roll their shoulders up and back in a circular motion to relieve tension. Chest stretches can be incorporated into shoulder stretch routines for a more dynamic stretch.

Strengthen with Chin Tucks

Chin tucks not only help employees stretch their necks, but strengthen it as well. They can be done at any time during the day. This exercise is simple—all employees need to do is lower their chin to their chest and hold before bringing their head back up and repeating. Remember to reiterate the importance of keeping their back straight so they can reap the benefits of this stretch.

Relieve Pain with Lower Back Stretches

Lower back stretches can be done sitting down easily enough, which is good for employees who can’t get up and leave their desks at the moment. An employee can bend forward in their chair and, keeping their back straight, touch their fingers to the floor before rising back up and repeating.

Prevent Injury with Hand Stretches

While body stretches are good, employees must not forget to stretch their hands as well. Hand and finger stretches will help prevent hand and wrist injuries like Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Give employees these hand stretches:

• Thumb extensions will strengthen your hands. Place a rubber band around your hand, making sure it’s not too tight and at sitting just below the knuckles. Then, gently move your thumb away from your hand and hold. Release and repeat.
• Claw stretches will help improve the range of motion in the fingers. With your hand facing you, bend the tips of your fingers down to touch the base of each finger joint. Hold, release, and repeat.
• Fist stretches will help strengthen hands and fingers. Make a fist with your hand, placing your thumb over your fingers, and hold it until you feel tightness, but no pain. Then release, spread your fingers wide, and repeat on both hands.

In addition to these stretches, encourage employees to adopt good desk posture for better health and better employee satisfaction.