Best stretches for your back at work…

Many people sit in front of a computer all day and this is a huge contributing factor in low back pain. At Yarra Osteopathy we recommend all of our patients take a “micro-break” every 20 minutes. This involves changing tasks and getting up and moving away from your desk for 1-2 minutes. This can be as simple as visiting the printer or going to talk to a colleague.

Two fantastic stretches we recommend for our patients to do at work are the hip flexor stretch and the hamstring stretch. Give them a go…

Hip flexor

Lunge forward as demonstrated in the picture above.

Kneeling on the stretching leg behind and the other leg stretched out in front.

Use a chair for balance or rest your hands on your hips.

Keep your back straight. Look forwards.

Ensure there is a 90-degree angle at the knee of the front leg to protect this joint.

Hamstring

Stand in front of a chair or something of similar height and stability.

Place one foot on the chair and with a straight leg gently lean forward from the hips to feel a pull in the back of the thigh.

Repeat these stretches on both sides and hold for 15-20 seconds.

You are on your way to better back health at work!