Musculoskeletal Pain Relief: Stretches You Can Do at Your Desk

These days, people rarely move away from their office desks. Although desk jobs could be done conveniently through technology, they lead to musculoskeletal pain.

These are the typical health problems of office workers, from stiff necks to backs, shoulders, and wrists. But do not worry—there are various options, such as simple stretches and exercises you can do right at the desk to remove the pain and reconstruct your health. 

Explore the content on this blog for desk stretching exercises for musculoskeletal affection that you can integrate into your daily schedule.

What Are Musculoskeletal Pains?

It is pain located in the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones. These ailments can cause varying sensations such as soreness, dullness, and tension throughout the body. 

Misalignments due to bad posture, glued seating for too long, repetitive actions, improper lifting, or car handling are unavoidable office hazards.

Stretching and ergonomic adjustment can eliminate musculoskeletal pain in good news, that’s the reality. The process of doing easy relieving back exercises or muscle-pain removing movements in between work times can show positive results in that they will lead to greater productivity at the workplace.

Benefits of Desk Stretching for Musculoskeletal Pain

We spend long hours seated in our chairs which causes muscle strain, poor body posture, and thereby the development of musculoskeletal pain. Thus, when there is no such movement, there is little blood circulation and flexibility in the joints, leading to stiffness and pain which is what exercise for musculoskeletal pain treats.

Stretching at your desk can:

• Release muscular tension
• Posture enhancement
• Flexibility improvement
• Blood circulation increase

With just a few minutes to stretch throughout the day, you can reduce the likelihood of developing more serious conditions, such as chronic pain or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Also Read: How to Stop Leg Cramps Immediately: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

Simple Desk Stretches for Musculoskeletal Pain

Easy and effective desk stretches for musculoskeletal pain that target different areas of the body can be done without leaving your chair.

Neck Stretch

It is a mechanical pain in this area that many patients report while sitting too long in front of a computer. To relieve neck tension:

• Sit upright, with back straight and feet flat on the floor.
• Gently tilt your head to one side so that the right ear moves toward the right shoulder remaining in this position for 10-15 seconds.
• Do the same thing on the left side too.
• Also, you can turn the head from left to right by sheer force to introduce further workload for all the muscles.

This stretch helps relieve tightness in the neck and shoulder that could cause stiffness and headaches.

Seated Cat-Cow Stretch

The stretches are an easy yoga move for relieving tension in the spine, neck, and shoulders.

• Sit at the edge of your chair with your feet flat on the ground.
• Place your hands on your knees and inhale, arching your back and looking up (Cow pose).
• As you exhale, round your back and bring your chin toward your chest (Cat pose).
• Repeat it for 5-10 times.

The seated cat-cow stretch improves spinal flexibility and can help alleviate muscle pain relief at the office.

Shoulder Shrugs and Rolls

The shoulder is the part of the body that usually gets overstrained by office work. To physically achieve a good harmony in the shoulders between your body, you may use the following techniques:

• Place your hands at the sides of your hips and sit up straight.
• Shrug the shoulders up towards your ears at a slow pace. Wait a few seconds for it to happen, then calm down.
• Roll your shoulders backward in a circular motion and then forward.

This stretch improves the flexibility and mobility of the shoulders and upper back, as a result of such, it improves body mechanics and relieves musculoskeletal pain.

Seated Forward Fold

Whether it is back or hamstring, seated forward folds are perfect desk stretches for musculoskeletal pain as it is ideal for spinal lengthening and relieving compression of the lower back.

• The first thing, edge yourself to the front of the chair and keep your feet flat on the floor.
• When you take a breath in, your back lengthens out and then exhale as you come forward to continue the action.
• Deepen the stretch by devoting the head and neck to relaxation. Hold the position for 10-15 seconds and come back to a standing position.

Doing this office stretching workout for musculoskeletal pain is effective for lower back stiffness and flexibility improvement.

Wrist and Forearm Stretch

A very basic yet successful treatment for the weak wrists and forearms of diehard workaholics is to stretch them. Stretching is an essential way of preventing the feeling of pain and inconvenience in these areas.

• Hold your hand and arms in front of you and keep the palm down.
• Pull the fingers of your right hand, which is in a backward direction, to the body with the left hand without breaking the bones. Also, stretch your wrist and the forearm.
• Alter the side for 10-15 seconds and hold. Switch the other arm with your left hand.

This stretch releases the discomfort associated with repetitive wrist movements and can reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Seated Torso Twist

The base of the spine is significant in relieving the tensions of the back and can also increase the ability to move as you need. To perform this stretch:

• Be seated straight up with your feet touching the floor.
• Use the right hand to move right on the chair’s back and the torso. Also, turn the shoulder to the right side and face the right shoulder.
• Stay in the position for ten to fifteen seconds, then move back to the central position and perform the procedure on the left side.

This very simple motion is effective in stretching the muscles of the back, especially the lower back which is usually caused by restriction and lack of flexibility.

Also Read: Muscle Pain: Relief and Leg Cramps Treatment

Tips for Pain Relief

In addition to the many different stretching exercises that can be done on the desk, the office environment can be made better as well. These are the following tips at work relief:

Monitor Position: If your computer screen is at the level of the eyes, you will not have a neck strain due to looking up or down at it. Twenty inches is approximately how far away the screen should be from your eyes.

Chair Height: Adjust your chair properly so that your feet sit on the floor and your knees are 90 degrees.

Keyboard and Mouse Placement: Arrange the keyboard and mouse in such a way that it is natural to use them and it does not put your wrists in tension. 

Take Breaks Frequently: Stand and stretch every 30-60 minutes.

Including these methods can help you to decrease the chance of injury at work and time be spent better without physical stress.

Conclusion

It is unfortunate, that almost every desk worker suffers from musculoskeletal pain, the remedies hereafter described stand out as satisfactory to a relieving escort.

Just bend and stretch muscles – a large number of simple desk stretches that can heal musculoskeletal pain. Some of these include stretches for lower back, shoulders, arms, and wrists.

Adjust your desk space according to good ergonomic design principles. Small adjustments made to your workstation can really help diminish musculoskeletal pain, as well as help you feel much more comfortable and productive while at work.

If you’re experiencing persistent or severe pain, consider Panraa Doctors, who will provide a medical certificate for your musculoskeletal pain, so that you can get relief, rest, and reset. Start implementing these stretches today and say goodbye to musculoskeletal discomfort!