When you’re concentrating on work, it can be very easy to fall into bad posture habits – especially if you spend most of the working day sitting at a desk. Sitting still for long periods of time can be quite bad for your body to begin with, but when you’re sitting in a position that is putting pressure on certain parts of your musculoskeletal system, the effect is compounded, with
potentially dire results.
A desk job can be particularly hazardous to your health if you already suffer from
scoliosis (a sideways curvature of the spine) or
hyper-kyphosis (an excessive forward curve in the spine). Poor desk posture can exacerbate back pain, a common symptom of scoliosis, and may even contribute to the continued progression of one’s existing spinal curve.
Therapeutic stretches to try at work
Whether you suffer from a spinal condition or not, you can perform the following stretches while seated at your desk in order to stave off the potential health consequences of bad posture:
Stretch #1: Thoracic Extension at a Desk
- Sit forwards in your seat with your knees bent to 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor.
- Place the palms of your hands and your mid-forearms underneath your desk, with elbows bent to 90 degrees.
- Apply gentle pressure in an upwards direction with your hands and mid-forearms, while simultaneously extending your upper back and allowing your pelvis to rock forwards.
- Ensure that your chin is tucked in as your neck elongates upwards.
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, then repeat 3 times for one set.
- Complete this stretch again after 30 minutes of sitting.
Stretch #2: Levator Scapulae Stretch
- Sit comfortably in your chair with your knees bent to 90 degrees and your feet firmly on the floor.
- Place one hand behind your lower back to ensure a correct lumbar lordosis.
- With your head, look over to the right side and diagonally downwards towards your armpit.
- Place your right hand onto the occiput (the bony part of the base of your skull).
- Use the weight of your arm to stretch the neck in a downward and diagonal direction.
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, then repeat 3 times for one set.
- Swap sides and repeat.
- Complete this stretch again after 30 minutes of sitting.
Stretch #3: Sitting Piriformis Stretch
- Sit comfortably in your chair with your knees bent to 90 degrees and your feet firmly on the floor.
- With one leg at a time, place your ankle across your opposite knee, as though you are crossing your legs individually.
- Ensure that you maintain a small lumbar lordosis with a contracted core to optimise the position of your pelvis and lumbar spine.
- Push down gently on the crossed leg’s knee to stretch the piriformis muscle (located on the outside of the gluteal region).
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times for one set.
- Swap sides and repeat.
- Complete this stretch again after 30 minutes of sitting.
If you suffer from scoliosis, or another spinal condition, and you are looking for an effective non-surgical treatment route, please contact Scoliosis SOS today to learn about our ScolioGold therapy courses.
