The strain of sitting all day
When you sit at a computer, your head gradually drifts forward, your back rounds and your shoulders roll inward. Your head weighs roughly 10% of your body weight, and the muscles of your neck and shoulders end up holding that heavy head up for hours on end.
Staying in the same position makes your muscles stiffen and tends to slow your circulation. The stiff neck and shoulders and the heavy lower back you feel by late afternoon often come from these long stretches of not moving. That's why moving little and often matters more than exercising for a long time in one go.
How often to take breaks
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Guidelines for Occupational Health Management in Work with Information Devices state that continuous work should not go on for more than an hour, that you should take a 10- to 15-minute break before the next period of work, and that you should also take one or two short pauses during the work itself.
- Get up from your seat at least once an hour and walk around a little.
- Even in the middle of a task, reset your posture with a few minutes of stretching.
- Decide on cues in advance, such as before and after meetings or after sending an email.
Neck and shoulder stretches
1. Side neck stretch (20 seconds each side)
- Sit up straight and place your right hand on the left side of your head.
- As you breathe out, slowly tilt your head to the right.
- Hold the seat of your chair with your left hand so that your left shoulder doesn't rise.
- Hold for 20 seconds, feeling the stretch along the left side of your neck. Repeat on the other side.
2. Chin tucks (5 times)
- Facing forward, draw your chin straight back, keeping it level (as if making a double chin).
- When you feel the back of your neck stretch, hold for 3 seconds, then relax.
This movement brings a head that has drifted forward from peering at the screen back to where it belongs.
3. Shoulder shrugs and rolls (5 times each)
- Lift both shoulders up toward your ears, hold for 2 seconds, then let them drop, releasing all the tension at once.
- Bend your elbows and rest your fingertips on your shoulders, then draw big circles with your elbows, rolling backward 5 times.
Back and chest stretches
4. Chest opener (20 seconds)
- Clasp your hands behind your back (if you can't, hold the back of your chair with both hands).
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and open your chest, pointing it diagonally upward.
This undoes a rounded back and shoulders that have rolled inward.
5. Back rounding stretch (20 seconds)
- Clasp your hands and stretch your arms straight out in front of you.
- Round your back as if peering at your navel, widening the space between your shoulder blades.
Lower back and glute stretches
6. Seated twist (15 seconds each side)
- Sit toward the front edge of your chair with the soles of your feet flat on the floor.
- Slowly twist your upper body to the right and hold the back of the chair with your right hand.
- Don't force your head to turn. Keep your back straight and keep breathing. Repeat on the other side.
7. Glute stretch (20 seconds each side)
- Rest your right ankle on your left knee.
- Keeping your back straight, lean your upper body slightly forward.
- Stop when you feel a stretch in your right buttock. Repeat on the other side.
The glute muscles, which easily tighten up from sitting all day, also play a part in that heavy feeling in your lower back.
Don't forget to rest your eyes
When you keep looking at a computer screen, the muscles that focus your eyes keep working too.
- The 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (about 6 m) away for 20 seconds. This method is recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
- Make a point of blinking to keep your eyes from drying out.
- Close your eyes and warm the area around them with a warm towel.
Setting up your workspace
Just as important as stretching is working in a posture that puts less strain on your body in the first place.
| Point | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Screen height | The top edge of the screen at eye level or slightly below |
| Distance from the screen | Roughly 40 cm or more |
| Chair | A height at which the soles of your feet rest on the floor and your knees bend at about 90 degrees |
| Keyboard | A position where your elbows bend at about 90 degrees and your shoulders don't rise |
| Laptop | Raise the screen with a stand and use an external keyboard |
Points to keep in mind
- Don't bounce. Stop just short of the point where it "hurts so good."
- Keep breathing while you stretch.
- If you have numbness or severe pain, or if pain lasts for several days, don't push yourself. See a doctor or an osteopathic clinic.
Summary
- Get up from your seat at least once an hour, and take short pauses even in the middle of your work.
- Work in stretches that take just a few minutes, in order for the neck, shoulders, back, lower back and glutes.
- Pair them with eye breaks and with adjusting the height of your screen and chair.
If lower back pain or a stiff neck and shoulders persist even so, the cause may lie in habitual ways of using your body. For an osteopathic clinic that takes on the physical complaints of desk workers, see our article on Nishi-Shinjuku 7-chome Seikotsuin.
