Work can be hard on the back. Stress causes the shoulders and upper back to pinch up. Computer work encourages a hunched posture that stresses the lower back. This happens even while sitting in the nicest chairs. If you sit in a cheap chair throughout your workday, these symptoms are only that much worse. Taking a five-minute break to stretch your back using a simple yoga technique, will alleviate those achy muscles.
Step 1
Find space to move. You'll only need space about the size of an average bathroom stall. If you need privacy, you can actually use a bathroom stall for this exercise.
Step 2
Stand with your feet hip distance apart, your spine erect and hands hanging loosely from your sides.
Step 3
Breathe deeply, relaxing as the oxygen moves through you.
Step 4
Sweep your hands skyward until they are above your head with your arms straight, like people in a movie looking at a gun.
Step 5
Bend backward and look at the ceiling, swinging your arms back along with your torso. Bend your back only as far as you can without compromising your balance.
Step 6
Keep your back straight as you bend at the hips until your torso is at hip level, parallel to the ground. Reach forward with your hands, elongating the spine.
Step 7
Relax your spine vertebra by vertebra, starting at the top of the neck and working down to the tailbone. As your relax, let your hands sink towards your ankles.
Step 8
Swing from your hips as you let your body hang downwards.
Step 9
Rise vertebra by vertebra until your torso is once again parallel to the ground. Reach and stretch your back once more.
Step 10
Swing upward from your hips to stand upright once more. If you like, cycle through this series multiple times.
Tips and Warnings
- If you work in an environment where you can do this at your workstation, it's easy to run through this between or even during some work tasks. If your environment wouldn't allow this, you can run several cycles during your break periods.
- If you wear a back belt at work, take it off before beginning these exercises.
References
- Yoga Site: Sun Salutation
- Kerry Collette; Yoga Instructor; Hillsboro, OR
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