The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that more than 600,000 office workers take disability leave each year due to repetitive-stress injuries. Spending hours each day seated at your workstation on a computer can lead to fatigue and stiff muscles and joints. Taking several short breaks throughout the day to perform ergonomic exercises can help prevent excess strain and injury.
Hand Stretches
Stretching your hands and fingers frequently helps eliminate stiffness and joint pain. Spread your fingers out and slowly curl them in toward your palm several times while holding your wrist in a fixed position to stretch your fingers. Make a fist and bend your wrist back toward your forearm until you feel a light stretch and hold the position for ten to 15 seconds. Allow your wrist to curl down toward the underside of your forearm and hold the stretch for several seconds. Gently grip a stress ball or tennis ball to strengthen your fingers and relieve tension.
Arm Stretches
Stretching your arms several times a day while at work helps keep your blood moving and prevents tight muscles from holding your arms in static positions for extended periods. Bend your elbow and reach behind your head with one hand, as if scratching your back. Grip your elbow with your other hand and pull until you feel a gentle stretch across the back of your upper arm. Hold the position for several seconds and repeat the stretch with your other arm. Lace your fingers together with your palms facing away from your body. Gently extend your arms in front of your chest to stretch your arms and shoulders. Raise your arm to shoulder height with your elbow bent as if getting ready to throw a ball. Reach back and straighten your arm out to the side while extending your fingers to stretch the front of your arm and wrist.
Neck and Back Stretches
Sitting at your workstation for several hours can create tension and pain in your neck and back. Changing your position at least every two hours and sitting in an upright position with your back and neck aligned can help prevent fatigue. Several times each day slowly shrug your shoulders up toward your ears and then relax them to ease stiffness in your neck and upper back. Tilt your chin toward your chest until you feel a gentle stretch along the back of your neck and hold the position for ten to 15 seconds. Tilt your head from side to side to stretch the muscles in each side of your neck.
Pull your arms back along your sides and squeeze your shoulder blades together to relax your upper back. While seated, cross one leg over the other at the knee and gently turn your upper body in the opposite direction of your cross leg to stretch your mid and lower back.
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