Sitting in an office chair for hours at a time every day is hard on your back, especially if you sit with poor posture. This puts undue stress on the muscles that support your spine and can cause back pain. Performing back exercises in your office at regular internals throughout the day may help make sitting for long periods of time manageable.
Back Rotations
The deep spinal muscles, erector spinae and semispinalis, located on either side of your spine, facilitate rotation of the torso to the left and right. Back rotations stretch these muscles and may relieve any stiffness you feel after sitting for a long time. Sit upright in your chair, away from the back rest, with your left foot flat on the floor and right leg crossed over your left knee. Twist to the right and place your left forearm on your right knee, then press into your knee to deepen the stretch. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, then repeat in the opposite direction, with your left leg crossed over your right knee.
Lat Stretch
The latissimus dorsi muscles, or lats for short, run along the outside of your back on both sides, attaching to the front of the humerus bones on one end and to multiple structures in your middle and lower back on the other. This stretch targets the lats and also stretches the muscles along your spine. Stand upright 3 to 5 feet away from your desk. Keeping your knees straight, bend forward at the waist and extend your arms in front of your head, placing them on the edge of your desk about shoulder-width apart. Lower your head between your arms until you feel a gentle stretch through your lats, then hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
Neck Rolls
If you frequently work on a computer or read documents at your desk, you may subconsciously jut your neck forward for long periods of time, causing pain in your upper back and neck. Neck rolls may help relieve such pain. Sit or stand upright, letting your arms hang at your sides. Drop your chin to your chest and begin breathing deeply. On an inhalation, roll your head to the left, so your ear is above your left shoulder. Roll your chin back to your chest as you exhale. Repeat to the right side during your next breathing cycle. Continue alternating sides for 30 to 60 seconds.
Shoulder Packing
Shoulder packing works on the rhomboid and trapezius muscles, which help retract the scapula bones on either side of your upper back, pulling your shoulders backward. Like neck rolls, this exercise may help ease upper-back pain. Sit or stand upright with your arms at your sides. Pinch your shoulder blades together like you are trying to squeeze a tennis ball in the middle of your upper back. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then relax. Perform two to four repetitions. You can also try pinching just one shoulder blade at a time.
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