Simple Neck Stretches and Mobility Exercises To Do at Your Desk Chair

Upper Traps

·      Start by sitting up right in your seat, balancing on your sits bones, and relaxing your shoulders down your back

·      Side-Bend your Right ear towards your Right Shoulder keeping your chin slightly drawn inward

·      Create some overpressure by placing your Right hand on your head and depressing your Left shoulder down.

·      Hold each stretch for at least 30-45 seconds and perform on each side. 

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·      Start by sitting up right in your seat, balancing on your sits bones, and relaxing your shoulders down your back

·      Side-Bend your Right ear towards your Right Shoulder keeping your chin neutral

·      Create some overpressure by placing your Right hand on your head and depressing your Left shoulder down.

·      Lightly start to look up towards the sky on the Left until you feel a comfortable stretch on the Left side.

·      Hold each stretch for at least 30-45 seconds and perform on each side. 

Levator Scapulae:

·      Start by sitting up tall with shoulders relaxed. Grasp the bottom of the seat with your Right hand.

·      Slightly turn your chin toward your left shoulder and lightly look down until a comfortable stretch is felt on the Right side of the neck. Hold that position for 30 seconds.

·      Repeat on each side

 Simple Neck Rotation

·      Start by sitting up tall with balance on your sits bones and your shoulders relaxed down your back

·      Try to keep your neck neutral by lightly drawing your chin in towards your chest

·      Take an inhale breath and draw your chin over towards your Right shoulder

·      Exhale and return back to the middle.

·      Take another inhale breath and draw your chin over towards your Left Shoulder

·      Exhale and return back to the middle

·      Repeat these rotations to the Right and Left 5-8 times each, matching the breath to each movement while sitting up tall. 

Lower Extremity Stretches

Hip Flexor Stretch

·Start with your L foot forward and right foot back with the Right knee grounded (Use a towel or blanket under the grounded knee to protect the patella) 

·With both hands on your hips slightly tuck the Left hip under for good alignment of the pelvis

·Here you are stretching your Right Hip Flexor so lean your Right hip forward while keeping the belly engaged and shoulders on top of the hips

·For added mobility lift the Right arm in the air and lean forward, as well as bring the Right arm out into a T and perform a slight rotation

· Hold each position for 60 seconds and perform on each side

Hamstring Stretch

·Lay on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor.  Allow your low back to lightly press down, slight chin tuck (place blanket or pillow under head if chin is jetting up towards ceiling)

· Place Left foot in strap with both hands and each side of strap and start to straighten back of knee forward while pointing toes towards your face

· Adding ankle pump and letting the leg come out to the R and L side will allow for some added mobility in the lower extremity. 

·Hold each position for 60 seconds and perform on each side

 

Piriformis Stretch

·Lay on back with knees bent and both feet on the floor.  Low back lightly pressing into the floor with neck neutral and chin slightly in ( use blanket or pillow under head if this is hard to achieve)

·Place your Right ankle over your Left knee with the Right toes flexed up towards the Right shin.  Start to press the R knee away from you and hold for 20 seconds

·Slowly grab for the Left shin with both hands while keeping your back and head on floor. 

·Hold for 60 seconds and repeat on both sides

Adductor/Inner-Groin Stretch

· Lay on back with blanket or pillow under the head for support.  Start with both knees bent and the feet flat on the floor.  

·Start to separate the knees from one another until you feel a stretch in the inner thighs.  If the low back peels off the ground you went too far with stretching the knees apart.  Place blankets under knees for support.  

· Hold this position for up to 5 minutes. Arms can be by the sides or overhead.  

Toe Stretch

·Kneel on floor with both knees supported by a blanket or towel

· Tuck toes under and hold position for 20-30 seconds and perform 2 times each

·Add upper extremity arm movements like “Eagle Arms” for added mobility into the shoulders.