How to keep moving – even tied to a desk

FEEL like you’re glued to your desk for hours at a time – whether in the office or at home?

Moving the body regularly is important for avoiding back or neck pain, or even leg ache as a result of sitting for long periods.

In 2020/21, 470,000 workers suffered from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder.

JEANNIE Di BON, physiotherapist and creator of wellbeing app moovlite, teamed up with The Compensation Experts to provide her tips.

Jeannie recommends moving at least every 45 minutes, which equates to 10 times in an eight-hour working day.

And she adds: “The body loves to move. But if we sit for many hours without the opportunity to move around or stretch regularly, our tissue becomes dehydrated. This dehydration causes tissues to stick together and makes us feel stiff and can lead to pain.”

Roll the foot under your desk on a tennis ball or spikey ball. This will keep circulation going.

Calf pumps – rotate your ankles in both directions, one leg at a time. This will keep the calf muscles working, which prevents things like DVT.

Seated roll forward. Sit in your chair turned away from your desk, feet firmly planted. Rest hands on thighs. Nod your head slightly and roll the spine forward, allowing the hands to slide down the legs towards the feet, keeping your chin tucked in. At the bottom inhale into the back of the body to expand the lungs and stretch the thoracic spine. To return, press your feet into the ground and start to roll the pelvis back, which will lift your spine back to vertical.

Sitting staring at computers for a long time can cause the spine to get tight and fixed in one position. Introduce counteractions. While sitting, place your left hand on your right thigh, gently rotating the spine to the right, looking over your right shoulder to stretch the neck. Repeat the other way.

Add side bends. On your chair, let your spine flex to the left, the left arm slides down the side of the chair. Keep the pelvis heavy and balanced. Use the weight of the pelvis to lift the spine back up. Repeat the other side.

If you can stand, hold the back of your chair and walk on the spot to use the calf muscles. Lift both heels and slowly lower one heel down. Then swap – so you are raising one heel at a time, alternating feet.