Five stretches for people who sit all day

Stand up once an hour. Roll your shoulders back ten times. Gently turn your head side to side. Stand and reach overhead. Take a short walk.

Why sitting gets to you

Bodies like to move, and most desk days don't give them much chance. Hours in one position can leave hips feeling tight, shoulders creeping toward your ears and your neck stuck at whatever angle your screen prefers. Often that doesn't mean anything is wrong. It usually just means you've been still for a long time.

The good news is that small, frequent movement tends to feel better than one heroic session at the end of the day. A minute here and there adds up.

The five movements

None of these need equipment, a mat or a change of clothes. Move gently, stay within a comfortable range and breathe normally.

• Stand up once an hour. Set a quiet reminder. Standing for a minute changes your position and wakes up your legs.
• Roll your shoulders back ten times. Slow circles: up, back and down. It's a nice break from typing posture.
• Gently turn your head side to side. Look over one shoulder, then the other, without forcing it.
• Stand and reach overhead. Lace your fingers, reach tall and lean slightly to each side.
• Take a short walk. To the kitchen, around the block or to a coworker's desk instead of sending a message.

Fitting them into your day

The trick is attaching movement to things you already do. Stand for the first few minutes of every call. Roll your shoulders while a file uploads. Take the long way to refill your water. Walk while you think through a tricky problem, which, conveniently, is often when good ideas show up.

If you work from home, try moving your laptop to a counter for part of the afternoon. A change of height is a change of position, and that's the whole point.

When to ask a professional

These movements are meant to feel easy and pleasant. If something hurts, stop. If stiffness or discomfort sticks around, gets worse or comes with numbness or tingling, that's a reason to see a licensed professional rather than stretch harder.

None of these are a substitute for care from a licensed professional, and if something hurts, stop and ask one.

Stella teaches a Desk-Worker Stretch Workshop at Loam & Behold over a lunch hour, which would be very popular if either Stella or the clinic existed. The advice to get up and move is real, though, and you can start right after you finish reading.

General wellness information from a fictional clinic, not medical advice.