Q:

How do I keep my muscles limber when I’m stuck at my desk all day?

When we talk about workplace health and staying limber, the main problem a person faces is “tissue creep”. This is when your tissues lose their elasticity after you’ve stayed in a fixed position – just like a rubber band after being stretched for a long time. And tissue creep can happen in as little as 10 minutes!

The first thing you can do is to fidget often. You’re no longer in primary school so you’re not likely to get scolded by anyone. Fidgeting is actually good for you. Change your sitting position as often as you can. In fact, send yourself an e-mail or set an alarm every 15 minutes to make sure that you move.

The second thing you can do is to get out of the chair. Nothing beats this. Get up when you speak on the phone, get up to talk to a co-worker instead of e-mailing them. Find an opportunity to get up and take it. While you are standing, stretch upwards with both hands towards the ceiling and breathe in deeply for 10 reps. You can also do neck rolls or stretches to get your head and neck out of the hunched computer-screen mode.

Tags: Fitness, Ask The Fitness Coach, Muscle,