You worked so hard from Monday to Friday 9 to 6, received your hard earned salary at the end of the month but ended up spending it to fix your aches and pain caused by the long hours of bad posture and muscle tightness caused at your desk. Is it worth it?

Today, I am going to share the top 5 stretches you can do at your desk to help prevent your hard earned money flying to the masseuse or TCM.

1. Chest & Front Shoulder Stretch

• Sit up tall (imagine a string pulling the top of your head towards the ceiling) with your feet flat on the ground

• Clasp your hands together behind you and slowly straighten them if possible

• Push your chest to the front and shoulders down and back

• You should feel a comfortable stretch on your chest and shoulders

2. Upper Back Stretch

• Sit up tall with your feet flat on the ground

• Clasp your hands together in front of you with elbows slightly bent

• Look slightly downwards and tilt to one side

• You should feel a comfortable stretch along the side of your upper back

• Don’t forget to stretch the other side!

3. Front Hips & Side Stretch

• Get into a lunge position with one butt on the chair and thigh resting on the seat

• Maintain an upright position while raising your arm

• Look straight and slowly lean towards the chair

• You should feel a comfortable stretch on your hip and your side

• Stretch on the other side by lunging the opposing direction

4. Butt Stretch

• Bring one leg up and rest your ankle on your other leg

• Sit up tall and maintain an upright position

• Look straight and slowly bend forward to bring your body nearer to the chair

• You should feel a comfortable stretch on the butt with foot off the ground

• Don’t forget to stretch the other side too!

5. Calves & Back Thighs Stretch

• Sit up tall with one leg straight in front of you, toes pointing up

• Look straight and slowly bend forwards to bring your body nearer to your leg

• You should feel a comfortable stretch on the back of your thighs and calves

• Don’t forget to stretch the other side too!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often should you do the above stretches?
A: About 2 to 3 times a day at your desk

Q: How long do I hold each stretch?
A: A minimum of 30 seconds. 60 seconds is perfect.

Q: What if I paiseh (embarrassed) to do in front of my colleagues?
A: Do you want your face (aka ego), or do you want to save money and have no pain? Hahaha, jokes aside, I always recommend my clients to do it together with their colleagues. I’m quite sure they share similar aches and pain as you. Help them as well by sharing this with them or show them how to do it.

SgFitFam offers Stretch & Release Workshops. Aside from your usual stretches, we also teach you and your colleagues how to use a tennis ball to release tight muscles.