Aches, pains and repetitive strain injuries don’t just happen to people in manual occupations. If you’re an office worker that spends hours every day sitting at a desk, using a keyboard and doing the same tasks repeatedly, you can develop poor posture and serious musculoskeletal disorders. You may experience lower back pain, shoulder and neck pain, carpel tunnel syndrome, stress and even obesity.

However, the damaging effects of a sedentary job can be helped to some extent by regularly getting up from your desk, walking about and especially by stretching. Here are just a few easy stretching exercises you can perform at your desk to keep your muscles and joints supple, relaxed, flexible and pain-free. Remember to breathe normally while performing the stretches and make stretching a regular habit, which you can build on.

1. Shoulder Stretch
   Extend both arms forward at shoulder height as far as they will go, linking your fingers. Hold for a few seconds and relax.
2. Arm Stretch
   Hold both arms above your head. Interlace your fingers with your palms facing upwards. Reach as high as possible. You should feel your shoulders stretching.
3. Hand Stretch
   Holding your hands out in front of you at right-angles to your body with your elbows bent, clench and extend your fingers repeatedly, spreading them wide as you stretch.
4. Triceps Stretch
   Put one hand behind your neck, flat against your back and holding the elbow of that arm with your other hand, gently pull and release your elbow. Repeat several times, switching sides.
5. Wrist Flexion & Extension
   Stretch one arm out in front of you with your palm facing you. If your right arm is stretched out, turn your fingertips in so they are pointing to the left. Take your left hand and press on the back of your right hand, pushing your fingertips back toward you. As you press feel a nice stretch down the outside of your forearm. Keep your arm straight as you press your fingertips back. Do not shrug your shoulder as you stretch. Hold for a few deep breaths then switch to the other side. Then relax your forearm on a table, with your hand hanging over the edge of the table. Bend your wrist downwards, and then upwards a few times. Repeat with the other arm.
6. Shoulder and Chest Stretch
   Clasp your hands behind your back below your waist and push your shoulders backwards and forwards a few times, stretching and relaxing them. You can also do a few neck rolls, rolling your head to release tension. Interlace your fingers behind you and place your arms on the top of your chair’s backrest. Drop your chin to your chest. Hold this pose for 8 to 10 breaths.

Of course, doing regular aerobic exercise outside the workplace or in your lunch hour is the best way to keep fit and avoid problems caused by having to sit at a desk all day, but these simple stretches will help relieve muscular tension. Look on line for apps that remind you to take breaks and keep hydrated and that suggest more ideas for simple exercises you can do at your desk.