Back Stretches for Desk Workers

A back that has not changed position since nine in the morning gets stiff for a boring reason: nothing has moved. These moves take the spine and hips through their range without you getting on the floor, and get you standing for a moment.

Best back and hip exercises

1. 

   1. Seated cat-cow

   Sitting, round your mid-back and tuck the chin slightly (cat), then lift the chest and look forward (cow). Move slow.

   Feel it: your spine moving one segment at a time

   Common mistake: Rushing or forcing end range.

2. 

   2. Seated pelvic tilts

   Sit tall. Gently rock the pelvis to flatten the low back against the chair, then tip the other way to recreate a small low-back curve.

   Feel it: your low back rocking gently

   Common mistake: Forcing a big range of motion.

3. 

   3. Seated thoracic rotation

   Sit tall with feet planted. Rotate the mid-back to look over one shoulder, then the other. Keep the hips quiet, don’t twist from the low back.

   Feel it: an easy twist through your mid-back

   Common mistake: Twisting from the low back or yanking with the arms.

4. 

   4. Seated figure-4

   Sit tall. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Hinge a little forward from the hips until you feel a stretch in the outer hip, stop before sharp pain.

   Feel it: the outside of your hip and glute

   Common mistake: Pressing down on the bent knee.

5. 

   5. Standing hip flexor stretch

   Stand and step one foot back into a short lunge. Gently tuck the back-side pelvis under (flatten the low-back arch) until you feel a stretch in the front of the back hip. Hold the desk for balance if needed.

   Feel it: the front of your back hip

   Common mistake: Arching the low back.

6. 

   6. Standing glute squeeze

   Stand with soft knees. Squeeze the glutes firmly for a few seconds, then release. Don’t lock the knees.

   Feel it: your glutes switching back on

   Common mistake: Locking the knees.