Occupation and Posture

How working a desk job can effect your posture and how to prevent it.

Working a desk job can wreak havoc on your health unless one can maintain an active and healthy lifestyle outside of work. One of the top aspects of health that is affected through a desk occupation is one's flexibility and mobility, especially in the shoulders due to slouching in front of a computer for a prolonged period of time. People often suffer from neck and back pain. Our automatic response to this lack of flexibility and mobility is we need to work our shoulders/ stretch them, when actually the ability to bring your shoulders back to sit up straight relies on the lats in the back and surprisingly the pectoral muscles in the chest. 

Why the pectoral muscles?

need the ability to expand the chest to bring the shoulders down into their pockets. 

The more one can expand their chest the more they can bring their shoulders back. 

How to pinpoint lack of mobility in your shoulders/ thoracic muscles

Can you raise both hands above your head in a straight line?

When performing a shoulder press, do your arms go forward more in front of your head not straight above?

How far can you look up or turn your head from side to side?

How far can you rotate your chest to one side while your hips stay in one place?

How far can you reach your arm back while keeping your wrist down?

Can you clasp your hands behind your back, or how far can you come together?

How to stretch it out

Door frame stretches: place forearms up on a door frame and push your chest through the frame forcing your shoulders back

Single Door Frame Stretches

Prone I Y T Exercise: lying on the floor face down, arms extended overhead, try to raise head and chest off the floor using back muscles, bring arms apart to a Y shape, repeat the same thing then T position for 30sec.

Forward and Backward Shoulder Circles

Prone Swimmer Kicks: Lying face down kick legs up and down to strengthen glutes and lower back connected to Lats.

Dead Hangs: Hanging from a stable bar

Active Hangs: Retracking and relaxing scapula 

Suitcase Carry: with plates, dumbbells, or kettlebells one carried on each side let the weights bring your shoulders back in their pockets. 

And of course the best thing is to always be conscious of how you’re sitting throughout the day. If you feel yourself slouching or rounding your back a lot while working at a desk, take 20sec to do some forward/ backward shoulder rolls. Or consciously adjust the way you’re sitting to a more upright posture. So, keep your head up and chest up til next time.

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