Easy exercises to help keep your joints limber
Try these stretches during your next conference call or binge-watching session.
If you find yourself sitting for long periods, either on conference calls, at computer screens or binge-watching shows, do what you can to keep your joints from getting stiff.
Chris Garcia, a physical therapist at PeaceHealth, shares a series of exercises to counteract all that stationary activity.
These easy, gentle stretches can keep your joints healthy, especially after you’ve been sitting at a less-than-ideal workstation or slouching on the couch. (If you’ve had issues with your back or joints, consider checking with your provider before you start using these.)
All these simple mobility sequences take very little space and can be done while you’re sitting or standing.
Most of the exercises are repetitions. You can decide for yourself how few or many to do, depending on how many “kinks” you need to get out of your system. Other exercises are slow holds. Again, it’s up to you how long to hold the stretch.
While it’s your choice about how little or much to push yourself, it’s best to start gently and slowly to avoid injury. You can increase the repetitions or pressure as your body allows or requires.
And no matter what intensity level you choose, these moves shouldn’t cause you to be out of breath, which means you can do them while you’re on a conference call and no one will even know.
Finally, when you’re done with the exercises, be sure to always maintain good posture—sit up straight or stand tall—to avoid some of the aches and pains associated with not moving much.
