This one’s for all of our desk sitters—our peeps who work their a***s off behind the screens. Sitting at a desk all day causes a bunch of body issues that you may not realize. We’ve put together some tips to help you stay loose, even at your 9-5.

Sitting down is serious work

Did you know that on average adults spend 6.5 hours sitting every day?? It’s not natural, and stiffness, soreness and chronic pain are the result. Extended sitting has also been linked to health concerns including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Get Low (back pain out of your life)!

Save the getting low for the weekend, and low back pain for… well, never. Low back pain caused from sitting is usually caused by poor posture, combined with the stress sitting puts on your back. Some tips to help…

• Get up off of that thing! Make sure to stand up and take frequent walks throughout the day to keep blood flowing and muscles moving naturally.
• Keep your posture in check to avoid unnecessary pressure on your back. You were told at school: Back straight. Shoulders back. Don’t slouch. Write yourself a post-it or put a reminder in your calendar.
• Incorporate daily stretching to keep the pain at bay and prevent problems worsening. Our favorite stretch for alleviating low back pain? The Twist*r Dipp*r.
• The Hypervolt Venom Back is an amazing heat and vibration belt you can wear at work.

Thumbs up to healthy hands

This is for anyone who spends a lot of time on their phones or laptops. Technology related thumb and wrist problems are seriously on the rise, so what can you do?

• Be conscious of the time you spend typing and take steps to reduce it. ‘Hey Siri! Compose an email (please).’
• Spend a few minutes each day to practicing the Finger Extens*r and Wrist Flex*r stretch*s. Your hands are working constantly, but how much time do you spend helping them recover?
• Consider how you type. You may benefit from a change of keyboard or mouse, or by adding something like a PopSocket to your phone.

Say ‘No’ to neck pain

Neck pain comes from sitting at a desk, poor posture, heavy bags and particularly texting. Text neck is a modern ailment caused by looking down at your devices while you text, work or watch. Did you know millennials are growing ‘horns’ at the back of their skulls due to the pressure this exerts on the neck and spine? Don’t want to grow horns? Try this…

• Say No to neck pain with our favorite neck stretch.
• Elevate your screens. Use a book or stand to prop up your screen to eye height. Where possible, hold your phone at eye level, not elbow level.
• Book an appointment with one of our certified Stretch*rs for some professional help.

Hyperice Hypersphere vibrating massage ball

Hip hip hooray!

Sitting at your desk all day puts a lot of pressure on your hip flexor, as muscles tighten and blood-flow is restricted. We’ve put together some tips to help you celebrate the end of your hip pain.

• Try our Turn*d Out or Twisted Triangle stretch. These will lengthen the muscles and stimulate blood flow to help reduce inflammation and pain.
• Switch up how you sit! Sit up straight and uncross your legs to prevent further hip pain in the area.
• Roll it out. We love Hyperice Hypershere and Rad Roller massage balls to help us find some relief from our tight hip muscles. They can easily fit in your bag or desk, and using them is as simple as leaning against the wall.

Stop your aches & pains at the source

How do you prevent these sitting pains before they appear? Fix the problem at the source – your desk set up. Make sure to set yourself up for success and relieve pains you carry around throughout your day.

Here are some easy changes you can make and some tools to help.

• Ergonomic chairs – these chairs give you extra support to help improve your posture and lumbar while sitting. Have an extra flexible work environment? You can try a yoga ball!.
• Double screen – a true revelation! Make sure your computer screens are arms distance away from you and at eye level to avoid unnecessary neck movement.
• Standing desk – this one is on our wishlist. Reduce back pain, improve posture and boost your metabolism by standing for some, or all, of your day.
• BYOFR (bring your own foam roller) to work! Stop by Stretch*d to check out our Brazyn foldable rollers or Hyperice vibrating rollers that are perfect for some quick relief throughout the day.