Do you consider yourself an active person?

The amount of time you exercise and the amount of time you spend on your butt are completely separate factors. If you “pump” some iron after work 2-3 times a week, or if you spend 3 evenings a week in the gym on the treadmill ( I hope it is not more than that, otherwise it is relay not very smart), you are still not off the hook for back & hip problems caused by your “chair job”.

Desk jobs are bad for your health. I would guess everyone who has one can attest to the following problems: posture is getting worse with time, the upper back and neck feel tight, the lower back hurts, and the hips are tight. There may be nothing more destructive to a person’s physical well-being than

being confined to a desk for 8-10 hours a day. It’s tough to be happy when you are in chronic pain. The longer your “desk career” is the more pain you are experiencing. So, if you are just starting your desk job, start it with the right mind set: take care of your body during the day. Be prudent; do not misjudge the importance of this advice.

Strengthen the muscles responsible for posture.

Periodically, increase range of motion in your hips.

Here are some ideas how to stretch your muscles that are responsible for the health of your back and hips.

It will depend on the privacy you have in your office, so if you can get away and find a corner to stretch, do just that. If not, do whatever seems appropriate to get some of these stretches done at least twice during the work-hours.

First of all, kick your shoes off!

1. Inhale and lengthen your spine from the hips up. Exhale and fold: brining the chest to your thigh. Breathe for 5 sets. (inhale and exhale is one set)

2. repear step # 1 with the arm lifted behind your back.

3. Bring your right foot into the groin. Extend the right knee out. Engage the abdomen muscles! Inhale, lengthen the upper body and exhale fold forward. The stretch should feel pleasant, not hurtful.

4. Knee hugger. Keep your back straight. Engage the abdominal! Breathe for 5 sets (inhale and exhale is one set.)

5. Twists (right and left). Make sure the hips are not moving. Keep the knees joined. Lengthen your body with the inhale. Twist to the one side on the exhale. Breathe for 3 sets on one side. Bring body straight on your next exhale. Repeat on the other side. Lengthening the upper body will help you with the twists because you are allowing more space between your vertebrates.

6. Time to get your butt off the chair! First, from the standing position, bend your knees, drop your hips, inhale and lengthen your upper body and exhale folding your chest over the upper legs. Do not round up your back! Keep for 5 breath sets.

This is a veriation for those people who have long hamstrings. If you are going to try this, please do not round the back. MOVE YOUR CHEST TO THE KNEES, NOT YOUR HEAD. That will keep your back straight. Fold at your hips.

7. Back bend. Support your lower back at the sacrum, right before L5 . Do not move your hips, simply bend your mid back (thoracic). Breathe full lungs. Hold for 3 breath sets.

8. Take your hips “around the world”. Move them clock and counter clock wise.

9. Knee hugger, standing up. This will require some balance. Engage the abdominal and the gluts muscles and find a point of gazing (staring) to help yourself with the stability.

Keep the spine straight. Engage the muscles of both legs. That is the key to the balance.