If your job involves sitting for long periods, chances are you’ve felt tightness in your back, hips, or neck at some point. Even with an ergonomic setup, being seated for hours can leave your body feeling stiff and sore.
Luckily, you don’t have to roll out a yoga mat or change into workout clothes to find relief. A few gentle chair-based stretches can help release tension, improve posture, and re-energize your body during your workday.
I recently spoke with Emma Lin, a certified yoga instructor who specializes in mobility and desk wellness. According to her, “Even five minutes of mindful movement at your desk can improve circulation, reduce aches, and help prevent long-term strain from sitting.”
These three stretches are designed to fit into your day, right from your office chair — no fancy equipment needed. Try adding them to your routine once or twice a day to stay mobile and feel better.
1. Chair Cat-Cow Stretch
This seated variation of the traditional yoga pose helps loosen the spine and brings movement to the back and neck, perfect for countering the stiffness from slouching over your screen.
How to do it:
- Sit tall in your chair with feet flat on the floor.
- Rest your hands on your knees.
- Inhale as you arch your back slightly, lift your chest, and gaze up (Cow).
- Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your chin to your chest (Cat).
- Repeat this flow slowly for 6-8 rounds of breath.
Why it helps:
This stretch brings gentle motion to the spine, improves posture, and eases tension in the upper back and shoulders.
2. Seated Side Stretch
Long hours of typing or scrolling can cause tightness along the sides of the body. This stretch brings length to the waist, ribcage, and shoulders.
How to do it:
- Sit tall with feet grounded.
- Raise your right arm overhead, keeping your left hand resting lightly on the chair or thigh.
- Gently lean to the left while reaching through your right fingers.
- Take 3–5 deep breaths here, feeling the stretch along your right side.
- Switch sides and repeat.
Why it helps:
It opens the sides of the body, releases shoulder stiffness, and supports better breathing by creating space in the ribs.
3. Figure-Four Hip Stretch
Sitting puts constant pressure on the hips. This stretch helps relieve tightness in the glutes and lower back areas that often get ignored.
How to do it:
- Keep both feet flat on the ground.
- Cross your right ankle over your left knee, making a “figure four” shape.
- Keep your back straight and gently hinge forward from your hips.
- Hold for 5–10 breaths, then switch sides.
Why it helps:
It targets deep muscles around the hips and buttocks, relieving pressure that builds from staying in the same seated position for too long.
Final Tip
Incorporate these stretches every few hours, especially during breaks. Beyond flexibility, they also enhance your focus and reduce the sluggishness that can creep in during long work sessions.
Remember: your desk doesn’t have to be a place of pain. A little movement goes a long way in keeping your body comfortable, alert, and injury-free.