Let’s Deskercise!: Relieving Stress at Work

1. Let’s Deskercise!: Relieving Stress at Work Erika Delamar, MPH Student Health Services Margaret Moorhead, BA

2. Neck stretches • Lateral Neck stretch • Seated anterior neck stretch • Neck Rolls • Resist-a-Neck

3. Lateral Neck Stretch

4. Seated Anterior Neck Stretch

5. Shoulder and Back Stretches • Protraction • Retraction • Shrug • Seated shoulder and back stretch • Shoulder Rolls • Elbow Tap

6. Seated Shoulder and Upper Back Stretch

7. Protraction

8. Shrug

9. Retraction

10. Wrist and Hand • Hand Stretch • Touch the tip of your thumb to tip of each of your fingers one at a time; straighten fingers between touches. • Wrist Circles • Fingers relaxed, circle wrist outward and inward. While circling, you can extend and curl your fingers in order.

11. Arms/Upper Body • Side Stretch • Wall Push-Up • Tricep Stretch • Forearm flexor stretch • Torso Twist • Chest Stretch

12. Arms/Upper Body • Side Stretch • Stretch your arms as high as you can, alternating one at a time. • Wall Push-up • Stand facing a wall with feet apart and about 12 inches from the wall. Rest palms on wall at about shoulder height. Bend your elbows and lean forward toward the wall as far as possible without touching your forearms to the wall and push back to starting position. Keep legs and back straight.

13. Upper Body • Torso Twist • Sit erect in chair with both feet flat on the floor. Look straight ahead and slowly twist your torso to the right as you reach around behind yourself with your right hand. Grasp the top right corner of your chair with your right hand. Stretch your left hand as close as possible to your right hand. Repeat on other side. • Chest Stretch • Interlace your fingers behind your back, palms facing in. Straighten arms, squeezing shoulder blades together.

14. Lower Back Stretches • Seated abdominal stretch • One leg lower back stretch • Seated lower back stretch • Spinal Stretch

15. Seated Low Back Stretch

16. Spinal Stretch

17. One leg low back stretch

18. Seated Side Stretch

19. Seated Abdominal Stretch

20. Hamstring stretch Gluteus Stretch Wall Squat Calf Raise Leg Extension Hamstring Curls Leg stretches

21. Legs • Wall Squat • Stand with back against the wall about 16 inches away with feet apart. Lower yourself to a seated position, keeping feet flat on the floor. Hold for 15-30 seconds and return to start position. • Calf Raise • Stand with feet comfortably apart. Hold back of chair or wall for support. Keep your back straight and slowly raise up on the ball of one foot. Return heel to floor. Repeat on opposite side. • Leg Extension • Seated, extend your knee straight out and squeeze. Lift your leg up and down, then back to original position. Repeat on opposite side.

22. Hamstrings • Hamstring Curls • Stand with something for support. Slowly lift one heel toward your buttocks then lower. The support leg should be slightly bent, not locked. You can add ankle weights. • Hamstring Stretch • Standing, extend one leg out in front about 10 inches. Lifting your toe, dig your heel into the ground. Bend the back leg slightly and put both hands on the thigh of your back leg to support your weight.

23. Gluteus Stretch

24. Hamstring Stretch