{"id":19374,"date":"2025-07-18T14:07:06","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T19:07:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/?p=19374"},"modified":"2025-07-18T14:07:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T19:07:06","slug":"top-exercises-to-do-at-your-desk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/top-exercises-to-do-at-your-desk\/","title":{"rendered":"Top exercises to do at your desk"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In today\u2019s world, prolonged periods of sitting at desks are common, whether at home or in the office. This can lead to poor posture, reduced circulation and muscle stiffness, potentially resulting in serious health issues like heart disease or diabetes.<\/p>\n<p>The good news: You don\u2019t have to hit the gym to counteract the effects of sitting.<\/p>\n<p>Ginny Crook, occupational therapist at OSF HealthCare, explains how desk exercises or simple movements at or near your workstation can help you stay active, energized and healthy throughout the day.<\/p>\n<div class=\"alignright cta\">\n<p>Need help getting active?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/providers?specialtyfilters=Family+Medicine%2CInternal+Medicine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Talk to your primary care provider<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Why desk exercises matter<\/h2>\n<p>Even short bursts of movement can significantly benefit your physical and mental well-being. When you exercise at your desk:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You improve blood circulation, which reduces the risk of clots and decreases leg swelling<\/li>\n<li>You activate muscles that weaken from long periods of inactivity, helping prevent back and neck pain<\/li>\n<li>You boost your mood and energy, thanks to the endorphins released during movement<\/li>\n<li>You increase focus and productivity, as light activity improves oxygen flow to the brain<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cBest of all, desk exercises can be done without special equipment and in just a few minutes,\u201d Ginny said.<\/p>\n<h2>Easy desk exercises and stretches that don\u2019t require equipment<\/h2>\n<p>Here are eight effective and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=x9xB6qDSD-Q\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">discreet stretches<\/a> you can incorporate into your daily routine. Hold each pose for 10 seconds:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Side bends<\/strong>: Raise one arm straight up and bend to the opposite side. Repeat with the opposite side.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lumbar stretch<\/strong>: Place your hands on your hips and stretch backward from the waist.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chest opener<\/strong>: Intertwine your fingers behind your back and stretch your shoulders back while thrusting out your chest.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hamstring stretch<\/strong>: While using the desk for support, place one foot forward with your foot pointing up and gently squat down on the supporting leg, stretching the hamstring of the extended leg.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Wrist extensions<\/strong>: Extend one arm, palm facing out with fingers pointing down and take your other hand and gently pull back on your fingers, stretching the bottom wrist muscles.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Wrist flexions<\/strong>: Extend one arm, palm facing in with fingers pointing down and take your other hand and gently pull back on the back of your extended hand, stretching the top wrist muscles.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Shoulder shrugs<\/strong>: With your body square, alternate raising your shoulders, reaching as high as you can.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Figure 4 stretch<\/strong>: Cross one leg over the other with your ankle resting on top of the opposing knee while gently leaning forward, stretching the leg and lower back muscles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t forget to alternate sides,\u201d Ginny said. \u201cYou want to maintain a good balance between opposing muscles to avoid injury.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Desk exercise options with exercise equipment<\/h2>\n<p>Keeping exercise equipment at your desk counters the negative effects of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/standing-up-for-a-healthier-lifestyle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">prolonged sitting<\/a>. It engages muscles and promotes better circulation. Desk-friendly equipment can reduce fatigue, improve posture and support long-term wellness. \u00a0Some options include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Under-desk bike pedal exercisers or mini ellipticals<\/strong>: Provide smooth under-desk pedaling to keep legs active, enhancing cardiovascular health and burning calories without distraction.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Resistance bands<\/strong>: Great for strength training, posture correction and stretching. Lightweight and versatile for upper and lower body exercises.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Balance chairs or stability balls<\/strong>: Engage core muscles and enhance posture. Encourages active sitting, reducing back pain and stiffness.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mini hand weights and grip strengtheners:<\/strong> Enable quick hand and arm workouts, building muscle tone and boosting metabolism.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Aerobic step or walking pads:<\/strong> Enable short cardio bursts during breaks. Supports leg strength, balance and heart health.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/standing-up-for-a-healthier-lifestyle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Standing desk: <\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Reduces back pain, improves posture and boosts energy by encouraging more movement throughout the day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cSince sitting for prolonged periods can lead to a range of negative health effects, following a desk workout plan or using an under-desk elliptical or walking pad is worth the investment, both in time and money,\u201d Ginny said.<\/p>\n<h2>Tips to Make It a Habit<\/h2>\n<p>To make desk exercise part of your daily routine:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Set reminders every 30\u201360 minutes to stand or move<\/li>\n<li>Combine movement with tasks, like walking during phone calls or stretching while reading emails<\/li>\n<li>Use a fitness tracker or app to monitor steps or movement goals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cDesk exercises are a fantastic and time-efficient way to counteract the effects of sitting, helping keep your body and mind sharp throughout the day. You don\u2019t need a gym membership or fancy equipment \u2013 just a few minutes and a little consistency,\u201d Ginny said. \u201cBy incorporating these easy movements into your daily work routine, you\u2019ll feel better, think more clearly and move more freely, all while staying comfortably at your desk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle or spending too much time sitting, talk to your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/providers?specialtyfilters=Family+Medicine%2CInternal+Medicine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">primary care provider<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In today\u2019s world, prolonged periods of sitting at desks are common, whether at home or in the office. This can lead to poor posture, reduced circulation and muscle stiffness, potentially resulting in serious health issues like heart disease or diabetes. The good news: You don\u2019t have to hit the gym to counteract the effects of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":19377,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[70,2,602],"coauthors":[687],"class_list":["post-19374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-exercise","tag-exercise","tag-health-tips","tag-primary-care"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Top exercises to do at your desk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You don\u2019t need a gym to combat sitting. 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