Extended desk work can result in musculoskeletal issues starting from annoying aches and pains to accidents. This month, we launched a six-part collection exhibiting you find out how to stretch and strengthen your physique components to organize them for marathon sitting classes at your desk. We’ll roll out a brand new train routine each week, every specializing in a unique space of the physique, that may assist alleviate desk job-related woes.
Final week we revealed workouts for the decrease again. This week? We’ll be addressing your hips and hamstrings.
To study extra about how sitting impacts the physique, and why these workouts are vital, learn our first piece within the collection. And yow will discover your entire collection right here.
Share
Share by way of Shut further sharing choices
A routine to your hips and hamstrings
After we sit, the hips and knees are flexed at a 90-degree angle. The hip flexors — the muscle groups that run alongside the entrance of the hip — grow to be compressed and shortened. Over time, like a rubber band left untouched in a drawer for a yr, they lose elasticity. While you rise up, these muscle groups are stretched out to 180 levels, typically leading to hip tightness and ache. The hip flexor muscle groups are anchored to the lumbar backbone they usually pull on the decrease again, so tightness in your hips contributes to decrease again ache as properly.
Equally, when the knee is bent at a 90-degree angle, the hamstrings shorten and tighten. Tightness within the hamstrings tugs on the pelvis and might result in buttocks and decrease again ache and should put you in danger for tearing the hamstring when working or taking part in sports activities.
Do these workouts to assist stretch and strengthen your hips and hamstrings. They’re demonstrated by coach Melissa Gunn, of Pure Energy LA, whose group trains desk staff on find out how to shield their our bodies by way of train.
Stand and lift your proper knee up, to about hip peak, as if marching. Flip your proper thigh outward, to the aspect, nonetheless at hip peak. Then decrease your foot to the bottom, so your toes contact the ground. Now increase your leg and produce it again to the beginning place, touching the ground along with your toes. Do 10 occasions and repeat on the opposite aspect.
Sitting on a chair, put your left ankle on prime of your proper knee and bend ahead, hinging on the hips, reducing your chest to your leg. Really feel a stretch within the left hip. Repeat on the opposite aspect. Do 10 occasions.
Arise straight. Place your proper foot over the left ankle and bend ahead, conserving your knees straight. Really feel a stretch within the hamstrings.
Put the heel of your foot on a sofa or espresso desk and prolong your leg, conserving it straight, toes pointed up. Bend on the waist, conserving your again straight and chest up. Do it till you are feeling a stretch within the hamstrings. Do it 5-10 occasions on all sides.
In a standing place, toes hip distance aside, step ahead along with your proper leg, in order that your again leg is straight, heel off the bottom, and your proper leg is bent at a 90-degree angle (along with your thigh parallel to the bottom). Tuck your pelvis and gently drop your hips, conserving your again straight. Maintain pushing ahead for 30 seconds, feeling a stretch within the entrance of your hip and quads of the left leg. Then come again up. Do 5 occasions. Change sides.
(Workouts got here from Dr. Joshua T. Goldman, UCLA sports activities medication; Melissa Gunn, Pure Energy LA; Tom Hendrickx, Pivot Bodily Remedy; Vanessa Martinez Kercher, Indiana College-Bloomington, College of Public Well being; Nico Pronk, Well being Companions Institute; Niki Saccareccia, Mild Inside Yoga.)
