Sitting all day at a desk (as many of us do) can leave us feeling sore and tired. Muscles shorten and joints become stiff which can contribute to poor posture. The following lower back and leg stretches are some great stretches to try for people who are sitting at a desk for long periods or are sedentary. They are very basic stretches that help to minimise the shortening of muscles and stiffening of joints and therefore generally help to improve your posture and flexibility.
Of course you should always check with a health professional before undertaking any exercises to make sure that they are suitable for you
Simple lower back and leg stretches.
Lower Back
- Lying on your back, bring your knees to your chest
- Rock your knees to your chest 20 – 30 times to loosen up your low back
- Move your arms out to the side to balance.
- Allow your knees to fall to one side and then the other rotating you back
- Try to do this exercise morning and evening
Hamstrings
- Face a chair and place your heel on the chair (back or seat depending on your flexibility)
- Keep your back straight and bend forward from your hips, sticking your bottom out – feel the stretch behind your knee
- Hold for 10-15 seconds
Quadriceps stretch
- Hold onto a chair with one hand
- With the other hand hold your foot and bring towards your buttock
- Your back should be straight and thighs parallel
- Fell the stretch t the front of your leg.