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I’ve been doing this stretch at my desk for the past six months and it’s practically eradicated my shoulder pain
Earlier this year, I discovered a stretch that instantly relieved the tension in my tight shoulders, and months later, I’m still doing it daily.
I work a desk job, so shoulder discomfort comes with the territory. According to Helen O’Leary, a physiotherapist at Complete Pilates, that’s the case for many people.
“Human bodies are not designed to sit in one position for long periods of time and so we tend to get aches and pains or stiffness if we are too static,” she says.
“It is good practice to stop what you are doing and move around every 30 minutes to 1 hour. This keeps your joints lubricated and your muscles and ligaments mobile.”
On busy work days, getting away from my desk can be a struggle, which is why I was so excited to find this stretch that you can do while sitting—and it’s so effective.
How to do the seated sunbathing stretch
You can do this stretch from any seated position. Here’s how to do it:
- Sit upright and interlock your hands behind your head.
- Open your elbows out wide to the sides, like you’re sunbathing.
- You can bend your torso from side to side or simply hold the stretch upright.
- Hold for about 30 seconds, keeping your shoulders relaxed and breathing deeply.
“You can add a little shrug shoulders up towards the ears, to further release tension,” O’Leary suggests.
Why the stretch works well from your desk
Every time I do this stretch I feel tension melting away in my upper body.
According to O’Leary, that’s because the stretch gives your shoulders a break from their usual position.
“Placing the hands behind the head and opening the elbows wide encourages the upper back to straighten up out of the hunched position we can adopt whilst sitting, so it’s really good to counteract the effects of sitting for long periods,” she says.
It’s easy to do at your desk, relieves discomfort and improves your shoulder mobility and posture.
Don’t believe me? Give it a go now, and it might just become your go-to pose while you’re reading an email or taking a breather.
