Article taken from the book "Well-being If I Can", by Paolo Manneschi. Buy online.
Preface. The idea of writing this book was born watching and listening to my fellow employees, who, like myself, reflected on the lack of time for physical care. I often suggested: in the meantime we must correct ourselves while we are sitting in front of the desk; c " it was in fact those who had the chair too high, consequently had to lean forward, those instead too low and for this had to be with the arms higher than the body, those instead tilted to one side ... in short, terrible postures for their body . In the air often phrases such as: "it would take 48 hours days!" Say it's true, but if it had been so surely some nice brunette would have made you work for a day and a half !! are various, among these the most difficult to solve is related to the family, in fact, how many of you leaving the office can find a window of time to do some healthy gymnastics? Few, perhaps those with older children, but it's not always that easy. So I said to myself: "let's create simple exercises to perform while we are comfortably seated in front of our workstation".
And here it is, after having examined the various postures, and the various joint problems due to immobility, due precisely to sedentary work, this manual was born, also the result of so much passion.
HERE WE ARE AT THE BACK
11) Untied shoes: always seated with your feet firmly on the ground and legs apart, stretch forward as if to tie your shoes, first on one side and then on the other, and finally in front of the legs (so stop for 5 seconds); this simple exercise allows your back to relax by "opening" the lumbar vertebrae but also the cervicodorsal; in addition to this you will notice that the thigh flexor (called leg) or hamstring, extends, and creates a small stretch pain due to the lack of habit of stretching.
12) When you go back up, rest your back; this in two ways, the first by pulling yourself up as in the figure, with your arms down and your shoulders back "pretty straight" ...
12) ... the second by returning upwards with the arms raised and the hands joined, which continue to push backwards. Also in this case it is sufficient to repeat 2 or 3 times. This exercise allows the back to extend and favors both circulation and extension of the back muscles.
14) Now put your feet behind the front legs of the chair, or hold on to the legs of the wheelchair, stand up straight, put your arms behind your back and take your hands ...
15) ... push with the back of the hands on the lower back, bringing the shoulders back, continue like this trying to slowly bring the pressure of the hands upwards. This movement will give you relief on the whole back.
16) Now, always with your hands behind your back (straight) and elbows wide, relax bringing your elbows forward (always keep your hands), you will see that consequently your shoulders also flex forward; do the same for the neck, curving it forward. Once this is done, restrain everything by bringing the elbows back. Repeat this exercise at least 5 times.
