A few years ago I made the conscious choice to spend less time in the gym and more time at my computer. Shocking for a “physio” to admit, I know, but that’s just what it takes to build a business in the current day.
So when I started ramping up my training again, I knew what to expect.
My back, neck, and shoulders were all stiffened up into a nice little T-Rex-style hunch. My hamstrings and hip flexors shortened up to accommodate my seated position and my cardiovascular fitness took a pretty severe nose dive.
Maybe you can relate?
That’s all part of the trade-off we all make these days. Tech advances allow us to talk to friends all over the world, work from home during a pandemic and binge on the latest Netflix series.
But with great technological progress, comes a great physical cost. We now spend more time hunched over our phones and computers than ever, and it puts a terrible strain on our bodies.
But just because you use a computer and a phone to keep your life going doesn’t mean you have to be stuck with “laptop-neck”.
Here’s a few quick targeted exercises I use now to loosen up when feeling tight after a long day of tapping keys.
- Loosen up your upper back with Thoracic Extensions.
- Open up your shoulders with a Shoulder Extension Stretch; and
- Unlock tight hips and backs with a Squat Prep Stretch
Try just 2 minutes on each exercise should be enough to get you moving better. You can do them multiple times per day for better results too.
Written by
Tim O’Grady
Physiotherapist
Tim is a Physiotherapist who specialises in football/Rugby and golfing injuries. Tim doesn’t believe that rest will make you a better athlete and he focuses on performance-based rehab methods. Tim is also qualified in golf biomechanics and injuries.
