As a fitness writer, exercise is a big part of my life, but so is sitting down. I sit at my laptop while I’m working, I sit on the couch to unwind, and when I’m traveling I ping between car, bus, plane and train seats.
In spite of playing sports and doing regular strength training, my back, shoulders, neck and spine often feel stiff and tight. So I decided to seek out some stretches to help me feel fresher.
That’s how I found Dr Adam McCluskey. He’s a doctor of physical therapy who runs an Instagram account (ThePtInitiative) where he share tips, tricks and stretches to help followers “move better and live pain-free”.
Among his posts was a four move “desk mobility routine” which requires nothing more than a chair to try. So I decided to give it a go and document the results.
How to do Dr Adam McCluskey’s desk mobility routine
- Chair supported rotations 2×10 on each side
- Kneeling thoracic extension 2×12
- Assisted side bend stretch 2×15 on each side
- Seated figure four plus rotation 2×12 on each side
To see demonstrations of each move, watch the video below.
My takeaways from trying this ‘desk mobility routine’
1. It worked quickly
From start to finish, this routine took me about 10 minutes. That’s certainly not long enough to undo years of muscle tightness, but I did notice some differences during and after the session.
Both the chair supported rotations and kneeling thoracic extensions offered a really enjoyable stretch in the front of my shoulders. By the second round of each move, my body felt warmer, my shoulder joint was more mobile and I was able to do the movements without any discomfort.
The fourth move also sent a welcome deep stretch through my hips and glutes, which are areas that can tighten and weaken with excessive sitting.
2. My spine felt looser afterwards
When we exercise, we normally try to keep our back straight. If we do bend our back during a workout, it’s usually to flex it forwards for a sit-up. But that’s not how we use our spine in everyday…
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