Desk Stretches Part 5 - Legs and Calves | Back to Balance Osteopathy

Working from home or the office means long hours at the desk. Such a static posture means little use of our legs. Such inactivity leads to fluids pooling (see my previous blog on Physical Inactivity At Work. The seated posture also means leg muscles shorten. Both of these factors associated with desk-based work highlight that desk life does not complement a healthy life. In this Blog to Balance I tell you how to keep your leg muscles healthy at the desk.

I do admire the active individual that is trying to fit in exercise around a desk-based job. You might cycle or run into work or maybe attend a high intensity class at lunch. Sitting at a desk for hours does not compliment your activity. You require these stretches to keep the fluids of repair circulating and to lengthen the muscles so they don’t shorten while static at the desk.

Whether you are an active individual or not this blog will help your leg and calf muscles remain healthy while in a desk-based job.

Activations

Spread and lift your toes x 10

Calf raise, grip the calf muscles and perform slowly x 10

Grip your leg muscles and release (thighs and hamstrings) x 10

Grip your glutes (bum muscle) so your sitting bones lift off the seat and lower back onto the sitting bones x 10

Stretches

All of the stretches below need to be performed sitting on the front of your seat so the back of your legs are free of the seat. Perform the stretches on each side and hold for 1 to 5 mins each. Keep searching for that stretch as the time passes.