Most of us have spent more time at home than ever these past few years. For those of us that work from home, this is especially true. Sitting at a desk hunched over for hours a day can have a negative effect on many facets of your health, but one largely overlooked one is your posture. Poor posture can lead to chronic aches and pains, which are not only frustrating and uncomfortable, but can also make it difficult to live your daily life.
Poor posture can contribute to things like herniated and/or bulging disks, which are a very common source of general aches and pains, according to certified personal trainer Jason Kozma. One way you can improve your posture is stretching regularly. As a matter of fact, stretching is one thing that is incredible for your body from head to toe—while it doesn’t necessarily get your heart rate up like hitting an elliptical or treadmill, it’s just as important of a movement form for your overall wellness. Since everyone’s busy these days and looking to get the most bang for their buck when it comes to exercise, we asked Kozma what one stretch is that you can do to improve posture and in turn reduce aches and pains.
One stretch that Kozma recommends that’s quick and easy to do every day is what he calls the “Jean-Claude Van Damme” stretch, also known as the seeded legs out adductor and hamstring stretch. Here’s how to do it:
1. Sit on the floor, legs spread out straight, pushed out as far as you can.
2. Hold this stretch for 60-90 seconds, leaning forward down the middle. 3. If you struggle with this, put your hands behind you and that will help you push your body forward.
4. Lean your upper torso to the left, hold again for 60-90 seconds. If you struggle with this, loop a towel around your foot to provide extra support.
5. Lean your upper torso to the right, hold again for 60-90 seconds.
“This stretches the adductors which are the muscles that hold your hips in the sockets and pull your legs together,” Kozma explains, “Stretching these muscles provides relief for the lower back. Also, the side to side stretches work the hamstring, which also relieves pressure on the lower back.” All of these stretched support parts of the body that may be under a lot of pressure if you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, so making sure to work and stretch them regularly will keep you from having regular aches and pains.
