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Compliment an Adjustable Table with These Stretches

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One of the many side effects of desk and computer-oriented life is the proliferation of neck, back and shoulder pain. Tiling your head at weird angles, repetitive typing, and any number of other unnatural positions and motions lead to discomfort and pain in joints and muscles. You can alleviate a number of them with an adjustable table or desk that lets you stand while working, especially if your lower back is a concern. But that takes time. These stretches offer more immediate relief if you’re in pain now and want to work out those knots and muscles strains before your height adjustable table is ready.

1. Stretch your back and shoulders against a wall

“Forward head” is one of the names for slouching in the shoulders and neck. With the shoulders rolled forward and the neck leaning forward, the upper back and neck have to strain to hold the head up. This happens to a lot of people who sit at computers and hunch over the monitor, but you can retrain your body to not do this.

Stand with your back against a wall and arms resting at your sides. Your heels can be against the wall or a few inches off of it. Gently press your back, shoulders and neck towards the wall. Don’t strain or do anything that hurts, but you should feel a gentle stretch across your chest and the front of your shoulders. You can emphasize the shoulder stretch by raising your hands up above your shoulders, as if in a “don’t shoot, I’m innocent” pose. Your elbows and the back of your hands should touch the wall, as your back should continue to do. If you can press your hands against the wall with your elbows above your shoulders try and draw your elbows down towards your sides to intensify the stretch.

2. Stretch the back of your shoulders and your upper back while seated

In a upright position with your shoulders and spine in a neutral position, bring your arms above your head and cross your wrists. Rotate your hands inward so each hand can grasp the palm of the other, and press your arms against your ears. Roll your upper back forward and bring your arms and head down so your arms are parallel with the ground. You should feel a gentle stretch across your upper back, shoulders, and neck. You can intensify the stretch by driving your hands further forward using your shoulders.

This can relieve some of the tightness from typing on a keyboard all day.

3. Stretch your arm across your chest

While seated or standing, bring your left arm across the front of your chest. Put the inside of your right elbow on your left elbow and pull your left arm in towards your body while pushing your left shoulder across the torso. Don’t rotate your body, but do gently look to the left. You should feel a stretch in your left shoulder and chest, as well as the right side of your neck. Repeat on the right side.

These three simple stretches are something you can do regularly at work for an immediate impact on shoulder, neck and back pain and posture. So even while you’re waiting to get your new adjustable table set up you can start addressing some of your physical discomfort.

 

 


Ease Into Work With an Adjustable Height Desk

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We keep talking about the advantages of standing at work by using an adjustable height desk. “Get on your feet with an adjustable height table to protect your heart and relieve all kinds of aches and pains,” we say. Some people worry that standing will interrupt their ability to do work, but when you look at the most common tasks people complete every day, it’s clear that standing doesn’t get in the way. So here are a few suggestions of common work activities that you can do while standing and at the same time still be 100% as efficient as you would be sitting.

You can:

  • Read and respond to emails;
  • Read research articles and data for your next meeting;
  • Peruse and correct Powerpoint;
  • Run a statistical analysis model;
  • Sit in on a call;
  • Chat with friends;
  • Read the news during your break;
  • Watch a video of a presentation; and
  • Call clients

Those are pretty obvious because they all involve the computer or the phone. Whenever you are going to be interacting with one tool and reading something, it makes sense that you could do it just as well standing. But there are some less obvious tasks you can do at work while standing:

  • Fill in your planner or schedule
  • Hand-edit or annotate anything printed on paper
  • Highlight a script to give people their cues
  • Address and stamp envelopes
  • Sort papers and mail

These are the kinds of tasks people think require a lot of movement and access to space, and for some reason this means they think such tasks must be performed while sitting down in order to be more efficient. But writing and sorting are just as easy to do standing as sitting, and perhaps easier if you have multiple stacks of papers that require you to reach across the desk.

This list is long and suggests a number of similar activities, and for most people they will take up the majority of the day, meaning many could actually do nearly all their work standing. And if you’re standing at your desk for 75% of your day, you’re already winning and getting these benefits. But there are a few activities that might be easier or more efficient sitting down such as:

  • Scratching your feet
  • Picking your pencil up off the floor
  • Reaching the outlet to unplug your mobile phone charger
  • Getting papers out of the bottom drawer of a filing cabinet
  • Plugging your headphone into the back of your computer tower if it’s on the floor
  • Claiming the “five-second rule” on the cracker you dropped

In all seriousness, the only arguably legitimate reason a person would benefit from sitting at work instead of standing is because they need to rest their legs. And sitting down when you are tired does feel good. But the point is that you can and should spend more time standing at work, whether you have a height adjustable table or not. Look for work situations where you can just stand up, and maybe pace around your office, like while you’re on hold and have the phone on speaker. Until you get the right, multi-height table set up, this is the best solution. Your body will thank you in a few years.

 

 


Welcome to the MultiTable.com Blog!

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Welcome to the MultiTable Blog where you will discover the importance of taking a STAND against sitting for extended periods of time!

We want to keep you in the know!

  •    .Find out what’s new with MultiTable and the MultiTable Team.
  •    .Read fascinating facts, tips and news related to health.
  •    .Read real-life testimonials and view incredible photos from customers that are happy to take a stand.

Our height adjustable desks and tables are the healthy solution for work spaces in the home and office.  Our customers choosing to stand periodically throughout the work day are significantly reducing health risks and adding years to their lives!

Check out these startling stats!

  •    .More than two-thirds of the mid-age population in developed countries like the UK, the USA and Australia is now overweight or obese.[1]
  •    .The simple act of standing up instead of sitting may help you burn as many as 50 more calories per hour, depending on your size.[2]
  •    .Prolonged sitting has been linked to breast and colon cancer.[3]

 

[1] http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/2/81.full
[2] http://www.livestrong.com/article/73916-calories-burned-standing-vs.-sitting/
[3] http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/cancer/story/2011-11-03/Prolonged-sitting-linked-to-breast-cancer-colon-cancer/51051928/1