Stretching and Strengthening Exercises at Your Desk (3) - Hands

If you use a computer a lot, you might get wrist pain.  In fact, anybody who use their hands a lot, including massage therapists, are susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis.  Here are a few tips to prevent them.  

Stretching

The muscles in the inner forearms are constantly flexed to move the fingers.  There are a number of stretching exercises. The easiest one you can do while seated is to use the other hand, and push forward so that the angle of the wrist gets smaller. If you have pain or inflammation, don’t do these exercises.

If you would like deeper and more precise stretching, stand up and put your palm on the desk with the fingers pointing forward.  Pull your thumb and each finger towards you.  This is my favorite.  Here is the video (1:52) showing step by step.

Strengthening

The muscle in the outer forearms should be strengthened.  Hold your hand with the other hand, and try to push forward while the other hand resists. 

Resting Hands Sideways

It is important to have your wrists rest on the desk to support the weight of your forearms.  If you have even a moment to rest your hands while typing, turn your pinky sides down and rest the sides of your hands (a thumb’s up position) on the desk, instead of the hands hovering over the keyboard.  Even this small change might help you in a long run.

Check out exercises for upper body at “Stretching and Strengthening Exercises at Your Desk (1) and (2).”  

Stretching and Strengthening Exercises at Your Desk (2) - Upper Body Strengthening

When you feel tension or pain, you can’t always think that stretching will help.  In the forward head posture discussed in the last post, while the chest muscles are short, the muscles located the other side in the back are overstretched and weak.  It’s likely you feel tension or pain in the back between the shoulder blades.  You don’t want to stretch already overstretched muscles.  Muscles coordinate with opposing muscles by contracting and relaxing to make every movement.  It is helpful to check your habitual posture to see which muscles are shortened or overstretched.  

Strengthening

While stretching helps shortened muscles, “strengthening” exercises help overstretched, weakened muscles increase muscle tone so that you can restore proper posture.  Here are easy exercises you can do at a desk. 

Upper back: When chest muscles are short, the muscles in the upper back are overstretched.

• Relax the shoulders.  Squeeze the shoulder blades together without using arms or any muscles other than the ones between the shoulder blades.  Hold each squeeze for 5-10 seconds with 3-5 seconds of rest between squeezes. Repeat 10 times or until you feel fatigue.

Mid-back: The muscles along the spine in the mid back are overstretched.

 
• Rest your hands behind your head, and lean backwards (extend the spine) within your comfort level.

Front of your neck: As the back of the neck is short and tight, the deep muscles of the front neck are weak.

• Pull your chin inward and head straight back. Hold it for 5-10 seconds with 3-5 seconds of the rest in between.  Repeat 10 times or until you feel fatigue in the neck.

Stretching and Strengthening Exercises at Your Desk (1) - Upper Body Stretching

Computer is a great invention, but it created a lot of trouble for us.  Sitting and typing almost all day causes tension or pain all over our body; in the eyes, head, neck, upper shoulder, between the shoulder blades, mid back, lower back, hips, arms, wrists and fingers.  It can lead to the conditions such as tension headaches, thoracic outlet syndrome, functional thoracic hyperkyphosis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Your arms always out in front to type and looking at the monitor changes your posture to a “Forward Head Posture (FHP).”  

It is very difficult to change your habitual posture even if you try.  So, here are a few examples of easy stretching and strengthening exercises, which you can do at desk any time without interrupting your work.  The important thing is to remember to do as often as possible throughout the day.  Find a chance while reading email, listening to a speaker phone, or going to the restroom.

Stretching

Slowly and gently.

Do not force the stretch (pain-free).

Keep other muscles as relaxed as possible.

Back of your neck: When your head is forward, the back of your upper neck gets tight.

• Let your head hang  (the chin closer to the chest) without forcing it.  Bend only the neck without flexing your upper back.  Hold it for 15-30 seconds.  The stretch should be felt in the back of the neck, not in the upper back.  
  
• [Deeper stretch] Rest the hands on the back of the head so the weight of the arms pulls the head down further.

Chest: With your arms out in front, the chest muscles are shortened.

• Clasp your fingers behind your head or ears (deeper stretch).  Draw the elbows further back until you feel resistance. And, raise your shoulders at the same time. Hold it for 15-30 seconds while taking deep breaths.
  
• Clasp your fingers behind your back, and pull them away from you until you feel the nice stretch in the chest. 
  

Upper body: Your upper body is likely slouchy.  It needs a nice lift-up, so you can also breath better.

• Clasp your fingers in front of you with the palms facing out.  Slowly raise your hands over your head, and lift up toward the ceiling while breathing in.  Hold it for 5 seconds.  Repeat 3 times.
  

I will cover strengthening exercises in the next post.