Sitting upright in an uncomfortable chair all day at work? Or curling up on your couch in a bad posture as you work from home? Your neck, shoulders, and back are bound to suffer. Here are a few easy and effective exercises that you can perform within a few minutes a day to relieve yourself of a stiff back and aching muscles:
Exercises for a stiff neck
1. Forward and backward tilt
Image credit: NBC
Start with your head squarely over your shoulders and your back straight. Lower your chin toward your chest and hold for 10 seconds and smoothly lift your head back up. Tilt your chin up toward the ceiling and hold for 10 seconds then return to the start position and repeat. Do up to 10 sets.
2. Side tilt
Image credit: Wxercise Walls
Gently tilt your head toward your right shoulder, hold for 10 seconds and then return to the start position. Tilt your head on your left side and repeat the process. Do up to 10 sets.
3. Side to side rotation
Image credit: Verywell Fit
Turn your head to the right until you feel a stretch in the side of your neck and shoulder. Hold the position for 15 seconds and then slowly turn your head facing forward. Repeat the process on your left side. Do up to 10 sets.
4. 360 degree roll
Image credit: Gfycat
Smoothly rotate your head evenly around your shoulders in a clockwise direction. Repeat up to 10 times and then do the same stretch in an anti-clockwise direction.
Exercises for stiff shoulders
1. Shoulder blade squeeze
Image credit: Gfycat
Sit with your back straight and pull your shoulder blades close to each other at the back. Hold for 5-10 seconds and bring them back to the starting position. Repeat the movement 10 times as you feel your back muscles stretching.
2. Sitting twists
Sit or stand with your back straight and both right arms extended forward. Twist your upper body to the right and then backwards as much as possible. Repeat the same process on your left side. Do a minimum of 5-10 repetitions on both sides.
3. Shoulder rotations
Image credit: Medical News Today
Bring both your arms by your side and keep a straight back as you slowly lift and rotate your shoulders up toward your ears, to the back and then to the normal stance. Repeat 5-10 times and then start the next set rotating your shoulders in the opposite direction.
Exercises for a stiff back and spine
1. The cat cow pose
Image credit: Gfycat
Use a floor mat for this exercise. Place your hands straight underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Inhale and lower your abdomen as you look up and stretch your chest, shoulders, and hip towards the ceiling. Exhale and tuck your chin into your chest and round your spine as you move your shoulders and hips towards the ground. Repeat this 10 times.
2. The pelvic rise
Image credit: Gfycat
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent. Lift your hip upwards towards the ceiling while your feet stay on the ground. Slowly bring your hip back on the floor and repeat this process 10 times. Engage your core muscles so the base of your spine presses into the floor.
3. Windshield wipers
Image credit: Gfycat
Lie on your back and bend your knees till they touch your abdomen. Extend your arms out on both sides so that they are perpendicular to your torso. Exhale as you slowly drop your knees down on the floor to the right and turn your head to look to the left. Inhale and return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the left side as you face the opposite direction. Continue this movement for 1 minute.
4. Child’s pose
Image credit: Gfycat
From a kneeling (dog) position, sit back on your heels with your knees on the floor. Hinge at the hips to fold backwards as you extend your arms in front of you, feeling the stretch in your back. Hold this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then move your hips forwards and upwards to go back to the kneeling position. Repeat if necessary.
Lead, social, thumbnail, and vertical images credit: Instagram, JacquelineFernandez and Shilpa Shetty
