Introduction

These exercises are designed to provide some relief from the static muscle fatigue which is often associated with sitting for prolonged periods with limited variety in movement or posture. The exercises have been designed so they can be performed in and around the vehicle to make doing them more convienent. The stretching program was developed by David Nery (Ergonomist) Nery Ergonomic Services, for the South Australian Mining and Quarrying Occupational Health and Safety Committee.

Exercise 3

Exercises
Stretching

Exercise 1

Interlace your fingers above your head, Then push your arms slightly back and up, holding the stretch for 10 seconds. Do this three times.

Exercise 4

With arms overhead, hold the left elbow with the right hand. Gently pull the elbow behind your head slowly creating a stretch. Hold for 30 seconds - release. Repeat using the right elbow and left hand.

Exercise 2

Smart Moves

With fingers interlaced behind your back, lift your arms up behind you until you feel a stretch in the arms, shoulders or chest. Hold for up to 15 seconds. Keep your chest out and chin in.

Clasp hands behind head, interlacing your fingers slowly bend your head forwards, until you can feel a stretch in the neck region. Hold for 10 seconds.

PLEASE TURN OVER

Stretching Exercises

Exercise 5

Exercise 7

Lean on a solid surface with your forearms, head resting on your forearms. Bend one leg and place your foot on the ground in front of you, with the other leg straight behind you. Slowly move your hips forward keeping your back flat. Keep the heel of the straight leg on the ground. Move straight ahead and hold for 30 seconds.

Hold onto a stable surface with one hand. Pull your heel towards your buttocks using your other hand. One variation of this stretch is to pull the left leg up with the right hand and vice versa. This keeps the knee in a more natural position in many cases.

Exercise 8 Exercise 6

Keeping your head in a fixed position, gently elevate your shoulders towards your ears, until you feel a comfortable stretch. Hold for 10 seconds. Release.

Raise right leg and place the back of the heel on a stable surface (chair), bending other knee to take the strain off your back. Place both hands on the top of the right thigh. Gently move body forwards, towards your toes until you feel a stretch in the back of the raised leg. Hold for 8 seconds, do not overstretch. Repeat exercise with left leg.

Stretching Exercises