Office Exercises

Stop, get up and move Check shoulder posture Check back support
Getting up and walking around is the best  Sit well back in your chair - if your feet need
 Relax your shoulders and rest your hands on
exercise you can get to provide a break from support, use a foot rest.
your lap. Bend your elbows to no more than
sitting, concentrating and using the muscles of  Adjust the back rest on your chair to support
90 degrees and check the height of your
the arms and hands. your lower back.
finger tips against your current work height.
About every 20 to 30 minutes is a guide to how If the work (keyboard or desk) is higher than
often it is helpful to move around. 10 minutes your hands you may be hunching your Legs
away from the computer each hour is shoulders unnecessarily. If so, try and raise
recommended your chair height or lower your desk height Diagram 10: Foot pump
Regularly change your posture and give muscles and try and relax your shoulders while Stand up, holding the chair for balance if
a chance to recover. working. necessary, and alternately
raise heels and toes. Repeat
Wrists, hands and arms 10 times.
Stop, s-t-r-e-t-c-h and check!
Diagram 5: Wrist and elbow stretch
 Do a few of these exercises a few times every
day. Interlace fingers, palms
outward, and straighten Check leg comfort
 Dots show the muscles that you are arms in front. Hold for 10  If the seat of your chair
exercising. seconds and repeat several is digging into the back
 Make sure you relax and perform them gently. times. of your thighs, check
 Hold the stretch or repeat as indicated. that it is not too high or whether it is tilted
 Do not over-stretch. Diagram 6: Wrist stretch backwards.
 Stop if you feel discomfort. Straighten your arm in  If the seat is too high lower the chair and
front and bend your wrist desk or use a foot rest to support your feet.
 Remember to do each side.
forward, gently assist the  Also check the tilt of the seat and if necessary
stretch with your other adjust it to a horizontal position.
Neck
hand. Hold for 10
Diagram 1: Head rolls seconds then stretch
Keeping your chin tucked your wrist back and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat Eyes
in, gently lower ear to with other arm. Diagram 11: Eye
shoulder and hold for 10 exercise
seconds on either side. Check hand and wrist posture
Repeat several times and Sit up straight, face
 Keep your fingers suspended over the forward and repeat
be careful not to extend your neck back too far.
keyboard. this sequence several
 Keep elbows at keyboard level. This may times without moving
Diagram 2: Head turns
mean adjusting the desk or chair height. head. Look up, then
Turn head to look over  Don't rest your wrists on the desk or down. Look left, then
left shoulder and hold keyboard. Keep hands suspended. right.
for 10 seconds. Turn
head the other way and
hold for 10 seconds. Upper and lower back Diagram 12: Visual
Repeat several times. Diagram 7: Upper and lower rest
back stretch Look up and away
Diagram 3: Chin tucks Interlace fingers and turn palms from screen Focus
upward above head; straighten on a distant object
Raise the head to arms then slowly lean slightly (more than 3
straighten the neck. from side to side. Repeat metres). For
Tuck the chin in and movement several times example, look out
upwards creating a of the window or at
double chin. This also a picture on a far
results in a forward tilt Diagram 8: Back arching wall. Shift vision back to screen and refocus.
of the head. Hold for
10 seconds and repeat several times. Stand up. Support lower back
with hands and gently arch
Check eye comfort
Check neck posture back. Gently arch back and  Is there enough light falling on your
 Position the top of your screen at eye level. hold for 5 to 10 seconds. documents?
 Use a document holder directly beside or Repeat as often as is needed.  Do windows or light fittings cause glare or
below the screen – it saves you looking reflection on the screen? If so, try turning the
down. Diagram 9: Pectoral stretch screen or blocking the path of the light.
 Use a screen with a light background when
Raise both arms to shoulder
height and bend elbows. Pull working with text. Software with a light
Shoulders both elbows back back- ground for text is more comfortable for
slowly to bring the eyes.
Diagram 4: Shoulder rolls
shoulder blades
Circle shoulders forward several towards each other.
times, then backward. Repeat 3 Repeat several times. Source: WorkSafe Victoria: - Officewise 2006.
to 5 times.