I have clients that I’ve had in class for so long that I don’t even need to ask them what they want to work on at the beginning of class. We just have an understanding….when I see them, yes I think of their name, maybe their family but I also immediately think of what I most often hear from their lips: Neck & Shoulders.
Having come from Corporate America myself — I can relate. Sitting at my desk in front of a computer monitor or laptop…hunched over the keyboard — powering through to get the assignment finished, meet the deadline. Frequent breaks? Who needed a break — I wanted to get it done so that I had that particular project off of my desk, out of my cubicle. Sound familiar? And those were the good days — not the days that a boss drove me crazy with some unreasonable request or rumors of layoff’s permeated our office or (you fill in the blank)….With each new thing, the shoulders and ears united and the neck stiffened.
If this is you — there is relief…while I can’t promise a fulfilling and secure job I can give you some tips on minimizing the stress & strain for your neck and shoulders and some simple stretches when the stress & strain have already come to visit you.
- Pay attention to how you sit at your desk. This is most important. A lot of our strain comes from poor posture habits. Check out this blog post for posture basics: Sitting Tall Throughout Your Day
- Take frequent breaks – get up, take a walk, stretch….don’t power through. The only person who pays for that is you. Every hour, try to get up and change how you’re sitting…not only will your body feel better…but your mind benefits as well.
- Rest your eyes — even if it’s just a few minutes every hour, look away from your computer. Try to look out to different distances…take 30 seconds to just close your eyes and breathe.
- Try these simple poses right at your desk to relieve neck & shoulder tension (takes 10 minutes or less):
- Head Tilts — gently roll your head forward and tilt your right ear toward your right shoulder — hold for a breath or two and reverse. Continue slowly 4-6 times.
- Shoulder Rolls — sitting tall at your desk with both feet on the floor, roll your shoulders up and back 4-6 times.
- 1/2 Eagle — cross one arm in front of your chest and draw that arm closer to you with the other hand. Hold and breathe for 4-6 breaths, and switch sides.
- Wrist Circles – gently roll your wrists in one direction 4 times and then reverse.
- Forearm Massages – with your right hand, gently massage or knead the muscles of your left forearm (from your elbow to your wrist)…after a few breaths, switch sides.
- Prayer Hands – bring your palms together in front of your body (allow the shoulders to rest down). Gently press the hands together.
- Office Down Dog – stand up and place your hands flat on your desk. Walk backward and lower your upper body down so that you are making an “L” shape with your body. Feet are hip-width apart and ears are right by your biceps. Lengthen the spine and engage your belly. Breathe and hold for 4-6 breaths.
For more on yoga for the neck & shoulders, take a look at our latest DVD: YogaXoga’s Demystified Yoga, Vol. 2 with a class devoted to these stretches.
