If you do anything after work, make sure it’s these five stretches

Five stretches to revive you after a day at your desk.

Anyone who spends their day at a desk will know all too well the feeling of stiff shoulders and an achy back. The most virtuous among us will have a routine in place to avoid feeling like this. Some go for regular movement breaks, while others may start their day swimming laps or sweating through a hot Pilates session. However, having the foresight to book a class or the motivation to wake up early every morning isn’t always possible.

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As explained by Imogen Sist, a physiotherapist and the Lead Trainer at Kic Studio, there are small ways you can alleviate a sore body that don’t require a mat, a studio or even a change of clothes. “You can do these stretches the moment you close your laptop or while you’re watching TV at night,” she adds. Below, Imogen shares five simple stretches to add to your nightly routine that will help loosen your body after a day spent at your desk.

Seated spinal twist

For this one, Imogen’s instructions are to sit with your back straightened and your feet flat on the floor. “Place one hand on the opposite knee and the other on the back of your chair,” she explains. “Inhale to lengthen through the spine; exhale as you rotate through your torso, looking over your back shoulder.” However, it’s important to keep your hips square, ensuring the twist comes from your ribcage, not your pelvis.

Hold: 30 seconds on each side.

Why it helps: “Sitting compresses the spine and locks up rotation through the thoracic region,” Imogen says. “This restores mobility through the mid-back and eases the tightness that builds up between your shoulder blades from hours of facing a screen.”

Doorway chest opener

For this one, you need to stand in a doorway with your forearms resting on either side of the frame and your elbows bent to roughly 90 degrees. Then, Imogen says to step one foot forward and lean your body weight through the doorway until you feel a stretch across the front of your chest and shoulders.

Hold: 30 to 45 seconds on each side.

Why it helps: “Typing and scrolling pull your shoulders forward and round the upper back, so if you finish your day feeling like a prawn, you should add this stretch to your daily ritual,” Imogen says. This stretch opens your chest, draws your shoulders back and helps counter the hunch that builds over a workday.

Kneeling hip flexor stretch

Next, kneel down on one knee with your other foot planted in front, keeping your knee bent at 90 degrees. “A folded towel or mat underneath helps,” Imogen adds. “Tuck your pelvis slightly and shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch along the front of the hip and thigh of the kneeling leg. Keep your torso upright — don’t let it tip forward.”

Hold: 30 seconds on each side.

Why it helps: According to Imogen, hip flexors shorten when they spend all day in a seated position (like seated at a desk). “Tight hip flexors are one of the main contributors to lower back discomfort, so this helps unlock a stiff lower back.”

Standing forward fold

“Stand with your feet hip-width apart and keep a soft bend in the knees,” Imogen explains. Then, hinge from the hips and let your torso fold forward, allowing your head and arms hang. “Hold onto opposite elbows if that’s comfortable, or let your hands rest near the floor.”

Hold: 45 to 60 seconds, and ensure you’re breathing steadily throughout.

Why it helps: This releases your hamstrings and glutes, which stay in a shortened, static position for hours at a time when you’re at a desk. “It gently decompresses the lower spine — the same area that takes the load when you’re sitting.

Seated side bend (mermaid stretch)

For this stretch, sit tall with one arm reaching overhead and over to the opposite side, allowing the other hand to rest on a chair or the floor beside you for support. “Reach long through the fingertips rather than collapsing into the bend,”she adds.

Hold: 30 seconds each side.

Why it helps: “This opens the side, the intercostal muscles between your ribs and the muscles along your spine — all of which tighten when your day is spent moving forward and back, and rarely side to side.”

Keep up with Imogen at Kic Studio here.