Neck Stretches

Chin tucks

• Sit or stand up straight with your shoulders relaxed. Look straight ahead.
• Slowly tuck in your chin.
• Hold it for about 5 seconds.
• Release.
• Repeat several times.

Head tilts

• Sit or stand up straight with your shoulders relaxed. Look straight ahead.
• Slowly, tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder.
• Hold for about 10 to 20 seconds. Feel a gentle stretch on the side of your neck.
• Then tilt your head slowly to the other side.
• Repeat 2 or 3 times on each side.

Neck stretch

• Sit or stand up straight with your shoulders relaxed. Look straight ahead.
• Slowly turn your chin towards one shoulder.
• Hold for about 10 to 20 seconds.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Do each side twice.

Shoulder & Upper Back Stretches

Shoulder Shrug

• Sit or stand up straight with your shoulders relaxed. Look straight ahead.
• Lift your shoulders toward your ears until you feel a slight tension in your neck and shoulders.
• Hold for about 5 seconds.
• Relax your shoulders and slip back into the normal position.
• Repeat 2 or 3 times.

Upper Back Stretch

• Sit or stand up straight with your shoulders relaxed. Look straight ahead.
• Interlace fingers behind your head with your elbows out to the side.
• Pull your shoulder blades together in backwards until you feel a slight tension in your upper back and shoulder blades.
• Don’t arch your back.
• Hold for about 8 to 10 seconds, then relax.
• Repeat several times.

Upper Arm Stretches

Upper arm stretch

• Sit or stand up straight with your shoulders relaxed. Look straight ahead.
• Put your hand on your back with your elbow pointing up towards the ceiling.
• Gently pull your elbow behind your head with your opposite hand until you feel an easy stretch in your shoulder or upper arm.
• Hold it for about 30 seconds.
• Repeat on the opposite side.

Arm stretch

• Sit or stand up straight with your shoulders relaxed. Look straight ahead.
• Interlace your fingers. Then, push your palms up towards the ceiling, stretching your arms up over your head.
• Don’t arch your back.
• Hold the position for about 10 to 20 seconds.
• Repeat 3 times.

Wrist & Forearm Stretches

• Sit or stand up straight.
• Hold one arm out straight in front of you with your elbow straight. Push your palm away from you with your fingers up.
• Gently bend wrist back by pushing on fingers of outstretched hand with the opposite hand.
• Hold it for about 5 seconds.
• Repeat on the opposite hand.
• Sit or stand up straight.
• Hold one arm out in front of you with your elbow straight.
• Gently bend hand down with the opposite hand until a gentle stretch is felt.
• Hold it for about 5 seconds.
• Repeat.

Hand & Lower Back Stretches

• Sit or stand up straight with your shoulders relaxed. Bend your elbows so that your forearms are approximately parallel to the floor.
• Gently stretch your fingers out like a fan.
• Keep your wrists straight.
• Hold the position for about 10 seconds.
• Relax, then bend you fingers at the knuckles. Keep your wrists straight.
• Hold for about 10 seconds.
• Stretch your fingers out again for about 10 seconds.

Lower back stretches

• Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart.
• Don’t lock your knees.
• Place your hands just above your hips with your fingers pointing downwards.
• Gently push your palms forward, bending your back at the waist.
• Look straight ahead. Don’t throw your head back.
• Hold a comfortable stretch for about 10 to 12 seconds.
• Repeat twice.

Introduction

Take a stretch break!

Take a five–minute break from your computer every half an hour!
Get up from your computer and move around.

Basics while stretching

Stretch until you feel a mild tension that relaxes as you hold the stretch. If a stretch hurts, ease up on the extent of the stretch. Stop doing the stretch if you cannot do it without pain.

Don’t jerk! Hold each stretch for up to five to 30 seconds. Breathe in slowly and deeply while you stretch and then exhale slowly.