The deskbound worker, spending the day in from of a computer, can reduce stress, increase endurance and relieve stiffness by adding a couple of “workouts” into the workday.

Mark Dutton, physical therapist and owner of Kitsap Physical Therapy in Belfair, says, “I think stretching is far more important than strengthening in terms of preventing injuries. It’s easy to get strong, but hard to get flexible. It takes a longer time.”

Dutton shares the following dozen actions, suggesting they be done twice daily for 5-10 minutes.

1. Heel raise: Sitting up straight on the chair with feet flat on the floor, raise the heels, keeping the toes on the floor, repeating 10 times.
2. Pelvic tilt: From a sitting position, tighten the stomach muscles and buttocks, rolling the lower pelvis forward. Hold for 5 seconds, then relax, repeating 10 times.
3. Shoulder shrugs: Shrug the shoulders up and down, forward and backward. Repeat 10-20 times.
4. Corner stretch: When you get up for coffee, take a couple minutes to go stand in the corner. Place your hands at shoulder level on the two walls and take a step back. Lean forward until you feel the stretch across your chest. Hold 30 seconds, repeating 3 times.
5. Neck retraction: Pull head straight back, keeping eyes and jaw level. Hold 2 seconds, repeating 10-20 times. (This will relieve your neck greatly if you have the bad habit of leaning forward to look at your computer screen.)
6. Levator scapula stretch: Place your right hand up and over the shoulder onto the right side of your back at the shoulder blade. With your left hand, grasp the top of your head, gently stretching the head left and downward. Hold 20 seconds, repeat on both sides 3 times.Upper trapezius stretch: Put one hand over your head, gently grasping the opposite side of the head. With the other shoulder down, place that hand behind your back. Tilt the head to the side of the overhead arm until a gentle stretch is felt in the neck. Hold 20 seconds, repeating 3 times per side.
7. Posterior capsule stretch: Put one arm forward with the hand in a fist. With the other hand, grasp the elbow and pull the arm around until a stretch is felt in the shoulder. Hold 20 seconds, repeating 3 times per side.
8. Inferior capsule stretch: Place one arm in the air, then reach down so your hand rests on your spine. Take the opposite hand over the head, grasping the elbow and gently pulling the first arm behind the head until a stretch is felt in the shoulder. Hold 30 seconds, repeating 3 times per side.
9. Wrist flexor stretch: With elbow straight, put right arm out in front of you, hand up, palm forward. Take the left hand and grasp the right fingers, pulling the wrist back until a stretch is felt. Hold 30 seconds, repeating 3 times on each side.
10. Wrist extensor stretch: With a straight elbow, put right arm out in front of you, hand down, palm back. With the left hand, grasp the back of the right hand and slowly bend the wrist down until a stretch is felt. Hold 30 seconds, repeating 3 times per side.
11. Hamstring stretch: Get up from your desk and place one foot on your chair, unless you have something to rest your foot on under your desk. Slowly lean forward, reaching down the shin with both hands until a stretch is felt in the back of the thigh. Hold 20 seconds, repeating 3 times per side.