Chair stretches are beneficial in relieving lower back pain. Those individuals often suffer from lower back pain, and chair stretches will bring good results in relieving their back pain. Even for those who do not have back pain issues, chair stretches are also beneficial if they have to sit on a chair for a long time to do work. Chair stretches prevent back pain. Pain in the lower back usually occurs due to sitting in a chair for a long time.
Several factors, such as incorrect sitting posture, poor chair ergonomics, etc., can cause back pain problems. Various ways are applied to relieve chair-induced back and leg pain. Among them, chair stretches are a great option to prevent back pain. This guide, Office Chair Stretches for Sciatica, will tell you about some effective chair stretches that bring good results in relieving your sciatica and back pain.
21 Office Chair Stretches for Sciatica Relief
1. Seated Hamstring Stretch
This simple chair stretch is effective for treating sciatica and lower back pain. Starting your day with this good chair stretch is a great idea. The easy steps to successfully perform this chair stretch exercise are as follows.
- Sit on the chair with your back straight, keeping your knees at a 90-degree angle. Plant both of your feet sturdily on the ground.
- Try to bend your leg and extend it forward. Stretch as much as possible by elongating your hamstrings to “release” the pressure from your lower back since the heels expand more.
- Be sure you take deep breaths while executing the chair stretch. Then you are allowed to stretch the other leg if you wish.
2. Seated Forward Flexion Stretch
- Despite being more straightforward than the first, the stretch is just as beneficial. You can accomplish this chair stretch exercise using just a chair; no desk is required.
- Place your two feet at your shoulder width when sitting straight in a high-back office chair. They must also be securely fit on the floor.
- It’s essential to bend forward while maintaining a straight back. So, try to do so. For good results, the bend has to be done well, so make every effort to do it. Your arms will droop toward the floor when you stoop.
3. Small Spinal Roll
To accomplish this chair stretch exercise, you need more effort. This will only increase its efficacy in treating lower back discomfort, making it one of the finest chair stretch exercises you can consider adding to your routine.
To perform this exercise in the proper manner, follow our simple suggested steps.
- It would be best if you kept your feet on the ground while you sat in the office chair with a straight back.
- Roll carefully down your entire spine, starting at the top of your head and paying attention to each vertebra as you go.
- When you get to your lower back region, give efforts to stretch a little more than you performed with the rest of the area. It would help if you also tried to lean your pelvis forward gently. This is because if you’re sensitive in that area, it could hurt.
4. Abdominal Strength
Executing abdominal strength is a bit challenging. However, it will help you feel better and relieve your sciatica. Follow the steps.
- Maintain a straight back while sitting in the chair, and gently place your hands on your lower abdomen. The next step is to get your navel close to your spine. Your abdominal muscles will get stronger during this process.
- Stay in this posture for some time and get relaxed.
- The chair stretches should be performed with your back as straight as possible. Avoid bending forward.
5. Seated Twist
This is another effective chair stretch for sciatica relief. In this exercise, you will brace your muscles and ease lower back discomfort at the same time. Here are the steps to accomplish the seated twist.
- Place your feet equivalent to the floor as you sit upright in the office chair. In this position, your ankles must be higher than your knees.
- Now, lift your chin slowly while maintaining parallel alignment with the ground. At last, pull your ears back toward your shoulder areas and squeeze your sit bones while trying to lengthen your spine area broadly.
- Breathe out. While doing this, draw your belly button back into your spine, and then twist it to the right. You can utilize the armrest or backrest of your chair to give better support to your body while moving.
- Try to twist more deeply when you breathe out while stretching your back.
6. Switch to Your Standing Desk at Regular Intervals
The strain on your spinal discs may typically enhance significantly when you sit on a chair for a long time because extended sitting on the discs in your lower back might increase your sciatica pain by irritating the sciatic nerve roots. In this situation, it would be great to use a standing desk to reduce the stress on the nerve roots.
Following a standing posture might help ease tension in your lower back area and lessen sciatica pain from herniated discs because standing posture is really an active motion. Therefore, during your working hours, practice working while sitting for a while, then standing for a time.
7. Take a Break Every Hour Between Work
The movement of fluids that take place while you exercise boosts blood flow as well as feeds your spinal discs. Therefore, practice getting up every hour from your office chair in the workplace and walking a small distance when your job needs you to sit at your computer for extended periods of time.
Use good walking form with steady breaths. It’s crucial to give the body some time to rest in between work because prolonged chair use might exacerbate sciatica pain.
8. Seated Nerve Glide Exercise
The nerve glide exercise is a beneficial herniated disc workout that you can do when you’re sitting at your desk in the workplace. Your sciatic nerve gets desensitized and relaxed as a result of this workout. To execute this exercise, follow these steps.
- When you are sitting in an office chair, straighten your one knee and keep your other knee on the floor.
- Bend your ankle gradually to meet your toes.
- Try to point the toes away from you and then back toward you.
- If tolerable, try a similar sciatic nerve glide while bending your head forward.
9. Wall Stretch
- Step closer to the surface of the wall. Raise both your arms and look straight up.
- In this exercise, your whole body should be extended and flexed along the wall surface.
- The spine will lengthen as a result of this easy stretch, which will also assist in relieving your lumbar strain.
- Keeping your hand on the surface of the wall allows you to walk more, depending on your ability.
10. Wall 90° Stretch
- You can use both the wall and desk to do this exercise. So, lean against a desk or a wall. Make every effort to position your hips higher than your feet so that your back and heels form a 90° angle.
- Allow your chest to droop. Your arms and shoulders are unimportant. Just unwind and concentrate on lengthening and extending your hamstrings with your lower back.
11. Quad Stretch
- To do this stretch exercise, you can use the wall as support.
- Your foot will move toward your glute if you flex your leg and grab hold of it with one hand.
- Don’t let the lower back arch; instead, place your core engaged.
- Your lower back pain can be relieved by relaxing the quadriceps.
12. Hip Flexor Stretch
- Squat down.
- Maintain a parallel back while turning your hips a little rearward.
- By leaning slightly to the side, you will be able to find out that your psoas is not getting stretched.
- Squeeze glutes are extending the hip. This is a better way to spread the psoas effectively.
13. Chair Hip Flexor Stretch
- You can perform the flexor stretch and relax your hip while standing even though you are unable to lunge down.
- One of your legs can be supported by the office chair while the other one is brought ahead.
- You have the option to utilize a wall or a desk for better support.
14. Bench Hamstrings Stretch
- Keep your heel correctly on a bench.
- Don’t bend at all, and keep your back straight.
- Likewise, keep your leg straight as well while rotating your hips ahead. The hamstrings must stretch out at night.
15. Sitting Piriformis Stretch
- To gain the maximum benefit from piriformis stretch, always keep it accessible and mild.
- Stretches that are too forceful often worsen piriformis pain. So, avoid such stretches.
- Just keep your ankle on your knee and keep your back straight. Also, keep your lower back from arching. Stay in this posture for a moment, then change your legs.
You can also refer to this article to know more about comfortable sitting with piriformis syndrome.
16. Chair Spinal Decompression version
- Lengthen both your legs. You can utilize the chair’s grips and raise your upper body gently.
- Try to rest our lumbar spine fully. And when you press down, let gravity pull the tension down.
17. Desk Spinal Decompression Version
- Raise both hands on your desk’s edge.
- Check to see if your desk or table can hold your weight correctly.
- Bring your knees closer together and allow the toes of your feet to touch the ground.
- Lean ahead while allowing your legs as well as lower back to hang. In this case, your lumbar spine can take a moment to rest in case it is too tight. Your hips will loosen up, and you can experience the weight descending
18. Bench Spinal Decompression
- On a bench, gently lie on your stomach.
- In order to pull your upper body ahead, you should utilize your arms against the bench.
- While keeping on your toes without placing any weight on the toes, move your knees closer to your bench.
- Allow your lower back to sag while pulling upward with your arms to stretch your back.
19. Sciatic Nerve Flossing
- Sit on the edge of a chair.
- Extend one leg in front and round your back.
- After that, lengthen your back while stretching the lumbar spine. Repeat it 2/3 times.
20. Frog Stretch
- Enlarge your knees.
- In this case, you can use a great technique, diaphragmatic breathing, which can be used to depressurize the lumbar region.
21. Wall Inversion Stretch
- Lay down along your back. Depending on your ability, move your hips up against the wall.
- Raise both your legs up and place them against the wall. More profoundly, contract your glutes while relaxing your back.
- Allow gravity to unwind your back as you inhale deeply into your stomach.
Don’t worry, if your chair does not provide you the comfort you need. We have got you covered, in case you are planning to buy a new office chair for sciatic pain. Then here is an in-depth article on the same. Do, give it a read.
Conclusion
Herniated or bulging discs in the human lower back are considered a common reason for sciatica problems. Nowadays, many people are suffering from this problem. People take many remedial measures to relieve the pain of sciatica.
However, exercise is a great option to get rid of sciatica. These 21 office chair stretches for sciatica mentioned above will be adequate to improve your condition. You can do these exercises any time to get the best relief from sciatica.
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I am an Interior Designer and founder of MyComfortHaven.com. Love for ergonomics and content creation made me pivot my career from interior designing to writing.
I like to write compelling, well-researched, and unique content about how commonplace things like chairs can greatly impact pain relief and productivity.