Sitting at a sewing machine, or a computer, for hours can lead to rounded shoulders, tight hip flexors, and other issues. These issues can then impact your ability to reach into upper cabinets or even to walk steadily.

To correct these issues you’ll want to stretch the tightened muscles and strengthen the opposing muscles. The three stretching routines presented here are designed to get you moving regularly and prevent issues from developing. I hope you enjoy them.

The first routine can be done sitting in your chair. This is helpful if you have mobility issues, and it is convenient to just push back from your machine and start stretching. The second routine is done standing. You may want to do it next to a sturdy table or a wall for balance. The third routine requires getting down on the floor. You may want an exercise mat and some folded quilts for padding. All three routines have stretches for your hands, neck, shoulders, chest, and hip flexors.

If you are following along, and I encourage you to do so, pause the video after each demonstration and perform the stretch or movement as described.

Chair Routine

You may want to do this whole routine one or twice a day. However, I find it more convenient and more effective to do one or two exercises every time I push my chair back to stand up. You could even use a timer set to go off every 30–60 minutes.

Prep

Begin with your butt square and level on your chair. Align your knees directly in front of your hips. Place your feet directly below your knees, flat on the floor.

Imagine an invisible sting attaches to the top of your head and gently lifts you up. Allow your shoulders unroll until they are square and level above your hips. Your head rests level and centered at the top of your spine.

Hands and Wrists

Finger and Wrist Flexion: Hold your arms out straight in front of you with your palms down. Curl your fingers in, all the way in to a loose fist, and then bend your hand down at the wrist. Relax and reset. Repeat for a total of about ten.

Spider on the Mirror with Wrist Extension: Put your hands in front of you with your palm heals together and fingertips touching. You might not be able to get your hands flat right away. Regardless, push your palms together, and back out, like a spider doing a pushup on a mirror. Repeat again and again to loosen up. Then lower your hands straight down to bend your wrists backwards. Only go as far as you are able. Raise your hands back up, and repeat this several times.

Wrist Circles: With your arms in front of you, make two loose fists. Circle them one direction five to ten times, and then reverse and go the other direction five to ten times.

Shoulders and Neck

Shoulder Blade Extension: Place your hands on the table, straight in front of you, with straight elbows. Keep your back upright and slide your hands forward by sliding your shoulder blades across your ribcage and forward. Then slide your shoulder blades back and together, pulling your hands toward you. Repeat about ten times.

Shoulder Blade Shrugs: Check your position. An invisible string tied to the top of your head lifts you up. Now, elevate your shoulders up to your ears. Pause, and then drop them down. Repeat, feeling your shoulder blades slide up and down for ten or so repetitions.

Shoulder Blade Shrugs with Pushups: If you have a study chair with armrests, you can add pushups to your shrugs. This is an option for those who already have strength in their shoulders and want to add more challenge. Skip it if it isn’t right for you. Place your hands securely on the chair arms, push yourself up, lock the elbows, and do your shrugs as described above.

Ear to Shoulder Stretch: Check your position. Move your head up and back. Allow your shoulders to unroll until they are square and level above your hips. Set your head level and centered at the top of your spine. Then slowly drop your head over, ear toward shoulder. Keep your shoulders neutral and away from your ears. Hold for about five seconds. Lift your head slowly, maintaining this posture, and lower the other ear toward that shoulder. Hold, and then repeat three times on each side.

Head Rotations: As with all these neck exercises, check your position before you begin. Let the invisible string tied to the top of your head lift you up as your shoulders unroll backward. Turning just your head, look over one shoulder. You can put your fingertips to your jaw and add a little pressure. Relax and hold three to five seconds. Repeat three times on each side.

Back and Chest

Seated Cat/Cow: Inhale and sit up. Exhale and press the center of your back backward, letting your shoulders round forward. This position is like an angry cat. Inhale and bring your chest forward, arching your shoulders back. This position is like a swayback cow. Exhale and push back into angry cat. Inhale and arch into swayback cow. Keep your breath synchronized with your movements and repeat about ten times.

W Pec Stretch: Lean back in your chair (Be careful if it is a tippy chair!) with your arms in a W position. Stretch back, keeping your chin kind of tucked in. Send your arms back, opening your chest and stretching your pectoral (chest) muscles. Do this for about fifteen seconds, for three or four repetitions.

Spinal Twist: Let the invisible string tied to the top of your head lift you up as your shoulders unroll backward and together. Slide your shoulder blades down—opposite of a shrug—and then relax into neutral. Place your right hand on the outside of your left knee. Pushing gently, rotate to your left. If you like, place your left hand on the back of the chair and add a gentle pull. With each inhale, feel your spine lengthen. Withe each exhale, relax into the twist. Hold fifteen to twenty seconds, and repeat on the other side.

Hip Flexors and Butt

Glute Squeezes: Come forward on your chair a little bit. Squeeze your left butt cheek and only your left butt cheek. It’s not always easy to tell if the muscle is firing or not. So, place your left hand under your buttock. Tighten that glute muscle for five seconds. Relax. Repeat ten times. Then do it on the right side.

Seated Figure 4: Begin with your ankles directly below your knees. Pick your right leg up and cross the ankle over your left knee. You may find that your crossed leg is at an angle or that it’s level—either is fine. Apply a little gentle pressure on your right knee to feel the stretch. Hold fifteen to twenty seconds, and repeat on the other side.

Hip Flexor Stretch on Chair: Scoot forward and over to the left side of your chair. (It helps if you can fold the armrest out of the way.) Lower your left leg down along the side of the chair and reach your foot backward. Tighten your abdomen and sit up straight to feel the stretch on the front of your left hip. Hold it there for 30 seconds. Then repeat on the other side.

Standing Routine

As with the chair exercises, these standing exercises can be done all together as a once- or twice-a-day routine. Or you can do them one or two at a time anytime you walk across the room. You can use climbing the stairs as a reminder to do the hip flexor stretches and calf raises.

Prep

Begin standing with your feet directly below your hips. March in place to get them just so, and then flex your knees once or twice to find a soft bend. Wiggle your hips into a square and level position.

Imagine an invisible sting attaches to the top of your head and gently lifts you up. Allow your shoulders to unroll until they are square and level above your hips. Rest your head level and centered at the top of your spine.