TAKE FIVE MINUTES

If you sit at a desk for long periods or are confined to a chair at home, try the following gentle exercises to stretch your muscles. If you have severe arthritis or osteoporosis ask your doctor if the exercises are safe for you before you begin. Initially do the exercises once a day, but as you become stronger, repeat each exercise more often and hold the positions for longer.

The Exercises
Arms

• Keeping your back straight, shrug your shoulders and then roll them around to the back, then down, then forward, and rest. Repeat the exercise moving in the reverse direction.
• Hold your right arm straight out to the side with your palm downward. Bend your right elbow and bring your hand around until it is just below your chin. Reach out to the side again. Repeat once. Do the same exercise with the left arm.
• Stretch your right arm forward, level with your shoulder, palm upward, and then bend the elbow and lightly touch your right shoulder. Straighten your arm and repeat once. Do the same exercise with your left arm.
• Tuck your elbows into your sides with the palms facing each other, and then bend your wrists so that the tips of the fingers almost touch. Repeat twice. Then move your hands around in circles one way, then the other.
  

Trunk
If you have had a hip replacement or have osteoporosis of the spine ask your doctor or physiotherapist if these exercises are suitable before you try them.

• Place your hands on your hips, turn from your waist to look towards the right, hold for 2-3 seconds, relax and turn to the left. Repeat.
• Face forward with your hands in your lap. Keeping your back straight, rotate your trunk clockwise twice. Pause, then repeat the exercise in a counterclockwise direction.
  

Legs

• Sit upright as far back on the chair as possible. Straighten your right leg. If necessary, support yourself by holding the sides of the chair. After holding the position for 2-3 seconds, replace your foot on the floor. Do the same on the left, and then repeat once.
• Sit with both your feet flat on the floor, then lift the heel of your right foot. After holding the position for 2-3 seconds, place the heel back on the floor. Do the exercise with the left foot. Repeat once. Then lift the front of the right foot, leaving the heel on the floor and stretching your toes. Hold this for 2-3 seconds before putting your toes back on the floor. Do the same with the other foot. Repeat once.
• Still sitting, cross your legs, right over left, and move the right foot to make a circle first clockwise, then counterclockwise. Repeat with the left foot.
  Do not attempt this exercise if you have had a hip replacement operation.
  

Neck
Start and finish each exercise looking straight ahead.

• Lower your chin as far as it will go comfortably, then lift it gently back again. Do not bend your head backward. Allow your head to nod gently up and down two or three times.
• Turn your head to the right as far as it will comfortably go and then to the left, and return to the starting position. Repeat twice.
• Drop your head sideways gently towards your right shoulder, and then towards your left shoulder. Keep your shoulders relaxed. Repeat twice.