Working in central London means nearly all of my clients work long hours sat in the same position. Not only is this bad for long term health but it is also bad for your posture.
Here are some basic but effective stretches you can do to try & off set all of those hours sat down. Start off by holding for 30 seconds. If you wish to increase this , you can do.
Spinal Stretch
Sitting in your chair with a tall spine, keep your hips square and parallel to the wall in front of you, as you rotate your torso to the right . Place your left hand on the outside of your right thigh to help you rotate. Always think of lengthening your spine and getting taller as you twist. Hold for 30 seconds, and then rotate to the other side.
Spinal Reach With Clasped Hands
Sitting upright, clasp your hands in front of you and rotate your palms away from you (this will give you an added wrist stretch!), & bring the arms overhead, reaching your spine tall. Keeping the weight even in both hips, reach the arms up and over to the right. You should feel a stretch in the left side of the body. Try to relax the shoulders away from the ears as much as possible, and not rotate the spine at all. Hold for 30 seconds and then switch sides.
Chest Opener
Sit on the edge of your chair. Reach and clasp your hands behind your back, as you draw your shoulder blades down your back. If you can, slightly raise your arms up behind you to increase the stretch.
Seated Figure 4 Stretch
White sitting in your chair, cross your right ankle over your left knee, as if making a figure “4.” Keep your back as straight as possible as you hinge at your hips to increase the stretch. You can even apply a little extra pressure on the right thigh to deepen the stretch.