ASK THE EXPERTS
FITNESS EXPERT
Nolan Sunnassee is a strength coach with 17 years experience training both Olympic-level athletes and the public. He specialises in weight loss and injury rehab (evo-fit.co.uk).
Q I’m working from home and at my desk for long hours. It’s causing me to stoop more and my shoulders to hurt. What can I do to remedy it?
A Any physical position held over a long period of time can re-mould your muscles, which then encourages that posture to be the norm. It’s important to get up and move frequently, as well as to lengthen and stretch tight muscles that are pulling your head and shoulders forward, while strengthening the weaker muscles.
Chest stretch: Hold onto a doorframe, keeping your arm straight. Slowly turn away from the arm – you’ll feel a stretch across your chest.
Trapezius stretch: Your trapezius muscles run from your lower neck to your shoulder. Sit up straight and reach your right hand up and over your head to your left ear. Slowly pull your head towards your right shoulder, keeping the left shoulder down. Hold each stretch for 30-60 secs. Do on both sides.
Lat stretch: Again, hold onto a doorframe with your left arm. Slightly bend your right leg. Turn your whole body away towards the left side, and look to the left too, under your arm. You’re aiming to create an arc from your left hand at the top, to your left toe at the bottom. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
It’s also important to strengthen the muscles that are underused. You can do this with three easy moves:
Hold a stretch band out in front of you, at chest height, and pull both hands apart. This strengthens your scapula retractor muscles, which get weaker when you sit in a
