Exercises for your Commute

If you’ve been contemplating how to make the most out of your commute, now that the world is moving back to in-person life, I have a few suggestions! Spending a few minutes focussed inward by doing a simple stretch or small exercise can help you unwind from whatever transpired at home before leaving for your day or at work before heading home. 

My exercise I recommend for any office worker is a forearm stretch. Many of the muscles we use to type and manipulate a mouse are located in your forearm. The constant small movements combined with positions at the wrist held for hours at a time can truly tighten up both our forearm flexors and extensors (basically both sides of our forearm). To stretch this area, you are going to take the wrist into full flexion (where the palm of the hand approximates the forearm) with the palm turned town. From here stretch the elbow until you get a nice stretch in the back of your forearm. Hold this stretch for five yoga breaths in and out slowly, and then repeat on the other arm. Repeat once again on each arm in the opposite direction! This is also a great stretch for any golfers, hockey players, and especially tennis and squash!  

Forearm flexors and extensors

 My next exercise is for the feet! The saying goes “if you don’t use it, you lose it” and that is very true for muscles! When we walk, we rely on the muscles located inside our feet to propel us forward. If these muscles have atrophied (shrunk) due to lack of use (sitting around more during the pandemic), you may be using your plantar fascia to propel yourself forward. This overuse of your plantar fascia to walk can lead to tearing, inflammation, and pain (plantar fasciitis). To combat this, simply add some intrinsic foot exercises in your day. These can be done while on the subway or train, and you don’t even have to take your shoes off! Simply lift all of your toes, keeping the ball of your feet and heel in contact with the floor. From there, place one toe at a time back on the floor from the pinky (most lateral, smallest toe) to the big toe (hallux). Try spreading your toes as you do this for an extra challenge!  

Intrinsic Foot Muscles

 Another common complaint of people who work at a desk is tight hips! It’s no wonder that after sitting for most of the week with your hip flexed to 90 degrees can lead to some hip issues. Adding an easy stretch to your commute to loosen up your hip/glutes will hopefully help you feel more mobile and energized when you get home. Simply cross one ankle over the other knee (contact points will be just above the ankle and just above the knee). From here, place your elbow on your knee of the leg that is crossed. Continue to lean forward pushing your knee towards the floor. The more you lean, the more you will feel that stretch in your hip. Hold this for a nice easy 5 yoga breaths in and out and repeat on the other side! 

My last exercise is for my Weekend Warriors. I love that more and more people are using their weekend to get moving! This can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) on that following Monday at work. For those of you doing your upper back rehab exercises, you may find you are a bit sore from working out in between the shoulder blades. To stretch this area, we are going to target Rhomboid (a muscle that attaches between the inside of the shoulder blade to the spine of the upper back). To stretch rhomboid, take one arm across the chest by pulling with just above the elbow with the opposite hand. Pull until you feel a gentle stretch between your shoulder blades. Hold this stretch for 5 yoga breaths and then repeat on the other side.  

Rhomboid Major and Minor Muscles

 Sometimes life can be crazy, and making time for exercise or movement can be extremely difficult. We also often underestimate the impact that small moments of exercise can add up to huge impacts. Talk to your local Chiropractor or Physiotherapist to get some suggestions on some easy exercises to add into your day that relate to your goals and your body. As always, reach out if you have any questions or better yet come visit me in one of our three clinics downtown Toronto!