Suffering from lower back pain due to sitting for longer hours at work? There are several ways you can address the problem, starting by alternating between sitting and standing with the help of a standing desk. And to take this even further and make sure you take care of your lower back, you can try doing desk exercises for lower back pain. By giving your back and your body a stretch as you work, you are able to engage and relax your back muscles, correct your posture, and reduce chances of back pain at the end of a long day.

So, what desk exercises can you try at work to reduce and eliminate back pain?

Check out the following easy and effective exercise options:

Spinal Twist

This is an exercise you can do while seated on your chair. Follow these easy steps:

Step 1. Sit up tall in your chair with your feet flat on the ground. 

Step 2. Place your left hand on the outside of your right knee, and then twist to the right, using your right hand to hold the back of the chair. 

Step 3. Hold this position for 30 seconds. 

Step 4. Repeat the same steps on the other side.

Forward Fold

This is another seated exercise that will stretch not only your lower back but most of your body.

Step 1. Sit up tall in your chair with your feet flat on the ground. 

Step 2. Reach your arms up overhead and then fold forward, reaching your hands towards your feet. 

Step 3. Hold for 30 seconds.

Cat-Cow Stretch

This is an easy back exercise that you can do repeatedly throughout the day to stretch out your spine.

Step 1. Sit up tall in your chair with your feet flat on the ground. 

Step 2. Go into a cow pose by placing your hands on your knees and arching your back, looking up towards the ceiling. 

Step 3. Move into a cat pose by rounding your spine and tucking your chin to your chest.

Step 4. Repeat this exercise 10 times.

Glute Stretch

This is a leg and knee exercise, but it provides relief and comfort to the lower back that is highly needed during long work days.

Step 1. Sit up tall in your chair with your feet flat on the ground. 

Step 2. Cross your right ankle over your left knee, and then gently push down on your right knee to stretch your glutes. 

Step 3. Hold for 30 seconds.

Step 4. Repeat the same steps on the other side.

Knee-to-Chest Stretch

Similar to the previous exercise, this is a leg and knee exercise. But, the stretch you get extends to your back and offers relief and relaxation to your back muscles and spine.

Step 1. Sit up tall in your chair with your feet flat on the ground. 

Step 2. Bring your right knee towards your chest, and then hold it with both hands for 30 seconds. 

Step 3. Repeat the same steps on the other side.

All of these desk exercises for lower back pain are very simple and do not require a lot of time or any special equipment to perform—you can do them right there on your desk and chair. And because they’re easy and simple, it’s easy to do them repeatedly throughout the day. You may perform them alternately as needed to make sure your back muscles stay relaxed no matter how stressful your day gets.

For more exercises that you can do on your desk, check out this post.

And to get the most out of these exercises, don’t forget to develop the habit of alternating between sitting and standing as you work—this will ensure you keep moving all day and keep your muscles engaged and healthy. 

The MotionGrey standing desk will help make this easy for you. This electric standing desk can move from a sitting to a standing height in just a few seconds, and all you have to do is to press a keypad to set your desired desk height. Check our catalog to find the right desk and start moving more at work. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Apart from doing stretches on your desk, you can address back pain by adding more natural movements to your day. One way to do this is to alternate between sitting and standing with the help of a standing desk. Another way is to regularly get up from your chair to walk around your space–get water from the water cooler, talk to colleagues, or simply stand up to move.

There is no prescribed frequency when it comes to doing desk exercises. However, it’s important that you find a way to move and get up from your chair at least every hour. Stand up, stretch, or walk around–what’s important is that you are able to engage and stimulate your muscles and correct your posture.

Lower back pain often happens when you stay seated in a single position for too long, especially with incorrect posture. This places unnecessary pressure on your back muscles and your spine. By standing up, you stimulate the muscles and allow healthy blood flow throughout your body. It also gives you a chance to correct your posture and stretch. And when you’re standing, you continually engage your muscles as you try to balance yourself. More importantly, you are breaking free from a sedentary lifestyle that often leads to back pains. 

About Us

MotionGrey is a Canadian standing desk company that specializes in ergonomic furniture. We supply and install only the best quality standing desks and ergonomic chairs in the country. We offer free shipping within Canada and the US.

What made you switch to standing desks? Our products are designed with wellness as the focal point. From our electric standing desks to our office and gaming chairs, we deliver best value by putting your health, safety, and comfort as top priority. Boost your creativity and level up work performance. We want you to create great outcomes so we’re providing you only the best tools to make them possible.

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, check out our Refund Policy.