The Role of Movement in a Sedentary Workday

Sitting for extended periods can lead to stiffness, fatigue, and contribute to discomfort. This is where micro breaks come in. Micro breaks are very short, frequent pauses, typically lasting from a few seconds to 1-3 minutes. Their primary goal is to interrupt sustained activity, providing brief mental and physical resets throughout your workday.

We strongly recommend taking an active micro break every 20 minutes. Even these very brief interruptions are crucial for:

• Interrupting Static Posture: Prevents muscles from fatiguing in fixed positions.
• Improved Circulation: Helps blood flow to muscles and tissues, reducing stiffness and promoting recovery.
• Reduced Muscle Tension: Gives overworked muscles a chance to relax and allows underused ones to engage.
• Enhanced Focus & Productivity: Provides a brief mental disengagement, which can refresh your mind and improve concentration upon returning to your task.
• Eye Strain Relief: Offers an opportunity to rest your eyes from screen focus (e.g., using the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds).

Your micro break doesn’t need to be elaborate. It could be as simple as standing up, stretching, walking a few steps, or looking away from your screen.

Simple Stretches

These stretches are designed to be performed easily at your desk or in your office space during your active micro breaks or other short pauses. Remember to perform each stretch slowly and gently, holding for 15-30 seconds, and breathing deeply. Do not bounce or stretch into pain.

• Neck Release:
  • Forward Flexion: Gently drop your chin towards your chest, feeling a stretch in the back of your neck.
  • Ear-to-Shoulder: Slowly tilt your head, bringing your ear towards your shoulder. Repeat on the other side.
  • Neck Rotation: Gently turn your head to look over one shoulder, then the other.
• Shoulder & Upper Back Awakeners:
  • Shoulder Shrugs: Shrug your shoulders up towards your ears, hold briefly, then release them down. Repeat several times.
  • Shoulder Rolls: Roll your shoulders forward in a circular motion, then reverse and roll them backward.
  • Desk Chest Opener: Sit tall at your desk. Clasp your hands behind your back or hold onto the back of your chair. Gently pull your shoulders back and down, opening your chest.
• Wrist & Hand Refreshers:
  • Wrist Flexor Stretch: Extend one arm straight out with your palm facing up. With your other hand, gently pull your fingers down towards your body.
  • Wrist Extensor Stretch: Extend one arm straight out with your palm facing down. With your other hand, gently pull your fingers down towards your body.
  • Finger Splay: Spread your fingers wide, then make a loose fist. Repeat several times.
• Lower Body Relief (Seated or Standing):
  • Seated Hamstring Stretch: Extend one leg straight out in front of you with your heel on the floor. Lean forward from your hips, keeping your back straight, until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh.
  • Seated Figure-Four Stretch: Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Gently press down on the crossed knee while keeping your back straight. You should feel a stretch in your hip/glute.
  • Standing Calf Raises: While standing, slowly raise up onto the balls of your feet, then lower down. Repeat 10-15 times.

Comprehensive Injury Prevention

While frequent micro breaks and regular movement contribute significantly to daily comfort and well-being, it’s important to understand that fitting the job to the person remains the most effective strategy for preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), also known as Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs) or repetitive motion/strain injuries.

The risk for pain and discomfort, including WMSDs, increases with work that involves awkward postures, excessive force, or repetitive motions, especially when sustained over time. Signs and symptoms of CTDs can include persistent pain, tingling, numbness, swelling, and loss of function. Early reporting of any discomfort to your supervisor and our ergonomics office is crucial to prevent chronic injury.

The CSU Ergonomics Program focuses on primary prevention through:

• Ergonomic Evaluations: Our specialists assess your workstation and tasks to identify and address risk factors.

• Workstation Design: Recommending appropriate chairs, height-adjustable tables, keyboards, mice, and other equipment to ensure your capabilities are not exceeded.

• Training: Educating employees on proper workstation setup for both traditional and home office environments.

By combining proper workstation and tool design with regular active micro breaks and stretching, you can create a work environment that truly supports your health and productivity. Don’t wait for pain and discomfort before making changes!

Musculoskeletal Injuries

The risk for pain and discomfort can increase with any type of work if the work exposes employees to awkward postures or excessive force especially when exposure is repeated and/or sustained for extended durations. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), also called Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs) or repetitive motion/strain injuries, continue to be an issue in the workplace due to the expose to injury risk factors. These injuries can be chronic and debilitating.

WMSDs can affect any area of the body (neck, shoulders, hand, wrists, elbows, knees, and feet, etc.), affect the body in different ways, and present different symptoms. Understanding the signs and symptoms of injuries and knowing that early reporting is beneficial to prevent chronic injury is important.

Signs and symptoms of CTDs include but are not limited to:

• Fatigue
• Aches and Pain
• Weakness
• Stiffness
• Discomfort
• Tenderness
• Decreased Range of Motion (ROM)
• Numbness
• Burning
• Tingling
• Swelling
• Soreness
• Body Parts “Falling Asleep”
• Loss of Strength

Musculoskeletal Disorders & Injury Prevention

Focus should be paid to the design of the workstation, tools and equipment in order to ensure the capabilities of workers are not exceeded. If this is not given proper consideration, the risk for injuries can increase.