SEATED · PLAIN ANSWERS
What stretches can I do while sitting in a chair?
From a stable chair you can do a side-of-neck stretch, an across-the-chest shoulder stretch, a chest opener, wrist flexor and extensor stretches, slow shoulder rolls and a seated leg stretch. Each is a short, gentle hold or a few slow repetitions, and none of them needs you to stand up or leave your desk.
By Pause · KCO Partners LLC · Published September 16, 2026
Part of Workplace stretching, the Pause workplace stretching series.
Set up the chair first
Use a chair that does not roll, rest your feet on the floor or a stable support, and leave the keyboard alone while you stretch. Sit in a position that lets you breathe easily. That small setup is what makes a seated stretch comfortable rather than awkward.
Upper body from the chair
Let one ear drift gently toward the shoulder for the side of the neck. Bring one arm across the chest and support it above the elbow. Draw the shoulder blades gently together to open the chest. Extend an arm palm up, then palm down, and guide the hand gently for the wrists. Circle the shoulders slowly in each direction.
Legs from the chair
For a seated leg stretch, extend one leg with the heel down and hinge forward from the hips with a straight back until you feel a gentle stretch. Release slowly and change sides. Keep every movement inside an easy range and stop for pain, dizziness, tingling or numbness.
Common questions
How long should I hold a seated stretch?
Pause uses short holds of roughly fifteen to thirty seconds per movement or side. They are starting points for a comfortable break, not a prescribed dose.
Can I do these in a wheelchair or with limited mobility?
Many of the upper-body movements can be adapted, but this page is general information. Ask a qualified clinician about what suits you.
Which of these are in the Pause app?
All of them. Pause guides each one in three written steps with its own timer, and the desk-stretches guide on this site walks through three of them in detail.
Background: Mayo Clinic office stretches · NHS sitting exercises. These organisations do not endorse Pause. Product details describe Pause’s current iPhone build. These pages are general wellness information, not medical advice, and Pause’s routines have not been clinically validated.