A fairly considerable proportion of the working population of the world now has a desk job, requiring them to be sat down for at least eight hours every day, generally with few breaks. It’s well known that sitting for that amount of time is bad for you, as proved by increasing rates of obesity and pain the shoulders, neck and back. Inevitably, people suffering these sorts of pain will go looking for spa packages and massage treatments to reduce some of the pain, but there are other ways you can reverse some of the negative effects of sitting for such a long time. Here are a few.

Hang

Last time you visited a Phuket spa for a neck, back and shoulder massage, you probably noticed that the last few things the masseuse did produced audible clicks and cracks and seemed to have the most impact in relieving your pains. They will have included pushing and pulling your spine back into a straight alignment as well as pulling your shoulders back from their usual position – rolled forward. One way you can recreate this impact is to find an overhead bar, grab hold of it with both hands and hang from it. It stretches out all of the muscles that sitting down for long periods has compressed.

Improve how you sit

This is kind of an obvious one, but no less valid for that fact. If you know you’re going to be sat down for a long time, try to sit properly to avoid the negative impact. Strength training and pilates can help with strengthening the muscles required to maintain an upright posture while sitting. Practise also makes perfect, so just keep your shoulders back, chest out neck straight and core muscles engaged as much as possible while sitting.

Take regular breaks

A staggering percentage of office workers stay at their desks for almost their entire working day, maybe taking just brief bathroom breaks and a short walk to get something to eat at their desk. This is unhealthy in a number of ways, more than one of which will necessitate a trip to a Phuket spa to help ease the pain it results in. To help reduce this, try drinking a lot more water. Not only is this generally healthier, but it gives you a reason to step away from your desk for a few minutes every hour, both to replenish your water and to go to the bathroom. Be sure to stand and walk with good posture, of course.