I spend 90% of my working day sitting at a desk, usually hunched over my laptop in deep concentration. I've tried to change my posture and improve my at-home office setup, but I usually end the day with a lot of upper-body tension and a severe knot in my right shoulder.
One of the only things that provides immediate relief is stretching, which is why I was happy to see this mobility routine from trainer Elizabeth King on Instagram. It's a five-minute session designed to correct rounded shoulders, targeted at desk workers like me.
I decided to give it a go on an afternoon when my upper body was feeling particularly stiff.
How to do Elizabeth King's five-minute shoulder mobility routine
There are five moves in the routine, which King demonstrates in her Instagram reel. I completed each stretch for one minute with no rest in between.
- Shoulder pass through
- Around the world
- Side bend
- Cobra stretch variation
- Thread the needle/ thoracic rotation
The only equipment you need for the routine is a resistance band. I don't have one at home, so I simply rolled up a towel and used that.
If, like me, you prefer equipment-free flexibility routines, you could also try doing these yoga stretches for beginners to loosen up your entire body.
My verdict
I've tried plenty of shoulder stretches over the years, so I was excited to see some moves I'd never come across before. The resistance band exercises provided immediate relief to my stiff upper-body joints. The cobra variation was new to me as well. I found that extending my arms in this pose helped me get a deeper stretch in my shoulders.
Holding a resistance band (or in my case, a towel) forces you to maintain the same position with your arms as you move. I found this challenged my mobility and ensured I was working through my full range of motion.
After just five minutes of doing these stretches, my shoulders felt relaxed and I felt far more comfortable sitting at my desk. The routine didn't get rid of my shoulder pain altogether. However, I'm hoping that by repeating the routine I will improve my shoulder mobility and reduce stiffness in this area.
