Chair Yoga for the Office: 8 Stretches You Can Do at Your Desk

Latika · MA in Yoga, NET QualifiedUpdated 17 October 2026 · 3 min read

Eight hours in a chair, eyes on a screen, shoulders creeping up to the ears. By evening the neck is stiff and the lower back aches. You do not need a mat or a change of clothes to undo some of that: a steady chair and 10 minutes are enough.

Before you start

• Use a steady chair without wheels if you can. If yours has wheels, lock them or brace your feet.
• Sit towards the front edge, feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Move slowly and breathe normally. Nothing here should hurt.

8 chair yoga stretches

1. 1
   Neck releaseDrop your right ear towards your right shoulder and hold for 3 breaths. Repeat on the left. Then slowly lower the chin to the chest. Do not roll the head in full circles.
2. 2
   Shoulder rollsRoll both shoulders up, back and down 8 times. Finish with the shoulders low and away from the ears.
3. 3
   Seated Tadasana (overhead stretch)Interlace your fingers, turn the palms up and stretch your arms overhead. Lengthen through the spine for 3 to 5 breaths.
4. 4
   Seated side bendRight hand on the seat, left arm over the head, lean gently to the right. 3 breaths each side.
5. 5
   Seated twistSit tall, place your right hand on the back of the chair and your left hand on your right knee. Turn from the middle of the back for 3 breaths, then switch.
6. 6
   Seated cat-cowHands on the knees. Breathing in, lift the chest and arch gently; breathing out, round the back and drop the chin. 6 to 8 rounds.
7. 7
   Seated figure four (hip stretch)Rest your right ankle on your left knee, keep the back straight and lean forward slightly. 3 to 5 breaths each side. Skip it if it strains the knee.
8. 8
   Eye restRub your palms together until warm and cup them over closed eyes. 5 slow breaths. Good after long screen time.

All eight take about 10 minutes. If that is too much in one go, do two or three of them every couple of hours. Little and often works better than one long session at the end of the day.

Habits that help your back at work

• Keep the top of the screen at eye level so your head is not pushed forward.
• Stand up and walk for 2 minutes every hour, even just to fill your water bottle.
• Rest your feet flat on the floor or a small box, not tucked under the chair.
• Take a few slow breaths before a stressful meeting. For more, read Anulom Vilom.

If your back or neck pain spreads to an arm or leg, comes with numbness or tingling, or does not ease in a few weeks, see a doctor. Read more in yoga for back pain.

Chair yoga keeps you going through the workday, but it is not a full practice. For a plan that fits around office hours, read yoga for working women.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant, talk to your doctor before you start yoga.