As a digital journalist who spends my day working at a laptop, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that my posture is mediocre (at best).

I try my hardest to stay aware of how I’m sitting, but as the day goes on and my energy levels decrease, I often find myself hunched over like some kind of gremlin. I could definitely use a posture reset. I’m also aware that desk jobs are linked to back ache, so I’ve been chatting with physiotherapist Rebecca Sessions to get a few posture recommendations. 

She says that correcting bad posture is one thing, but it’s important to build and maintain good posture in the long run. The answer, she tells us, lies in a simple phrase: “The next posture is always the better posture.”

“Frequent movement and postural shifts improve dynamic stability and reduce muscle and joint tension,” Sessions explains. “Simple practices like standing breaks, desk ergonomics and good body awareness can make a big difference. Every posture adjustment refreshes your body, whether it’s sitting, standing, stretching or taking brief walks.”

She continues: “A single posture should not be sustained for extended periods because it can lead to muscle imbalance and stiffness in the joints. Regularly changing posture distributes the load across different muscle groups and allows for better circulation.”

With that in mind, these are the three simple exercises she recommends we all do to avoid back ache, tech neck and hunched shoulders.

This chin tuck exercise is designed to help with a forward head posture, which is often caused by smartphone use and a sedentary lifestyle.

“The chin tuck develops deep neck flexor muscles, correcting the forward head position and aligning the head, neck and upper spine,” Sessions explains.

How to do it

1. Sit or stand upright
2. Gently draw in your chin, creating a ‘double chin’
3. Hold for 5-10 seconds, then release
4. Repeat 10 times

My experience

At first, this exercise feels a little funny – probably because my shoulders are so tight and used to crouching over. There’s definitely a lot of tension in that area, and I find it hard to fully draw my chin in, but as I repeat the movement, I can start to feel things loosening up ever so slightly.

The best part? It takes me just over a minute to complete and can be done standing or sitting, so I find it really easy to slot into my morning routine. I might even start to do a few reps when I’m washing my face – multitasking for the win. 

If you’re used to doing hip raises at the gym, then you’ll already know how to do this exercise – just focus on the technique over the reps to ensure it’s having the intended impact on your posture.

“Bridge posture develops gluteal and lower-back muscles, stabilising the pelvis and restoring alignment,” Sessions explains. 

How to do it

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart
2. Place your arms by your sides
3. Engage your core and gluteal muscles and steadily raise your hips until your body creates a straight line from your shoulders to your knees
4. After 10-15 seconds, drop your hips
5. Repeat 10 times

My experience

This isn’t one of those exercises you can reap the benefits of immediately, but you can certainly tell it’s working. It’s still relatively easy to do, but by the end of my 10 reps, I can definitely feel the burn in my core and glutes – and it’s nice to take my time and really focus on my technique.

Satisfying name aside, this exercise is perfect for undoing the strain of a day spent hunched over at a desk or laptop.

“This exercise helps to prevent rounded shoulders and a bent upper back,” Sessions explains. “The shoulder blade draws the shoulders back and expands the chest for better posture.” 

How to do it

1. Sit or stand straight with your arms at your sides
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades gently to pull them together and towards your spine
3. Hold for 5-10 seconds with your chest elevated
4. Repeat 10 times 

My experience

After a day spent working from a sofa in a coffee shop (not the ideal set-up for maintaining good posture), this exercise feels like pure bliss. While it’s tempting to try to pull my shoulder blades back as far as they’ll go to try and ease the slight ache in my back, doing the movement gently ends up being a lot more soothing.

My upper back feels a lot looser after doing this just a couple of times, and I feel a little bit lighter when I stand up straight. You don’t realise quite how hunched over you are until you do an exercise like this, so it’s great for bringing awareness back to your body and how it feels, too.  

Images: Getty