Course description

If you sit at a desk all day, you may know the feeling: a stiff neck and shoulders by the end of the afternoon, and a stiff lower back when you get up in the morning. This course teaches simple, everyday stretching you can do at your desk, at home and on the move, following NHS guidance on stretching and flexibility, the UK Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance on screen work.

It's written for desk workers, people who work from home and anyone who feels stiff and wants to start gently. You learn how a stretch should feel, using a simple stretch scale, how long to hold, how to warm up, and how to set up your desk and take short movement breaks. Every stretch has easier versions, with chair, wall and bed options, so you don't need to get down on the floor unless you want to. Safety comes first, with clear advice on when to stop and when to talk to your GP or a physiotherapist.

There are 10 sections and 50 written lessons, each with a worked example and a short practical task. You follow Meilin, a payroll administrator in Watford who works in the office three days a week and at home on the other two, through her first months of stretching, including the days she missed. Every section has a practice pack with a worksheet and example answers, plus a safety card, a starting point sheet, a stretching log spreadsheet, a desk set-up checklist, a movement break plan, routine cards for every stretch and routine, a habit plan, a monthly review sheet and the files for your final project.

What you'll learn

• Getting started safely: what this course is and isn't, what flexibility means, the UK physical activity guidelines in plain words, when to talk to your GP or a physiotherapist first, when to stop, stretching with extra care, and your starting point.
• How stretching works: static and dynamic stretching, a three-minute warm-up and a wind-down, how often and how long to hold, breathing, and a simple stretch scale so you know how a stretch should feel.
• Posture, desk set-up and movement breaks: posture without the myths, setting up your desk the way HSE guidance describes, laptops and working from home, and short, frequent movement breaks.
• Neck, shoulders, upper back and wrists: gentle stretches for the areas a desk day affects most, including the chest, wrists, hands and fingers.
• Lower back, sides and hips: knee hugs, pelvic tilts, side bends, hip flexor stretches, the figure four and the butterfly, with chair versions.
• Legs, ankles and feet: hamstrings, quads, calves, ankles and feet, without bouncing, and a whole-body routine of about 15 minutes.
• Chair, floor and props: a full chair routine, getting down to the floor and up again, using a strap, cushions, a wall and a chair, and making any stretch easier or a little harder.
• Routines for everyday situations: a five-minute desk routine, a morning routine, an evening wind-down, stretches after a walk or run, and moves for long journeys.
• Tracking progress and building the habit: a simple log, stiffness ratings and monthly reach checks, cues and habits, missed days and plateaus, other activity and a monthly review.
• Final project: your own personal 4-week stretching plan, with routines, days, times, cues and a review date.

Who it's for

Adults in the UK who sit for long spells, at a desk, at home or at the wheel, and feel stiff: office and home workers, beginners of any age and people who haven't stretched for years. You need a sturdy chair without wheels, a clear stretch of wall, and a dressing gown belt or a towel. A mat is optional.

What this course is, and isn't

This course gives general information about everyday stretching. It isn't medical advice, and it isn't a treatment for pain, injury or any condition. If you have pain, a health condition or symptoms that worry you, talk to your GP, a practice nurse or a physiotherapist; in many areas you can refer yourself to NHS physiotherapy. It doesn't promise any particular result, and it doesn't recommend any brands, shops or apps. Everything you need is in the lessons and the practice packs.

What will I learn?

• Explain what stretching can and can't do, and how it fits with the UK physical activity guidelines
• Know when to talk to your GP or a physiotherapist before stretching, when to stop, and when to get urgent help
• Judge a stretch with a simple 0 to 10 stretch scale, and hold static stretches safely for 15 to 20 seconds
• Warm up and wind down, and know when to use moving stretches and when to use still holds
• Set up your desk, laptop and home workspace in line with HSE guidance, and take short, frequent movement breaks
• Stretch your neck, shoulders, upper back, chest, wrists, lower back, hips, legs, ankles and feet gently, with easier versions
• Use a chair, a wall, cushions and a strap to make stretches easier, and get down to the floor and up again safely
• Follow short routines for your desk, mornings, evenings, after a walk or run, and long journeys
• Track your progress with a log, stiffness ratings and monthly reach checks, and build a habit that lasts
• Write your own personal 4-week stretching plan with routines, days, times, cues and a review date

Frequently asked questions