If you work from home or in an office, chances are you spend much more time than you’d like to hunched over a screen.
The NHS says “Adults aged 19 to 64 are advised to try to sit down less throughout the day, including at work, when travelling and at home” as “there is increasing evidence that, unless you are a wheelchair user, sitting down too much can be a risk to your health.”
With that said, not everyone has the time, space, energy, or opportunity to, say, run a 5k before work or lift weights at lunch.
Luckily, some experts recommend one specific move to save the long-suffering spines of sedentary workers.
Which is?
Personal trainer Mike Julom told The Guardian that performing a dead hang ― dangling from a bar, such as the type you’d use for a pull-up ― can be beneficial to those struggling with shoulder pain.
“A lot of people find that dead hangs – where you simply hang on to something with straight arms, and let the rest of your body dangle – help to increase their shoulder mobility and stability, which can help to prevent injuries,” he said.
Julom added, ”They also strengthen upper body muscles like the lats and traps, situated in the mid and upper back, which help to address some of the postural problems that can develop from sitting at a desk all day.”
Healthline seems to agree, writing, “A dead hang may decompress and stretch out the spine. It may be beneficial if you sit often or need to stretch out a sore back.”
They add that doing a dead hang for 30 seconds to a minute, especially after a workout, could be maximally beneficial.
So how do I do a dead hang?
First, make absolutely sure your overhead bar is secure and use a step or bench to reach it. Don’t jump directly into position ― instead, you should grip the bar with an overhand grip, keeping your hands shoulder-width apart.
Move your feet off the step or bench, allowing your body to hang from the bar with your arms straight and relaxed.
Begin by hanging for 10 seconds if you are new to the exercise, gradually increasing the duration to 45 seconds to 1 minute as you progress.
When you’re done, step back onto the step or bench before releasing your grip. You can repeat it up to three times, Healthline says.
If you’re an absolute beginner, practice your grip strength first and do a supported dead hang on something like an assisted pull-up machine.
The results might prove pretty spectacular for those of us who slouch over a laptop eight hours a day (yup, in case you haven’t guessed, I’m gonna begin doing this move too...).