Simple Exercises You Can Do During a Break

Stay active, stay comfortable, stay alert. Long periods of sitting leave you stiff, tired and uncomfortable, and the joints that stay locked in one position all day are the ones that ache by the end of it. The good news is that just five to ten minutes of movement on your break can improve circulation, ease muscle tension and help you feel refreshed for the miles ahead.

None of the exercises below need special kit, a gym or any real space. Some you can do without even leaving your seat, and the rest ask for nothing more than a safe patch of ground beside the vehicle. Build a couple of them into every proper break and your body will thank you long before the end of the shift.

Exercises you can do while sitting

If the weather is against you or you only have a few minutes, these seated moves loosen the areas that suffer most behind the wheel: the neck, shoulders, chest and lower back. Sit tall, breathe steadily and take each one gently.

Neck stretch

• Sit up straight with both feet flat on the floor.
• Slowly tilt your head towards one shoulder until you feel a gentle stretch down the side of your neck.
• Hold for fifteen to twenty seconds, then return to the middle and repeat on the other side.
• Work through two to three rounds on each side.

Shoulder rolls

• Lift both shoulders up towards your ears.
• Roll them backwards and down in a smooth circle, repeating ten times.
• Then reverse the direction and roll forwards ten times.

Chest stretch

• If it is comfortable, clasp your hands together behind your back.
• Gently lift your chest and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• Hold for around twenty seconds, feeling the stretch open across the front of your chest, then release.

Back stretch

• Sit tall with your hands resting on your thighs.
• Slowly round your back, tucking your chin towards your chest.
• Then gently arch the other way, lifting your chest and easing the curve into your lower back.
• Move between the two positions a few times, slowly and without forcing.

Five minutes of gentle movement does more for a stiff body than another hour spent waiting for the ache to pass.

Exercises you can do standing outside the vehicle

When you can step down and stretch your legs properly, standing movements do even more for your circulation and your posture. They wake up the hips, lower back, calves and ankles, the areas a driver's seat keeps still for hours at a time. Find level ground, hold the vehicle or a fixed point for balance if you need to, and keep everything slow.

Standing side bends

• Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart.
• Reach one arm overhead and lean gently to the opposite side.
• Hold for a few seconds where you feel the stretch along your ribs and waist, then switch sides.

Gentle back extension

• Place your hands on your hips for support.
• Ease your upper body backwards a little way, opening the front of your body.
• Only go as far as feels easy, then return to standing. Never force the arch.

Calf raises

• Slowly rise up onto the balls of your feet.
• Pause at the top, then lower your heels back down under control.
• Repeat ten to fifteen times to get the blood moving through your lower legs.

Marching on the spot

• Lift one knee, then the other, in a steady marching rhythm.
• Keep it going for thirty seconds to a minute.
• Swing your arms naturally to warm up the whole body and lift your energy.

Ankle circles

• Lift one foot slightly off the ground.
• Draw slow circles with your toes, ten times in each direction.
• Swap to the other foot. This is one of the best moves for tired, swollen ankles.

Gentle hamstring stretch

• Place one heel out in front of you with the leg fairly straight and toes pointing up.
• Keep your back long and hinge forward from the hips until you feel a mild stretch behind the thigh.
• Hold for fifteen to twenty seconds, then swap legs. Ease off the moment it feels sharp.

Making it a habit

The point of all this is not to turn your break into a workout. It is to break the long stillness that stiffens joints and slows your circulation, and even a few minutes does that. Try to build a couple of these movements into every proper break rather than saving them for the days you already feel sore. Little and often beats one big effort every time.

Keep listening to your body as you go. Slow and controlled always wins, a stretch should feel like a gentle pull and never a strain, and if something hurts you stop. If a particular ache lingers day after day, or joint pain keeps creeping back no matter how well you move on your breaks, it is worth getting it checked rather than working around it. Our musculoskeletal and joint health programme is built around exactly these everyday problems, and you are always welcome to get in touch with our team for advice tailored to your own routes and patterns.

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