For some people, winter is not just cold—it’s downright uncomfortable. Cold temperatures can lead to increased stiffness in muscles, tendons and joints. Because of this, it should be no surprise that winter is generally associated with increased musculoskeletal symptoms. Musculoskeletal pain commonly affects bones, muscles and soft tissue, but connective tissues like ligaments, tendons and fascia are also often affected in musculoskeletal disorders. Whether you work in the cold or you’re only in the cold long enough to get to work, these symptoms can be debilitating. 

The negative impact of musculoskeletal disorders—also known as MSDs—goes beyond bone pain, too. According to the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, they are the most common workplace injury and cost private sector businesses almost $17 billion annually. So when the winter starts bearing down on your organization, taking steps to mitigate MSDs will help keep your workforce and finances healthy until the weather starts to heat up.

A paper published by the National Library of Medicine indicates that one of the best ways to overcome work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) is physical activity. According to the researchers, the key to WMSD prevention is physical exercise, “which seems to reduce low back pain with only 10–15 minutes of adapted exercise performed 3–5 days per week by office workers.”

Of course, in the cold and dark months of a new year, that can be a tall order. It’s tough to stay motivated in the winter when it’s common to feel low in energy or depressed, and that can contribute to lower levels of physical activity. Seasonal affective disorder—most common in January and February—could also play a part in keeping you down. Characterized by sadness, fatigue, a lack of energy, a decreased interest in activities and difficulty concentrating, seasonal affective disorder makes everything more difficult, from work to recreation to MSD-preventing physical activity. Ironically, that same physical activity the disorder prevents is also one of its most effective treatments. Making an effort to stay active can offer a boost of energy, improve your mood and ward off MSDs. That’s why you should add some specific activities catered to these winter challenges in your workplace wellness program—activities like chair yoga.

A recent CNN Health article reported on the benefits of chair yoga, an easy exercise routine that fits well within the suggested 10–15 minutes of exercise three to five days a week to prevent MSDs. Studies have also shown that yoga is an effective treatment for depression, making it the perfect addition to your workplace wellness program and your ergonomic program. Here are a few chair yoga exercises you can share to help those in your facility:

Joint warm-up

The article suggests beginning with a joint warm-up. To do this, sit on the edge of your seat with good posture, keeping your back straight and facing forward. Then make circles with your hands and feet. If you need to concentrate on one at a time, do the hands first and then the feet. This motion can prevent issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome (one of the most common MSDs) in your wrists while also combatting fatigue in the legs.

Side bends

Stretching is a big part of ergonomics and side bends are a good yoga equivalent. Traditional side bends have you stand and bend at the waist, making a c-curve shape in the spine and upper body. A chair yoga side bend has you sitting slightly forward in the chair, with your feet parallel and your knees directly above your ankles. Put your left arm across your body to hold the opposite hip. Inhale, then extend your right hand straight up in the air as far as is comfortable and feel the stretch in your right side. Then exhale and lean to the left, stretching from the right hip to the right hand, feeling the stretch on the whole side of the body. Switch sides and do the same with your left hand up, leaning to the right.

Seated forward bend

In traditional yoga, the forward bend brings the front of the upper torso closer to the lower body and can be done standing or on the mat. The chair yoga movement is similar but done from a seated position. Start facing forward with both feet flat on the floor. Raise both hands in the air, interlace your fingers, then bend forward so your chest is on your knees and your hands touch the floor. Let your head hang heavy.

Twists

A good follow-up to side and forward bends are twists. Traditional yoga twist poses can be done standing, sitting or lying down so long as there’s a rotation of the spine and torso. For a chair yoga twist, sit sideways at the edge of your chair with your left side close to the back of the chair. Check that your feet are parallel and your knees are directly above your ankles. Twist your torso toward the left, holding onto the back of the chair, for a spinal twist. Check that your shoulders have not tensed. Move your legs around to the right side of the chair and repeat the twist to the right side.

Cat-cow

This combination yoga movement of cat pose and cow pose involves arching and rounding the spine. Traditionally performed on your hands and knees, the chair yoga cat-cow mimics the same movements but in a seated position. Starting with cow position, sit facing forward with your hands on your knees or thighs. Inhale and arch your spine, lift your chin and reach your chest forward, bringing your shoulder blades into your back. Exhale and go into cat position, rounding your spine and dropping your chin to your chest, with the shoulders and head coming forward.

Chair yoga is a great initiative to launch in your facility, but it’s not a replacement for regular stretch breaks, which are still required every hour while working. Think of the exercises described here as adding to your existing health and safety habits, fighting off MSDs and breaking down barriers to physical activity. Stretching in combination with chair yoga could be the best solution this winter to prevent injuries and increase workers’ moods.