Working from home has become the new norm ever since the onset of the global pandemic that began in late 2019. As many of us get accustomed to continuing our 9-5 jobs while huddled on our beds, or hunched over a table at home, you might start to discover that your legs hurt – even though you’re not doing anything strenuous.

Did you know that you can get leg pain just from sitting all day? Here’s everything you need to know about it and how you can relieve the pain.

Change Your Workspace & Posture

Most people have pain from sitting at a desk all day. Sitting in one place for long periods with minimal movement can cause blood to pool in your legs and feet, which eventually cause strain on your muscles which can lead to swelling too. One easy way to fix this issue is to change your workspace and posture. Swap your couch or bed to a desk and chair. Once you have made this change, it’s time to fix your posture. First, adjust your chair so that your elbows sit at a 90-degree angle. After that, make sure your thighs are parallel to the floor and your feet sit firm and flat. You may get foot pain when sitting if your feet dangle, even just a little bit.  To prevent this from happening, prop your feet up with a box or a table to support them.

Also, did you know that sitting for too long can tighten your hamstrings and this can cause strain in your lumbar spine, also known as your lower back. To minimize straining your lower back, ensure your back is supported. Position your back to be in line with the chair back, so that your shoulder blades are pressed firmly against the back and there is no pain on your lumbar spine. If it’s still not comfortable, add a pillow behind you.

Exercise & Stretch

Working from home means for the most time you are seated in one place with minimum movement. This may result in leg pain when standing up from sitting. It may seem strange that your body can hurt without doing anything; but sitting for prolonged periods of time can tighten the muscles. If you’re wondering how to relieve leg pain from sitting all day, exercising and stretching periodically will do wonders to your body. Here are some easy stretches targeted at different muscles to reduce leg and upper thigh pain after sitting.

• For the Hip Flexors: Believe it or not, when you sit, your hip muscles are flexed. However constantly sitting means that these muscles are constantly working which can shorten and tighten the muscle. To stretch your hip flexors, do 3 sets of weighted lunges.
  
  
• For the Piriformis: If you’ve been asking “why does my leg hurt after sitting?” This is most likely because your piriformis has become too tight. The best thing is to hold the pigeon stretch for 10 to 15 seconds per leg and repeat this for 3 sets.

• For the Plantar Fascia: You may not have heard of this before, the plantar fascia is a connective tissue that runs from your heel to the front of your foot. It acts as a shock absorber and supports the arch of your foot and helps you walk. After sitting all day, you need to stretch this muscle before exercising or it will get too tight. One easy stretch is to point and flex your foot against resistance bands or belts.

Wrap it Up

Finally, one of the most convenient ways you can relieve leg pain while working is by using Spryng. This is a wireless, pneumatic compression wrap that relieves aches, speeds recovery while also making your muscles feel great. After you’ve completed your stretches, wear this compression wrap which will help to further relieve any pain or tension you feel in your legs.