Wellness,

Zoom Fatigue 5 Stretches to Ease Up Stiffness During Online Classes

Jul 28, 2021 | Wellness | 0 Comments | 300

Zoom fatigue can creep up on anyone spending large chunks of the day in front of the screen. Extended amounts of time focusing on a screen so close to your eyes can be very intense, and also have lasting psychological impacts.

Sitting in the same position for many hours can make your child’s body stiff. Stretching frequently is one of the top tips suggested for online learning for kids. It looks like online classes are here to stay, at least for a while, so we share a few stretches that can help your child avoid that crick in the neck!

1. Tricep Stretch

Stretching the triceps helps loosen the arms and shoulders. With the arms held in the same bent-at-the-elbows position for the whole day, those areas can get sore. This simple exercise can be done during quick breaks in between classes. Sitting or standing – either is fine! Follow this video from Howcast to see how to stretch your triceps.

2. Wrist Stretch

Although you may not realise it, the wrists get very strained while working on a laptop/desktop for an extended period of time. It’s important to stretch these often overlooked joints out. The wrist is delicate, and strained wrists can lead to issues like tennis elbow if not taken care of. Dr Jo shares a short wrist exercise routine.

3. Cat-Cow

Now missing out on a large physical space where they can move around freely, kids are confined to a chair for the entire school day. This can affect the spine, which could be problematic for your child. Your spine is literally the backbone of your body, so making it strong is of utmost importance. Cat-cow is a great spine stretch that helps with spine mobility and strength. This is a fun video from Cosmic Kids Yoga to show kids how to do the cat-cow stretch

4. Seated Spinal Twist

Flow and Grow Yoga For Kids adds a mantra of “I am strong” to this super simple spinal twist for kids which gives them energy as well as a stretch for their spine.

5. Side Neck Stretch

You and your children may be experiencing stiff necks a lot more in the virtual classroom and workplace. Prevent “text neck” with these neck exercises from Spine Health.

Pro tip: Try this energiser for break time with the younger kids to get them out of the rut of online learning.

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