What is a movement snack and it’s benefits (+ resources)
Movement snacks are a topic I bring up with my students so often because it’s an easy way to bring extra movement into your day. And can help mitigate the risks of a repetitive stress injury. (More on what a repetitive stress injury is in my next post) Scroll to the bottom for access to movement snacks for desk workers series!
So, what is a movement snack?
1-10 minutes of movement to break up routine. In the research articles they are called exercise snacks however I find that a limiting term. Because you can stretch, strengthen, do some jumping jacks or roll out your muscles.
What are the benefits of movement snacks?
The answer to this is twofold. To support the joints and to increase our activity levels.
To support the joints and muscles going through a marathon of movement by strengthening, stretching, rolling and giving them a break.
Strength: if you strengthen the muscles they will be able to handle repetitive movements more easily
Stretch: if your body is hanging out in one position for a long time, the body will adapt and
get better at the one position. We need variety in our bodies.
Roll it out: release some tension that might have built up
after a long typing session.
Take a break: they are hard to take, especially when you
are on a roll however every 30-45 minutes take a sip of water,
take some deep breaths and then continue.
To increase our NEAT activity which stands for Non-exercise activity thermogenesis. Which is all movement we do that isn’t a formal exercise class.
Can you take the stairs instead of the escalator? Can you add a couple of squats to break up sitting for hours? This all counts to your daily METs. Yes formal classes are important too and can help build more strength and mobility BUT for days we can’t fit formal movement in this is vital. For days that are sedentary this is also vital.
Resources to scientific articles:
1.Exercise in the workplace: examining the receptivity of practical and time-efficient stair-climbing “exercise snacks”
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/apnm-2023-0128
2. Preventative factors against work-related musculoskeletal disorders: narrative review