Desk Detox: How to Combat the Effects of a Sedentary Lifestyle in 2025
The Sedentary Lifestyle Problem
On average, adults in Canada spend 9.6 hours per day being sedentary (which includes 3.2 hours of daily leisure screen time).
This means that less than 1 in 5 adults meet the current recommended sedentary guidelines laid out by the CHC (Community Health Centers). Yikes.
Spending too much time sitting down is associated with various health risks ranging from back and neck pain, cardiovascular issues, weight gain, hormone regulation, mental health issues and even certain forms of cancer.
But the most pressing issue that’s been at the forefront of many people’s minds recently is the dreaded “office butt”. Is it preventable? Is it reversible? And more importantly, is it a real thing?
Our experts are here to debunk common myths and provide practical, low-cost strategies for desk workers like you to incorporate movement into their day, improve their posture, and understand the impacts of a sedentary lifestyle on overall health.
Let’s get right into it.
Actually, let’s get one thing out of the way first. “Office butt” is, unsurprisingly, not a medical term, but it does refer to a real problem that is brought on by excessive uninterrupted sitting. It refers to the weakening of the glute muscles as a result of prolonged sitting, which affects not only the appearance of the glutes, but more importantly muscle resilience as they may start to get infiltrated by fat.
Practical Movement Tips for Desk Workers
Thankfully, there are some easy and free ways you can stay active during the workday:
Set a timer for micro breaks to stretch or walk every 30 minutes. If you have a smartwatch, you can leverage this technology to set yourself automated reminders, or simply download one of the many fitness apps that can do the same thing.
Do some chair-based exercises, such as box squats. Start by standing in front of your chair, and slowly sit down until your glutes touch your seat (without putting your whole weight on it), then drive through your feet to stand back up. Repeat this movement at your own pace for 3 minutes.
Try some desk yoga poses to loosen tight muscles.
Cues are the first step in the habit loop, and serve as a trigger for our brain to initiate a response or action. Finally, there is the reward, which tells our brains that we should keep performing this action in response to that cue.
If you’re sitting at a desk all day, you might start to feel the strain on your neck and shoulders. The good news is that you can alleviate some of this tightness without even having to get up. Here are a few yoga poses that you can try out:
Neck Rolls: Close your eyes and gently drop your chin to your chest. Slowly begin to circle your neck, taking the right ear to the right shoulder, the head back, and then the left ear to the left shoulder. Make sure you keep your shoulders relaxed and your back straight and don’t rush through the motions. Do three to five rolls in one direction, and then switch directions.
Cat-Cow Stretch: Although this is usually done on all fours, you can do this while sitting on your chair as well. Bring both feet flat on the floor, with your hands on your knees. Inhale, arch the back and look up. Then exhale, round the spine and let your head drop forward. Repeat for three to five breaths.
Seated Forward Bend: This pose is great for combatting tightness in your upper and lower back. The first step is to push your chair back from your desk so that you don’t give yourself a concussion on the way down. Next, bring both feet flat to the floor and interlace your fingers behind your back. Straighten your arms as much as possible, bringing your fingers down. Then fold at the waist, bringing your interlaced fingers above your back, with your chest resting on your thighs. Relax your neck and breathe out slowly. Hold this pose for 10 to 15 seconds before breathing in and sitting back up. Repeat as many times as you would like.
Stand or walk around during phone calls or virtual meetings. If appropriate, use phone calls as an opportunity to take a walk around the block to get some fresh air while also moving your body.
Whatever you do, aim to take a break at least every hour and integrate some form of exercise or stretching for 3 minutes at a time. Otherwise, your lower back, neck and shoulders will be feeling it at the end of the day.
Movement & Desk Ergonomics
Let’s talk about movement. While posture has often been blamed for issues like pain and fatigue, research shows that it's actually your body's ability to tolerate load and move regularly throughout the day that matters most. Staying in one position for too long—whether sitting or standing—can contribute to discomfort. The key is to keep your body moving.
Maintaining mobility during the workday can be a challenge, especially if your desk setup isn’t optimized for comfort. Here are some simple strategies to help you move more and reduce strain:
Change positions frequently—alternate between sitting and standing if possible.
Position your monitor at eye level to reduce neck strain.
Keep your feet flat on the floor and adjust your chair height so your knees are at a comfortable angle.
If possible, use a chair that supports your back while allowing for natural movement.
Take regular movement breaks—set a reminder to stand up, stretch, and walk around every 30–60 minutes.
Incorporate small movements throughout the day, like shifting in your chair, stretching, or rolling your shoulders.
Consider ergonomic accessories like lumbar cushions, laptop risers, and an ergonomic mouse pad to support comfort.
The goal isn’t “perfect posture”—it’s staying mobile, comfortable, and avoiding prolonged static positions. Your body is built to move!
A Sedentary Life Is Surprisingly Exhausting
Millions of 9-5ers can relate to the feeling of being exhausted at the end of the day, despite not having done any physical activity. That’s because lack of movement and muscle fatigue can make you feel tired and mentally drained (not to mention draconian upper management…).
By increasing the movement you get throughout the workday, you’ll likely find that you feel less stressed and in a better mood at the end of your shift. Short movement breaks have also been shown to enhance productivity, so if your manager has concerns, you can confidently assure them that taking regular breaks won’t hinder your performance—in fact, it may improve it.
Take Action: Your Desk Detox Plan
To help kickstart your new Desk Detox Plan, here’s an example of a movement and posture schedule. Aim to do these for around 3 minutes at a time:
9 am: Neck Rolls
10 am: Cat-Cow Stretch
11 am: 1-minute warmup, 2 minutes of jumping jacks
12 pm: Back Twists
1 pm: Post-lunch walk around the block
2 pm: 1-minute warmup, 2 minutes of box squats
3 pm: Close your eyes, focus on your posture and do some deep breathing
4 pm: Shoulder rolls
5 pm: Evening posture reset
We’ve said it before, but don’t feel pressured into feeling like you have to suddenly implement all of these exercises every hour of every work day. Start small and build healthy habits over time.
Kick Those Sedentary Habits
We were not designed to live a sedentary lifestyle. Not too long ago, our ancestors were still running around the savanna harvesting berries and fighting sabre-toothed tigers to survive. So it’s no wonder that our bodies are struggling to adapt to 9-5s, resulting in back pain, poor posture and low mood.
Our body and brain need movement to be in an optimal state. Tall Tree’s Kinesiologists and Physiotherapists can offer you personalized advice for stretching and pain, to help you address any issues you may be encountering from too much desk time.
You may also benefit from a specialized Ergonomic Assessment from one of our Occupational Therapists or Kinesiologists, who can evaluate your workstation and suggest ways to optimize your desk setup for optimized posture and health.
Book your assessment or appointment today, and kickstart your Desk Detox this year!
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