Read This if You Sit All Day

They say that sitting is the new smoking - It's the next worst thing for your health.

Part of the problem with sitting all day is that your hip flexors (the muscles connecting your abdomen and your thighs) get short and tight. Short hip flexors can cause stooped posture, weak core muscles, and lower back pain. It can also cause pain and inflexibility in the front of your pelvis.

While scrolling through Twitter, I found a great stretch to lengthen the hip flexors tweeted by Prevention Magazine (@preventionmag). It's called Low Cobra With Feet Elevated. It's pictured above.

I love this stretch! You can see that she's using a foam roller at her feet. (You can use a rolled up towel instead.) This affects both the bottom and the top of the hip flexors - which extend into the abdomen - providing a well deserved stretch for your long suffering muscles. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. But pay attention to your body. If anything hurts, stop.