flexibility stretching exercises for artists 01

Flexibility And Stretching Exercises For Artists

As digital artists it is common to have pain in neck, shoulders, back, wrists and fingers. When taking your breaks, standing up, taking a quick walk and stretching your hands, legs and back is a great habit to build upon. You can also do some flexibility and stretching exercises sitting down, which is great if you are pressed for time.

I will describe most of these stretches sitting down, but all of these can be done standing up as well. These are good exercises for artists which you should add to your repertoire.

Stretches you should include into your daily work routine as an artist

Torso & Arm Exercises For Artists

Upper trap stretch

  1. Gently pull your head toward each shoulder until a light stretch is felt.
  2. Hold the pose for 10 to 15 seconds.
  3. Alternate once on each side.

Neck stretches

  1. Relax and lean your head forward.
  2. Slowly roll toward one side and hold for 10 seconds.
  3. Repeat on other side.
  4. Relax again and lift your chin back to starting position.
  5. Do this three times for each direction.

Shoulder shrug

  1. Raise both shoulders at once up toward the ears.
  2. Drop them and repeat 10 times each direction.

Tricep stretches

  1. Raise your arm and bend it so that your hand reaches toward the opposite side.
  2. Use your other hand and pull the elbow toward your head.
  3. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
  4. Repeat on the other side.

Upper body and arm stretch

  1. Clasp hands together above the head with palms facing outward.
  2. Push your arms up, stretching upward.
  3. Hold the pose for 10 to 30 seconds.

Torso stretch or trunk rotation

  1. Keep your feet firmly on the ground, facing forward.
  2. Twist your upper body in the direction of the arm that’s resting on the back of your chair.
  3. Hold pose for 10 to 30 seconds.
  4. Repeat on other side.

Shoulder or pectoralis stretch

  1. Clasp hands behind your back.
  2. Push the chest outward, and raise the chin.
  3. Hold the pose for 10 to 30 seconds.

Forward stretch or upper back stretch

  1. Clasp your hands in front of you and lower your head in line with your arms.
  2. Press forward and hold for 10 to 30 seconds.

Wrist Exercises For Artists

Wrist extensor stretch

  1. Hold left arm straight out in front of the body, with the palm facing down.
  2. Using the right hand, grasp the left hand and gently bend hand downward until you feel a stretch in the left forearm.
  3. Hold for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat 10 times.
  4. Switch hands and repeat 10 times with the right hand.

Wrist flexor stretch

  1. Hold left arm straight out in front of the body, with the palm facing down.
  2. Using the right hand, grasp the left hand and gently pull the palm of your hand up towards the ceiling.
  3. Hold for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat 10 times.
  4. Switch hands and repeat 10 times with the right hand.

Hand Exercises For Artists

Thumb extensor stretch

  1. Hold your left arm straight out in front of your body with your palm facing right
  2. Bend your thumb down towards your palm and fold your fingers over it to make a fist
  3. Bend your fist towards the ground and hold for 10-15 seconds to feel a nice stretch.
  4. Relax and repeat 10 times.
  5. Switch hands and repeat 10 times with the right hand.

Thumb flexor stretch

  1. Hold your left arm straight out in front of your body with your palm facing right
  2. Let your thumb face the ceiling
  3. Using the right hand, gently pull your thumb towards your body and hold of 10-15 seconds
  4. Relax and repeat 10 times.
  5. Switch hands and repeat 10 times with the right hand.

Stretching the webbings of your fingers

  1. Flex your elbow and turn your palm in. 
  2. Use your index finger and thumb to stretch the webbing between your finger
  3. Do this for all 4 webbings in between the fingers and repeat a few times
  4. Switch and repeat on the other hand

Finger Spread

  1. Begin by pinching the tips of your fingers and thumbs.
  2. Put an elastic band around your fingers.
  3. Move your fingers away from your thumb so that the band becomes tight.
  4. Extend your fingers and thumb away and close to each other 10 times.

You do not need to do all of these flexibility and stretching exercises in one break. When you are taking your first break, you can pick one set of exercise and do another set of exercises during your next break and so on.

Remember to breathe normally throughout the stretches, and never hold your breath. With each stretch, you may find yourself more flexible. Don’t go further than is comfortable.

Divya Suvarna
Divya Suvarna

Divya Suvarna, a random maniac, loves drawing, painting, designing and appreciating art in all forms. She is an avid music listener, so much that her headphones are often mistaken for her ears.

When she is not working, she is thinking about her own well being and her cats. She has spent over 10 years learning about nutrition by trial and error on her own self. She loves learning about the history of food, understanding food at its core and having scientific reasoning to debunk food myths. She spends the rest of her day imagining recipes and building nutritious meals for herself.

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