This Yoga Routine Will Reverse A Day’s Worth Of Standing On Your Feet

In recent years, there’s been a lot of focus on the fact that sitting all day is no good for you. But guess what: Being on your feet all day isn’t great for your health either (you can’t win).

While standing might help you burn a few more calories, it’s also hard on your health, causing lower back pain, according to a study in The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Beyond that, it can also cause varicose veins, researchers at the National Institute of Occupational Health found. 

Unfortunately, if you’re one of the millions of Americans who work at a job where you’re on your feet all damn day, you probably can’t just opt out of standing. But you can take a few steps to minimize discomfort, prevent swelling, and strengthen your muscles. 

One quick fix: Simply prop your feet up on a chair and take the weight off them whenever you get a break, says Veronica Carnero, yoga instructor at Laughing Lotus and host of Tender Yoga, a weekly free yoga class in Brooklyn that’s geared toward those in the service industry. She also recommends carrying a tennis ball in your purse so that you can quickly roll out your feet (“like a mini-massage”) whenever you get a chance.

Getting your “om” on will help, too. “When you stand all day, you’re sort of doing the same repetitive motions and patterns—say, reaching down to get a glass or a bottle—over and over again,” Carnero says. “So what yoga does is counteract all those awkward and repetitive movements and gives you a little bit more balance in your body.”

The 11 moves below do just that. Incorporate them into your daily routine before or after work to feel ahhh-mazing even after an 12-hour day.

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You’ll need: A scarf or a belt, a hard pillow, or blanket (optional, for poses that may require extra support), and a yoga mat.