Published on August 21, 2026 4:46:32PM by Alifia
Doing low-impact exercises regularly improves physical and mental health, especially for office workers.
Stressed out because of project deadlines? Unamused clients? Stiff back because you’ve been sitting behind your desk all day? Office workers are prone to health problems both physically and mentally. Aside from balancing personal and professional life, being physically active is also helpful to prevent health problems.
Although at a glance exercising sounds tiring, there are various studies backing up this claim. According to WHO, being a physically active adult reduces the risk of all-cause mortality, incident hypertension, and improves mental and cognitive health and sleep.
Around 31% of the world’s adult population are physically inactive, WHO continued, and they are at risk of getting various health problems. A lot of office workers can be included in this category, especially those who never leave their working desk all day. Low-impact exercises might be perfect for them.
Low-impact exercises are the type of physical exercise where there is minimal strain and stress on your joints, muscles, and bones. When you are doing low-impact exercise moves, you will have one or both feet remain on the ground at all times.
Some benefits of low-impact exercises:
With these in mind, low-impact exercises are best suited for older people, people who have chronic pain, or those undergoing rehabilitation after an injury. It’s also suitable for office workers who rarely work out, whose muscles and joints are stiffer than usual.
Although they are called low-impact exercises, it doesn’t mean that they can’t be intense workout sessions. You will still gain results such as defined muscles and lowered blood pressure.
Here are several low-impact workouts that you can try.
Doing desk exercises is helpful for relieving neck and shoulder pain, and it can also relieve some stress. As the term implies, you can easily do desk exercises in your cubicles. Desk exercises typically consist of several stretching moves that you can do while you are seated, such as arm stretches and even leg and knee stretches.
Yoga originated in India as a spiritual and philosophical practice, while Pilates was created in Germany in the early 20th century. Although their origins are different, both are mind-body exercises that focus on improving your core strength. The breathing exercises in yoga poses can reduce stress and improve your mindfulness, while Pilates can prevent back pain and improve your posture.
Cycling is one of the most effective ways to burn calories. It’s a low-impact aerobic exercise, according to Healthline, that may improve your lower body strength. Aside from the physical health benefit, it can also reduce stress by cycling outdoors in nature.
Walking is low-impact, while running is high-impact. Walking is beginner-friendly exercise that has a ton of health benefits. For instance, walking can boost your immune function, Harvard Health Publishing stated. A study of over 1000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. If they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.
For office workers who rarely leave their desks during workdays, doing exercise regularly is important to prevent health problems, both physically and mentally. Low-impact exercises are excellent as a starting point to build a healthy habit. It demands less strain on your muscles, joints, and bones, while still giving you the health benefits.
Next read: Employee Wellness: Healthier Culture for a More Productive Team
