Yoga is a gentle and effective way to reduce the physical and mental stress of the office environment and to help guard against Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs).

RSI - Repetitive Stress Injury
Repetitive stress injury is an injury to a part of the body that is caused by overusing or exerting too much stress on that body part.

Common examples from the computer and office environment include:

• Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
• Tendonitis
• Blackberry thumb
• Low back pain
• Shoulder strain
• Neck strain
• Eye strain

Need for frequent breaks in office environment

OSHA recommendations: High repetition tasks or jobs that require long periods of static posture may require several, short rest breaks (micro breaks or rest pauses). During these breaks users should be encouraged to stand, stretch, and move around. This provides rest and allows the muscles enough time to recover. (http://www.osha.gov).

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: The body is not designed to sit still, even in correct position, for long periods of time. Some individuals find that usig a computer extensively can cause discomfort, so regular pauses are not a waste of time. Change your seated position occasionally, stand up or stretch whenever you start to feel tired. Basic stretching exercises can help keep limber the joints and muscles you use when you sit at a compute. (http://www.orthoinfo.org)

Cornell University: Ergonomic Guidelines for arranging a Computer Workstation: Take exercise breaks every 1-2 hours - there are many stretching and gentle exercises that you can do to help relieve muscle fatigue. (http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/ergoguide.html)