I Tried 'Movement Snacking' At Work, And My Back Has Never Felt Better

A recent short lunchtime walkIn my youth (read: a couple of months ago, when it was still bright out), I tried “Japanese walking,” “Jeffing,” and strength training to stay active. Now that it’s cold and dark, and I have adopted the appropriate hermit lifestyle, it’s more about walking in what little daylight I can access and, to be honest, skipping the gym. This is not, I know, good for me. Staying active in winter is good for our mental health and can even help to regulate our sleep as daylight disappears. But I need to be realistic, too: I work from home and rarely feel up for getting my good (well, non-PJ) togs on of a gloomy evening or dark morning. So, I began to try “movement snacking” – a trend that allows me to incorporate tiny workouts in between typing flurries. Now, I can’t imagine a work week without it. It’s helped my upper back and shoulder pain a lot, too – I feel a lot less stiff and sore.A quick midday walk on the left: stretching on the rightWhat is “movement snacking”?It involves including multiple small movement sessions, like 10 squats or a five-minute walk, into your day rather than relying on a single large block of exercise.A 2022 paper found that even one-minute bursts appeared to have health benefits in small proof-of-concept studies.And a 2025 systematic review showed that “movement snacks” lasting at least five minutes, performed twice daily or more, “improved cardiorespiratory fitness in physically inactive adults”.For me, that took the form of a couple of squats after writing an article or a little turn around the block during lunch. I reckon I spend, on average, about three to five minutes on roughly four sessions.Speaking to HuffPost UK, Dr Suzanne Wylie, GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor, said: “I think ‘movement snacking’ is an excellent and very sustainable approach to maintaining musculoskeletal health, especially for people with sedentary jobs.“It’s realistic, easy to integrate into a busy day, and doesn’t require special equipment or a gym setting. Even a minute or two of stretching, shoulder rolls, or walking around every 30–60 minutes can have cumulative benefits for your comfort, flexibility, and energy levels.”The doctor added that she often recommends similar approaches to her patients, “as small, consistent movements can make a big difference to how the body feels and functions over time”. Can movement snacking help with back pain? I’ve noticed that my upper back feels a lot less tense and sore now that I’ve begun “movement snacking” (and I think it’s helped my midday mood, too).According to Dr Wylie, the two may be related. “It’s very plausible that your improvement is directly linked to practising ‘movement snacking,’” she shared.“When we remain seated for prolonged periods, particularly when working at a desk or computer, the muscles in the shoulders, upper back, and neck can become tense and shortened, while the supporting postural muscles weaken over time.“This can lead to stiffness, discomfort, and even tension headaches. By incorporating short, regular bursts of movement throughout the day, you’re effectively breaking up those long periods of static posture.” Exercise snacking may help, the GP ended, because “These brief stretches and mobility exercises help improve blood flow to the muscles, reduce joint stiffness, and encourage better posture”. In other words, the trend may help more than your back – after all, some experts think it can help to manage your blood pressure, improve your heart health, and even support your metabolism too.The best bit? From my experience, you won’t even notice you’re doing it – it’s so fun and easy, and helps to break up an otherwise monotonous stretch. Related...I Made A Walking Change Ahead Of Clocks Going Back, And My Sleep Is Already BetterI Tried 'Jeffing' And My Running Pace SkyrocketedIs Walking Enough Exercise? Here's What Doctors Say

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