Top 6 'Screen-Slouch-Correcting' Yoga Poses to start for Your At-Home Workstation in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
It’s 3 PM on a Tuesday. You’ve been laser-focused, typing away, crushing your to-do list. You finally lean back, and it hits you—a dull ache in your upper back, a crick in your neck, and the distinct feeling that your shoulders have become permanent ear-warmers. You catch your reflection in the dark screen and see it: the dreaded "screen slouch." That C-shaped curve of your spine that has become the unofficial uniform of the dedicated remote worker.
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Our at-home workstations, often a mix of dining tables and makeshift desks, aren't always kind to our bodies. We spend hours hunched over laptops, our heads jutting forward, creating a cascade of muscular imbalances. This chronic poor posture, often called "tech neck" or "screen slouch," leads to tight chest muscles, a weak upper back, and persistent neck and shoulder pain. Over time, it can even impact our breathing, mood, and overall energy levels.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need an expensive ergonomic overhaul to start feeling better. The antidote can be found in a few simple, powerful movements that you can do right beside your desk. Here on the Goh Ling Yong blog, we believe in practical, accessible wellness solutions. That's why we’ve curated a list of the top six 'screen-slouch-correcting' yoga poses. These stretches are designed to specifically counteract the effects of your workday, helping you open your chest, strengthen your back, and reclaim your posture in 2025 and beyond.
1. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
This is the ultimate spinal warm-up. If you only have time for one thing, make it this. The gentle, flowing movement of Cat-Cow is like a sigh of relief for a stiff, stagnant back. It’s a foundational yoga sequence that helps increase awareness of your spine’s position, which is the first step toward correcting your posture when you're back at your desk.
To begin, come onto your hands and knees in a "tabletop" position. Align your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Your back should be flat and your gaze directed toward the floor. As you inhale, drop your belly towards the mat, lift your chest and tailbone towards the ceiling, and look slightly forward. This is Cow Pose. Feel the gentle stretch in your abdomen and the opening across your chest.
As you exhale, reverse the movement. Press firmly into your hands, round your spine toward the ceiling, and tuck your chin to your chest, bringing your gaze toward your navel. This is Cat Pose. Imagine you're an angry cat arching its back. Feel the wonderful stretch between your shoulder blades, the very spot that gets tight from hunching. Continue flowing between these two poses for 8-10 breaths, letting your breath guide the movement. This simple act reintroduces mobility to your vertebrae and gently awakens the muscles supporting your spine.
Pro-Tip: Take a "Cat-Cow break" every hour. It takes less than 60 seconds. Push your chair back, get on the floor, and move. It's a fantastic way to interrupt the cycle of stiffness and reset your body and mind before diving back into your work.
2. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Cobra Pose is the direct opposite of your screen slouch. It’s a gentle backbend that actively strengthens the muscles of your upper and mid-back while simultaneously stretching the front of your body—your chest, shoulders, and abdominals. These are the exact muscles that become tight and shortened from hours of being hunched forward.
Start by lying on your stomach with your legs extended behind you, tops of the feet on the floor. Place your palms on the mat under your shoulders, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body. Press the tops of your feet and your pubic bone gently into the floor to stabilize your lower back. On an inhalation, begin to lift your head and chest off the floor, using the strength of your back muscles.
Keep the lift low at first—this is often called "Baby Cobra." The goal isn't to push up high with your arms but to engage your back. Think about lengthening your spine and sending your heart forward, rather than just bending backward. Keep the back of your neck long by gazing slightly down and forward. Hold for 3-5 breaths, then gently release back down on an exhalation. This pose teaches your back muscles to fire up and do their job of holding you upright.
Pro-Tip: For a modification you can do in your chair, sit on the edge of your seat with your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on your lower back, fingers pointing down. Gently arch your upper back, roll your shoulders back and down, and lift your chest. It provides a similar chest-opening benefit without having to get on the floor.
3. Cow Face Pose Arms (Gomukhasana Arms)
Don't let the name intimidate you. This pose provides one of the most intense and effective stretches for your shoulders, triceps, and chest. It's a posture-correcting powerhouse because it targets the rotational stiffness in the shoulder joint that contributes significantly to a rounded upper back. You can even do this one while seated in your desk chair during a conference call (camera off, of course!).
Sit tall in your chair or cross-legged on the floor. Reach your right arm straight up to the ceiling. Bend your right elbow and let your right hand drop down behind your head, with your palm facing your back. Now, reach your left arm out to the side, internally rotate it so your thumb points down, and then bend the elbow, sweeping your left hand up your back to meet your right. Try to clasp the fingers of both hands.
Most of us can't do this easily! Don't force it. Grab a strap, a towel, a tie, or even a long sock. Hold the strap in your top hand and let it dangle down your back, then grab the bottom of it with your lower hand. Gently walk your hands toward each other along the strap. Sit tall, keep your head from jutting forward, and breathe into the intense stretch. Hold for 30 seconds, then gently release and switch sides. You will likely find one side is much tighter than the other—that’s completely normal.
Pro-Tip: Focus on keeping your top elbow pointing straight up to the ceiling and your chest open. Avoid letting your ribcage flare out. This ensures the stretch is concentrated in your shoulder and triceps, not your lower back.
4. Thread the Needle Pose (Urdhva Mukha Pasasana)
If you carry tension between your shoulder blades, this pose will feel like magic. Thread the Needle is a gentle twist that releases the upper back, shoulders, and neck. It’s a passive stretch, meaning you can relax into it and let gravity do most of the work, making it incredibly restorative after a long, stressful day of work.
Begin in the same tabletop position as Cat-Cow (hands and knees). On an exhalation, slide your right arm underneath your left arm, with your palm facing up. Continue sliding it through until you can rest your right shoulder and the right side of your head comfortably on the floor. Your hips should remain high, stacked over your knees.
You can keep your left hand where it is for support, or for a deeper stretch, you can walk your left fingertips toward the front of your mat or wrap your left arm around your lower back, resting it on your right hip. Close your eyes and breathe deeply into the space between your shoulder blades. Imagine creating space with every inhale. Stay here for 5-10 deep breaths, feeling the tension melt away. To come out, press firmly into your left hand and gently slide your right arm back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Pro-Tip: If your head doesn’t comfortably reach the floor, place a folded blanket or a thin pillow under it for support. The goal is to be able to relax completely into the pose without straining your neck.
5. Locust Pose (Salabhasana)
While stretching is fantastic for releasing tight muscles, strengthening the weak ones is the other half of the posture equation. Your screen slouch is partly caused by a weak posterior chain—the muscles along the entire backside of your body. Locust Pose is a phenomenal strengthener for your back, glutes, and hamstrings, building the muscular endurance you need to sit and stand tall.
Lie on your belly with your arms alongside your body, palms facing up, and your forehead resting on the mat. On an inhalation, engage your back muscles, glutes, and legs to lift your head, chest, arms, and legs off the floor. Your body will be balanced on your lower ribs, belly, and pelvis.
Reach actively through your fingers and toes, creating a sense of length from head to heel. Keep the back of your neck long by looking down and slightly forward, not craning your neck to look up. Imagine you are a superhero flying through the air! This is an active, powerful pose. Hold for 3-5 breaths, focusing on the engagement of your entire back body. Exhale and gently release everything back down to the mat. Rest for a breath before repeating 2-3 more times.
Pro-Tip: If lifting everything at once is too challenging, start with variations. On one inhale, lift only your upper body. On the next, lift only your legs. This helps you build strength incrementally and safely. As Goh Ling Yong often advises, listening to your body is the most important part of any wellness practice.
6. Wall Chest Stretch
This is perhaps the simplest and most accessible stretch on the list, but its impact is profound. We call this a "doorway stretch" as well. It directly targets the tight pectoral muscles in your chest that are constantly in a shortened position while you type and use a mouse. When these muscles are tight, they pull your shoulders forward and inward, creating that classic hunched look.
Stand facing a wall or in a doorway. Place your right forearm and palm flat against the wall, with your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle and level with your shoulder. Your upper arm should be parallel to the floor. Keeping your arm in place, take a small step forward with your left foot and gently begin to turn your torso to the left, away from the wall.
You should feel a stretch across the front of your right chest and shoulder. Stop when you feel a good, deep stretch—it should never be painful. Breathe deeply and hold for at least 30-60 seconds. To deepen the stretch, you can gently turn your head to look over your left shoulder. Release slowly and repeat on the other side.
Pro-Tip: Experiment with the height of your arm on the wall. Placing it slightly higher than your shoulder will target different fibers of your chest muscle (the pectoralis major), while placing it lower will target others. Find the sweet spot where you feel the most release.
Reclaim Your Posture, One Stretch at a Time
Correcting your "screen slouch" isn’t about achieving perfect posture overnight. It’s about creating small, consistent habits that counteract the daily stresses we place on our bodies. Integrating these six yoga poses into your workday can make a world of difference, not just for your back pain, but for your energy, focus, and overall well-being.
Start small. Pick just one or two of these poses to try today. Maybe it’s a 60-second Cat-Cow break or a Wall Chest Stretch while your coffee brews. The key is consistency. By weaving these simple movements into the fabric of your day, you are actively investing in your long-term health and undoing the damage of the desk-bound life. You have the power to feel better in your body, and it starts right here, right now, next to your at-home workstation.
Which of these poses are you most excited to try first? Do you have another favorite stretch for beating the desk slump? Share your thoughts in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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