Sitting at a desk throughout the day is routine for millions of American workers, but remaining in one position for long hours can take a toll on the body. Poor posture, stiffness and other physical issues can develop, while regular movement and stretching can help prevent joint pain and muscle weakness, experts say.

Certified fitness and yoga instructor Hilaria Baldwin demonstrated five simple mobility exercises that workers can perform in a desk chair or during a brief standing break. The routine focuses on posture, the shoulders, the spine, the core, the hips and the calves.

"Many people sit every day for most of the day, and this can cause so many problems in the body," Baldwin told Fox News Digital. "We've all heard of tech neck, carpal tunnel – most of that has to do with the alignment of our spine."

Before trying the movements, Baldwin cautioned workers to "be the judge of what’s appropriate" for their workspace. The first exercise begins while sitting upright in a desk chair.

Here's What They're Not Telling You About Your Retirement

Raise the arms into a goal post position, keeping the elbows aligned with the shoulders. Pull in the core, squeeze the shoulder blades together and draw the chin back while imagining that the back of the head is pressing against a wall.

Keeping the arms raised, move both elbows forward until they touch. Then open the arms again, squeeze the shoulder blades and repeat the movement about 10 times.

"This, for me, feels really good," Baldwin said. "Check in with your body during the day. I'm going to do maybe a few at 10 a.m. and then maybe again at 11:30. You can't do too many of these."

The second exercise starts from the same seated position. Lower the arms until the palms face the floor, then begin squeezing the muscles in the shoulders and back.

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

Bring the arms forward and cross them over each other, stopping when the elbows are aligned. As the arms cross, round the head downward and bring the forehead toward the elbows before opening the arms again, repeating the sequence about 10 times.

"As I'm rounding, I’m pulling the shoulder blades away from the spine as a bit of a hug, and then I open again and squeeze the shoulder blades together," Baldwin described. "It's going to help remind you that you need to be sitting up with your shoulders back, chin back."

For the third stretch, interlace the fingers behind the head and draw the elbows toward each other. Slowly lower the chin toward the chest while lightly pulling down through the spine.

Reverse the motion by opening the elbows wide, arching the back and lifting the chin toward the sky. Baldwin also encouraged workers to focus on breathing during this spinal movement, particularly when work becomes stressful.

"Focus on your breath here as well, especially if you have a stressful job ," Baldwin said. "We stop breathing and that just puts tension in our body, so try to take deep breaths. Inhale, exhale."

The fourth exercise is more subtle and focuses on engaging the core while seated. Baldwin called the movement "extremely important" and said, "This is actually a really good ab exercise."

Sit upright and pull the belly button toward the spine while noticing where the sit bones press into the chair. Rock back and forth while continuing to pull in the belly button and thinking about engaging the "seatbelt muscle" in the lower gut area without losing the practiced posture.

The fifth movement requires standing and stepping away from the chair. Baldwin encouraged those who are able to rise and "stretch a little bit," because sitting for long periods can "shorten the hip flexors."

Step one foot in front of the other in a slight lunge and bend the front knee. Open through the back of the leg, press the heel down, move forward and bring the hips to center while maintaining the same upright posture practiced in the chair.

Switch the legs and repeat the stretch on the opposite side. Baldwin said she also likes to combine the movement with a calf stretch, allowing workers to address both areas during a break from sitting.

"Anything where you can stretch it out is going be really great for you," she said. "I like to mix it with a calf stretch as well."