Women should try to take exercise wherever possible, including at work, according to the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL).

Matt Birtles, ergonomist at the HSL, said that the activity that people do at work may not be very strenuous but every little helps.

"It's hard to imagine our colleagues all doing star jumps next to their desks, but simply keeping active, getting up from the seat regularly and moving about does help," he added.

Mr Birtles' comments follow the publication of an article in this month's Journal of Applied Physiology, which details a Danish study of female office workers who suffered from back and neck problems.

The study found that women who took part in the study reported reduced pain levels after undergoing a strength training programme, which featured five specific exercises.

Mr Birtles said that doing gentle stretches while sat at a desk is a good idea as it "gives bodies a break from fixed postures".

The NHS recommends women don their ladies fitness wear and exercise for 30 minutes, five times a week. This could include cycling to and from work instead of driving or getting the bus. ADNFCR-2569-ID-19480626-ADNFCR

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