Neck Stretch
- Tilt ear toward shoulder.
- Reach up and touch top of head with palm to hold in tilted position.
- Hold 5-10 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times (come out of stretch very slowly.) Reverse side
Pec Corner Stretch
- Stand at a corner about a foot away from the wall with forearms on opposite sides of the corner. One foot should be forward.
- Elbows should be at slightly below shoulder height.
- Keep abdominals tight to avoid arching back.
- Lean gently in towards corner by bending the front knee until a stretch is felt in front of the chest.
- Hold 5-10 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.
Overhead Reach
- Take a deep breath and reach up over head with both arms.
- Hold 5-10 seconds.
- Exhale and lower slowly.
- Repeat 2-3 times.
Shoulder Pinch
- Place arms behind head being careful not to press hand into head.
- Relax shoulders, and squeeze shoulder blades together while keeping shoulders back and down.
- Hold 5-10 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.
Chair Rotation Stretch
- Sit in chair, and if you can, wrap feet around chair legs.
- Reach across body and grab back of chair.
- Pull gently to increase stretch in mid back.
- Hold 5-10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Arms Behind Back Stretch
- Hold hands behind back, and grasp hands together.
- Pull shoulder blades back and down.
- Hold 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
- Wrist flexed/fingers straight.
- Hold arm straight at waist height.
- With fingers of other hand, gently press down above the knuckles-bending wrist down. **(Do not hold at the fingers to push down.)** Hold for 5-10 seconds.
- Keep shoulder relaxed when stretching.
- Repeat 2-3 times.
Wrist extended/fingers point up
- Hold arm straight at waist height with palm facing away from you and fingers pointing up.
- Hold onto palm of hand and stretch wrist back. ** (Do not pull on fingers.) **
- Make sure the fingers and thumb (on the hand that is pushing the other hand back) are kept together.
- Hold 5-10 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.
Wrist extended/fingers point down
- Do as above, but with fingers pointing towards the floor.
- Hold 5-10 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.
Thoracic Spine Extension Stretch
- Lie on your back with a pillow under your knees. Place a firmly rolled towel under your shoulder blades across your upper back.
- Raise arms up as you inhale.
- Lower arms as you exhale, and hold a couple of seconds.
- Do this 5 times.
Prop Ups or Press Ups
- Lie on stomach and either prop up on forearms, or if wrists are not compromised, press up through hands.
- Let stomach sag, and allow back to arch without using back muscles.
- If propped on elbows, hold 5-10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
- If on hands, press up and down slowly 10 times.