Reminder 1 – Stretch OFTEN for better mobility and less tightness.
Reminder 2 – If you have pain during the stretching, STOP and get help.
NECK MUSCLES
This includes your Trapezius, Sternocleidomastoid or “SCM”, and the Posterior Triangle. The Posterior Triangle including the Scalenus,
Semispinalis, Splenius Capitis and Levator Scapulae which can all compress the vital nerves, arteries and veins in the neck when tight.
This tightness can cause headaches and raise the blood pressure.
MUSCLES OF THE NECK
Variation 1 – Sitting
1. Sit in a chair with your abs firmly taunt, your lower back tucked inward and your feet flat on the floor
2. Grip the left side of the chair seat with your left hand (inhaling)
3. Lean your head to the right so your right ear comes closer to your right shoulder (exhaling)
4. Hold for 20 seconds (breathing normally) -To release: Bring head upright and relax in your chair To complete:Change sides and repeat
Variation 2 – Sitting or Standing
1 Bow your head forward tucking chin into neck (inhaling)
2. Keeping chin tucked while move your right ear toward your right shoulder (exhaling)
3. Hold for 20 seconds (breathing normally) – To release: Bring your head back to center and relax
To complete: Change sides and repeat
Variation 3 – Standing
1. Stand with right arm raised up beside the head
2. Reach over head and place right hand over the left ear (inhaling)
3. Gently lay your head over to the right but DO NOT PULL (exhaling)
4. Hold for 20 seconds (breathing normally) – To release: Bring your head back to center, arm to side and relax
To complete: Change sides and repeat
Pectoral Muscles of the Upper Chest
1. Stand in the middle of a doorway
2. Place both palms at shoulder height on the door jams (inhaling)
3. Place one leg slightly in front of you and Lean forward (exhaling)
4. Hold for 20 seconds (breathing normally)- To increase the stretch, just raise your hand position
Oblique and Abdominals of the Torso
1. Stand and raise your right arm
2. Bend your right arm so your right hand is behind your neck with the elbow up
3. Using your left hand, gently pull your right hand toward your left shoulder
3. Hold for 20 seconds – To release: Return hand to normal down by your side relaxed position
To complete: Change sides and repeat
Rhomboid Muscle of the Upper Back between the Shoulder Blades
1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you
2. Bend your left leg up
3. Put your left foot against the outer calf of the right leg just below the knee
4. Put your right hand on the floor behind you for support
5. Hold your left ankle with your left hand (inhaling)
6. Press your left elbow to your left leg to move your left shoulder forward (exhaling)
7. Hold for 20 seconds (breathing normally) – To release: Relax the pressure against the leg and return theleg to floor
To complete: Change sides and repeat
LOWER BACK
Lower Back Muscles below the Shoulder Blade
1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you
2. Bend your right leg
3. Put your right foot against the outer calf of the left leg just below the knee
4. Put your left hand on the floor behind you for support
4. Hold your right ankle with your right hand and lean back (inhaling)
5. Press your right elbow to your right leg to move your right upper back forward (exhaling)
6. Hold for 20 seconds (breathing normally) – To release: Relax the pressure against the leg and return the leg to floor To complete: Change sides and repeat
Hip and Pelvic Muscles
1. Stand chair side and place right hand on chair back for support
2. Bend your right knee on the chair seat
3. Move your pelvis forward without rotating your hips (inhaling)
4. Lean the upper torso back slightly (exhaling) Be sure to keep the bulk of your weight on your standing leg
To release: Stand on both feet and relax Change sides and repeat
Hip Muscles
1. Kneel on the floor and get on your hands and knees
2. Straighten your feet directly behind you
3. Increase the curve in your back by tilting the pelvis forward
4. Spread your knees apart – comfortably (inhaling)
5. Slowly roll your hip joints so that your back arches (exhaling) To release: Straighten your back and relax
Change sides and repeat
Lower back stretch for disk problems
1. Kneel on the floor and get on your hands and knees
2. Straighten your feet directly behind you
3. Increase the curve in your back by tilting the pelvis forward
4. Keep your knees together – comfortably (inhaling)
5. Press your tailbone toward heels (exhaling) To release: Roll up, Round back up, come up one hand at a time and relax.
Change sides and repeat.
Psoas muscle of the Torso
1. Lean against a wall with both hands
2. Place one foot away from the wall
3. Stretch hips forward with one foot extended backward; do not lock back knee, shifting weight to the front leg
(keeping knee bent) with tight abs, look up and tilt head back slightly To increase the stretch, bend your knee more. Change sides and repeat
Psoas and Quadratus Lumborum Stretch
1A. Stand with your feet together or 1B. Alternative stretch -lay on your side with back side as close to the edge of table or bed. Don’t fall off
2A. Hold onto a chair or rail for balance. or 2B.The bed, 3A. Bring the left ankle up behind the right side buttock and grasp with right hand. or 3A .Both legs are bent. Keeping bottom leg bent and top leg drops off table or bed hanging down the backside of your body. Roll over to other side and repeat stretch.
4A. Hold either stretch for 20 seconds to increase flexibility: Gently press knee of lifted leg away from body To release:
Release grasp and return foot to the floor. Change sides and repeat
DEEP MUSCLE OF THE TORSO
Piriformis Muscle of the Buttocks
Tightness in this muscle can cause compression on the Sciatic nerve and cause pain in the hips and legs.
Lying Down Variation
1.Lie flat on your back with legs straight out.
2.Bend one leg up,Cross straight leg over bent leg just above knee like a figure four.
3.Push leg that is bent up towards stomach so know feet aren’t resting on ground. Other leg is shaped in a perfect letter “L”
4: Should be filling stretch in the Piriformis Glute muscle
5. Hold pose for 20 seconds (breathing normally) To release: Sit up and relax Change sides and repeat
6. Second pose lean away from leg that is crossed. Should fill stretch in the head of femurs joint and Hold pose 20 seconds.
Sitting Variation
1. Sit in a chair with your abs firmly taunt and your lower back tucked inward
2. Cross one ankle over the quad of the other leg just above knee (inhaling)
3. Lean forward (exhaling)
4. Hold pose for 20 seconds (breathing normally) To release: Sit up and relax Change sides and repeat
Standing Variation
1. Stand and hold onto a wall for stability
2. Cross one ankle over the quad of the other leg just above knee (inhaling)
3. Keep your back straight and squat on the standing leg (exhaling)
4. Hold pose for 20 seconds (breathing normally) To release: Stand on both feet and relax Change sides and repeat
POSTERIOR VIEW OF THIGH AND GLUTEUS MUSCLES
EXTREMITIES
Back of the Thighs Muscles
1. Stand in front of a chair with the right hand and foot on the seat (inhaling)
2. Bend forward to rest your chest on your knee (exhaling) To release: put both feet on the floor and relax. Change sides and repeat.
Quadriceps Muscle of the Thigh
Standing Stretch
1. Stand with your feet together
2. Hold onto a chair or rail for balance
3. Bring the left ankle up behind the buttocks and grasp with left hand
4. Hold for 20 seconds To release: Release grasp and return foot to the floor. Change sides and repeat
Inner Thigh Muscles
1. Squat with the elbow inside the knees
2. Gently push out with your elbows with your hands clasped in front of you. To ease the difficultly, place one hand on ground for support while pushing with the other elbow
Outer Thigh and side Hip muscles
1. Kneel on the floor and get on your hands and knees
2. Extend your right leg all the way behind you while balancing on your left leg
3. Bend your torso as close your bent leg as possible (inhaling)
4. Shift your hips slightly to left to center them over your left leg (exhaling)
5. Hold for 20 seconds To release: Return hips to centered position and stretched leg to kneeling. Change sides and repeat.
Calf and Leg Muscles
1. Lean against a wall with both hands
2. Place one foot away from the wall
3. Stretch hips forward with one foot extended backward; do not lock back knee. To increase the stretch, bend your knee more. Change sides and repeat
Posterior Arm & Inferior Shoulder Joint Support Muscles
1. Raise right arm and bend it so that your right hand is behind your neck and elbow is up
2. Put underside of elbow against corner or door, relax and lean into the door
3. Hold for 20 seconds To release: Return hand to normal down by your side relaxed position
Change sides and repeat.
Extensor Muscles of the Arms
1. Make a fist with your right hand
2. Extend your arm in front of the body with your elbow locked with fist curled in
3. With your left hand, gently pull the fist to bend the wrist in and to the left
4. Hold for 20 seconds. To release: Return hand to normal down by your side relaxed position. Change sides and repeat
