Hi All and WELCOME to the next installment of 'Stretch of the Week'. There are many different stretch focused on the shoulder and biceps mainly, but not many that stretch the pecs. the parallel arm stretch includes both of these muscle groups and is a very affect stretch for all athletes. Of course if you don't consider yourself a athlete don't be afraid to include this stretch in a warm up or warm down.
Use a wall/pole/any verticle structure you can find to do this stretch and simply place your palm on the structure, with your finger facing away from you and slowly push forward. You should feel the stretch through the front of your arm and down your chest. This is due to the stretching of your pectoralis minor and major in your chest, your anterior detiod, bicep brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis in your shoulder.
The parallel arm chest stretch should be done one arm at a time, remembering to stretch both arms equally. Make sure you do as the stretch suggests and keep your arm parallel to the ground. The picture below is detailed in the movement of the stretch and should give you a good indication on how the stretch should look when doing it correctly.
Don't ever under estimate the importance of stretching and the benefits it holds.
If the stretch feels akward and wrong then it probably is, if it feels like the stretch is working on your entire on side of your chest and little in the anterior of your shoulder then that is correct. Keep your body in balance and repeat the stretch with both arms and equal amount of times and avoid turning your head but look straight instead.
The Parallel Arm Chest Stretch is good at addressing dislocation, subluxation, acromioclavicular separation, sternoclavicular separation, impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tendonitis, shoulder buyrsitis, frozen shoulder, biceps tendon rupture, bicepital tendonnitis, bicep strain, chest strain, pectoral muscle insertion inflammation.
Always remember that while stretching may be recommended to aid recovery out of injury, you should always be very careful when stretching through rehabilitation. Your soft tissues are likely to be more vulnerable to re-injury if you stretch too much or too hard during this time. Always check with your Health Care Professional who is guiding you through your recovery to make sure it is appropriate to start stretching, and please - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES FOR SAFE STRETCHING (The first posting on this stretching blog).
Image taken from "Upper Body Stretches" wall chart by B. Walker.
Hi All and WELCOME to the next installment of 'Stretch of the Week'. Lately I've people having difficulties with their shoulder and upper back and it's seems only fitting that we continue with this theme. There are common stretches to do with the shoulder and stretches to do with the back but none focus of the traps...enter the cross over shoulder stretch.
Have your feet flat on the floor about shouler width apart and simply cross your arms infront of your body and grab the backs of your knees. Now if your not some elite gymnast and cannot reach the backs of your knees the sides of your thighs will do, it just means you have to grip a little tighter. Keep your chin up and extend your knee but dont lock them in.
The cross over shoulder stretch is best done in the morning to get you ready for the day or feels amazing after a hot shower. You should feel tension from the midline of your back down towards your shoulders. It's an idea to also swap your hands over to get an even stretch through both trapezius muscles.
Don't ever under estimate the importance of stretching and the benefits it holds.
It is important to bend your knees when reaching for the backs of your knees and then stand up, without locking your knees in. Keep you chin up and spot a point on the wall or watch the tv so your head doesn't drop.
The Cross Over Shoulder stretch is therapeutic for dislocation, subluxation, acromioclavicular seperation, skternoclavicular seperation, impingment syndrome, rotator cuff tendonistis, shoulder bursitis and frozen shoulder.
Always remember that while stretching may be recommended to aid recovery out of injury, you should always be very careful when stretching through rehabilitation. Your soft tissues are likely to be more vulnerable to re-injury if you stretch too much or too hard during this time. Always check with your Health Care Professional who is guiding you through your recovery to make sure it is appropriate to start stretching, and please - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES FOR SAFE STRETCHING (The first posting on this stretching blog).
Image taken from "Upper Body Stretches" wall chart by B. Walker.
Hi All and WELCOME to the next installment of 'Stretch of the Week'. In light of the recent Commonwealth games more people are becoming interesting in sport and exercise. Stretching is an exercise that compliment all exercise and sports around the planet. My highlight was the 100m butterfly and in order to complete a butterfly stroke your shoulders must be extremely strong and flexibile. The Behind the back chest stretch will help with this.
This stretch uses the anterior deltiod which is at the top of your shoulder and both the brachialis and the biceps brachii. They all will pull along your chest, stretching from the top of your shoulder down the top half of your arm.
These stretches are fairly easy to do and they will increase you flexibility which is a requirement just to do simple exercise. Whilst doing the behind the back chest stretch you should feel the pull from the middle of your upper chest towards your shoulders
Don't ever under estimate the importance of stretching and the benefits it holds.
Whilst doing this stretch remember to keep your arms straight, if you have an injury do this stretch with caution. It's also important to even distribute your body weight between your legs, simply to creat a stable base. Don't bend forward, instead keep your back straight and move your arms as high as you can
The Behind the back chest stretch can help with dislocation, subluxation, acromioclavicular separation, sternoclavicular separation, impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tendonitis, shoulder bursitis, frozen shoulder, chest strain, pectoral muscle insertion inflammation.
Always remember that while stretching may be recommended to aid recovery out of injury, you should always be very careful when stretching through rehabilitation. Your soft tissues are likely to be more vulnerable to re-injury if you stretch too much or too hard during this time. Always check with your Health Care Professional who is guiding you through your recovery to make sure it is appropriate to start stretching, and please - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES FOR SAFE STRETCHING (The first posting on this stretching blog).
Image taken from "Upper Body Stretches" wall chart by B. Walker.
Hi All and WELCOME to the next installment of 'Stretch of the Week'. So it's starting to warm up, the footy and netball seasons are coming to a close and summer is definetly on its way. Recently was the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships and I couldn't help but notice the stretches done by our Aussie swimmers. In light of that, this weeks stretches are the Bent Arm Chest Stretch and the Bent-Over Chest Stretch.
Now I know we're not all Olympic swimmers and are not keen to get up at 5:30 to swim laps of the pool but these stretches will help with flexibilty and like all stretches do relieve tension in your chest. By focusing on the pectoralis major and minor and the deltiod muscle these stretches relieve strees in the front area of your shoulders, decreasing overall tension.
These stretches are easy to do, trust me, all you need is a wall and about five minutes of your time. The Bent Arm Chest Stretch focuses on the pectoralia major and minor pulling them from the sternum, it also tagets the anterior deltiod and you should feel even pressure between your pecs and detoid. The Bent-Over Chest Stretch also involves the same muscle but instead of it feeling like their being pulled from your sternum it feels as though your pulling them from the bottom upwards.
Don't ever under estimate the importance of stretching and the benefits it holds.
When attepmting the Bent Arm Chest Stretch remember to keep your arm verticle most people tend to push their hand further away from their body than their elbow. Both stretches are pretty easy but if it feels wrong it probably is, so if it feels like your pulling on one little bit re-adjust and try again.
The Bent Arm Chest Stretch is useful for dislocation, sublaxation, acromioclavicular separation, frozen shoulder, chest strain.
The Bent-Over Chest Stretch is used for the same issues
Always rememberthat while stretching may be recommended to aid recovery out of injury, you should always be very careful when stretching through rehabilitation. Your soft tissues are likely to be more vulnerable to re-injury if you stretch too much or too hard during this time. Always check with your Health Care Professional who is guiding you through your recovery to make sure it is appropriate to start stretching, and please - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES FOR SAFE STRETCHING (The first posting on this stretching blog).
Image taken from "Lower Body Stretches" wall chart by B. Walker.
RSS Feed