Upper Extremity Stretches MK Roots Wellness by Megan Kelly Blog

Seated Cat/Cow:

· Sit up straight in your chair with your shoulders relaxed down your back. Start with a simple inhale though the nose and pull your chest plate forward while retracting your shoulders back.

· On the Exhale breath bring your shoulders forward and dome through your back.

· Continue to flow though the two poses with your inhale and exhale breath pausing and holding if areas feel tight.

· Stay mindful of keeping your neck neutral by keeping your chin slightly pulled into your chest.

Pectoralis Minor and Major:

· Stand in a corner of your home and start by Goal Posting your arms and placing your hands onto the wall.

· Stager your legs and aim for keeping the hips neutral.

· Lightly press your chest plate forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your chest.

· Alternate your arms from a Goal Post position to a wide T position to a Y position. Hold each position for about 45-60 seconds to target the different angles of these muscles.

· Stay mindful of keeping your shoulders relaxed and your neck neutral by keeping your chin slightly pulled into your chest.

Triceps:

· Sit up straight in your chair with your shoulders relaxed down your back

· Bring your Right arm straight up to the sky and bend at your elbow.

· Take your Left hand and lightly hold the Right elbow while gently pulling back

· Keep your shoulders relaxed and back neutral by engaging the belly.

· Perform for 45-60 seconds on each side.

The Lat’s (Latissimus Dorsi)

· Start by standing upright with feet hip widths distance and facing a wall

· Place both hands from the shoulders onto the wall and press your body back as you hinge from your hips and fold half way

· Think about pulling your hips away from your hands as you press your hands into the wall. Hold for about 1 minute.

· To isolate each side stand with your arms reaching up to the sky and grab onto the Right wrist with your Left hand and reach over to the left side while your hips drift to the right. Hold for about 15 seconds and switch to the other side. Perform 2-3 times on each side.

Biceps/ Wrist Flexors

· Sit up tall in your seat and extend your Right arm out at a 90 degree angle while pointing your fingers down to the floor.

· Use your Left hand for some overpressure to stretch the biceps and wrist flexors deeper.

· Hold this stretch for 30-45 seconds and switch to stretch each side

Wrist Extensors

· Sit up tall in your seat with your shoulders relaxed down your back

· Place both hands together in a reverse prayer position

· Lightly draw the hands up until you feel a comfortable stretch into the wrists and hold for 30-45 seconds.

Hip Flexor Stretch

·Start with your L foot forward and right foot back with the Right knee grounded (Use a towel or blanket under the grounded knee to protect the patella)

·With both hands on your hips slightly tuck the Left hip under for good alignment of the pelvis

·Here you are stretching your Right Hip Flexor so lean your Right hip forward while keeping the belly engaged and shoulders on top of the hips

·For added mobility lift the Right arm in the air and lean forward, as well as bring the Right arm out into a T and perform a slight rotation

· Hold each position for 60 seconds and perform on each side

Hamstring Stretch

·Lay on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Allow your low back to lightly press down, slight chin tuck (place blanket or pillow under head if chin is jetting up towards ceiling)

· Place Left foot in strap with both hands and each side of strap and start to straighten back of knee forward while pointing toes towards your face

· Adding ankle pump and letting the leg come out to the R and L side will allow for some added mobility in the lower extremity.

·Hold each position for 60 seconds and perform on each side

Piriformis Stretch

·Lay on back with knees bent and both feet on the floor. Low back lightly pressing into the floor with neck neutral and chin slightly in ( use blanket or pillow under head if this is hard to achieve)

·Place your Right ankle over your Left knee with the Right toes flexed up towards the Right shin. Start to press the R knee away from you and hold for 20 seconds

·Slowly grab for the Left shin with both hands while keeping your back and head on floor.

·Hold for 60 seconds and repeat on both sides

Adductor/Inner-Groin Stretch

· Lay on back with blanket or pillow under the head for support. Start with both knees bent and the feet flat on the floor.

·Start to separate the knees from one another until you feel a stretch in the inner thighs. If the low back peels off the ground you went too far with stretching the knees apart. Place blankets under knees for support.

· Hold this position for up to 5 minutes. Arms can be by the sides or overhead.