Friday Fast Fitness - Better Shoulder and Triceps Stretch
Friday, September 28, 2007
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM
Here is Friday Fast Fitness - Quick shoulder and triceps stretch, without adding new bad positioning. Use this instead of the usual stretch of pulling elbow overhead with the other hand, which usually results in leaning the head forward and arching the lower back.
Instead:
- Stand diagonally in front of a wall.
- Raise elbow (the one closest to the wall). Lean arm, armpit, and body against the wall
- Breathe. Relax. Smile. Switch sides.
Do not arch the lower back or tighten any part, or it will hurt and not be right or healthy. That would be silly.
Labels: arm, fast fitness, lower back, neutral spine, shoulder, stretch, upper back
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5 Comments:
At Sunday, September 30, 2007 12:25:00 PM,
Anonymous said…
I've found this to be a really excellent stretch! Esp. for a pre-swim warmup. Much better than the over-the-back wrench your spine out of whack stuff that I learned before.
At Saturday, December 08, 2007 1:31:00 PM,
Yuvi said…
Hello, dr Julie
I've contacted you in person on two occassions regarding pain in my lower back and referred pain into left groin/buttocks/hip, and also pain in right shoulder/upper arm. My back pain is definetely improving and I'll write much more in detail in the other blog once I can use my right hand properly. I can hardly type right now as my right upper arm is in very bad pain - lifting it up a little off my lap and placing hand on the keyboard hurts a lot. I've been trying to do all the right things but I guess I must be missing something. Please, advise.
Many thanks in advance, Jovita
(sorry for my english - it's not my native language :))
At Monday, December 10, 2007 5:11:00 PM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
Readers, this question has already been answered in several e-mails to Jovita.
Jovita, glad you have been doing the right things fix the back pain and have quick results already. It will keep getting better. For the pain down the arm, check to make sure you do not hold your head and neck forward when you stand, sit, and type. That can press on that nerve. Check head position with the wall test and then do the two stretches in Fixing Upper Back and Neck Pain and Nice Neck Stretch. Are you turning face down first thing in the morning? How does it feel when you do the stretch in this post on triceps?
At Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:39:00 PM,
Tony said…
Hi Dr. Jolie
In three days of doing this stretch, I regained movement range the physiotherapist said I would never get back after I was involved in a car crash in 2004.
I'm noticing that my shoulders are further back as well which is something the physiotherapist wanted me to work on, but she would just tape my back and say "that will remind you to hold your shoulders back." not getting to the problem which you say is the tight chest mussels.
Can you advise me on two things:
First there is still pain in the right shoulder blade from the collision. It's fine in the morning but gets worse as the day goes on.
Second the out side of my legs hurt near the lower calf mussel while walking a KM or two at about 2.0 KM/h or faster.
I know that being heavy is not helping, and sitting at a desk all day isn't much better. My posture been bad as long as I can remember.
Any suggestions on stretches to reduce the pain?
Thanks
At Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:44:00 AM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
Tony, good, smart work, right on schedule. It is quick to regain function and range of motion when you address the source. Try the pectoral stretch in Fixing Upper Back and Neck Pain and the trapezius stretch first making sure to understand why and how they work (explained in the posts) and using them to feel better right away and then apply to daily life to allow you to stand and sit in healthy ways on your own. They are not just "exercises" but retraining. Everything should make a change right then, if not, check what you are doing compared to what I've mentioned. Shoulder blade pain can come from sitting rounded and from using a keyboard or mouse on an under-desk tray instead of on the desk - several reasons obvious once you spot them. For lower leg muscle strain, check possibilities in Healthy Knees and Arch Support Is Not From Shoes.
Without more info and seeing you in person and x-ray vision, the above should be a start. Try to come to a workshop. The idea is to stop sources of pain right then and build the retrained better motion into real life.
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