Relief for Tight Chest & Shoulders
Struggling with tense chest, neck, or shoulders?
If you have tight chest muscles, upper back pain, or tension in your neck and shoulders, today’s Just One Thing is for you!
Whether your chest and shoulders are tight from…
- Years of hunching over a desk
- Carrying little ones
- An old injury
- Or a surgery, like a mastectomy
Simple daily activities (like putting on your bra, doing the laundry, or picking up a toddler) can be uncomfortable or downright painful.
One simple move will give you instant relief from that tension and pain.
JUST ONE THING
SIMPLIFIED
The Hooklying Thoracic Rotation stretch.
It’s one of my favorite moves for posture correction, upper back pain relief, and shoulder tension release.
And you don’t need any equipment to do it!
How you do it:
Hooklying Thoracic Rotation Stretch:
- Lay on your side with your knees tucked up to hip level and arms stacked on top of each other
- Slide your top arm forward first, then open it up behind you like a book
- Pause and fully exhale, allowing gravity to help lower your arm toward the floor - Do 2-3 reps per side
Extra tip: This stretch is NOT intended to twist and stretch out your low back.
By anchoring your hips & knees, we can stabilize your low-back and specifically target your upper spine and shoulders, the tightest areas that need mobilizing the most.
If you get any tugging at your low back, tuck your knees up higher.
Did You Know...
- When you slowly exhale during a stretch, you send a powerful signal to your brain to tell your muscles to release their tension and relax.
- If you do this stretch (and other relaxing stretches like it) as part of your pre-bed routine, you prepare your body for a much better night’s sleep.
- If you are someone that needs to avoid twisting (e.g. spinal osteoporosis), this passive chest opening stretch without a twist is a great alternative.
Whether you realize it or not…
You could be carrying loads of tension and stress through your chest and shoulders.
This tension, if left ignored, can seriously impact your overall quality of life and even lead to injuries. (No thanks!)
Do not underestimate the power of one simple stretch, like today’s Hooklying Thoracic Rotation.
Give it a try and soak up all the relaxing feels.
And remember: small actions done consistently (like just this one stretch) are FAR more effective at keeping your body functioning and feeling great than big actions done sporadically.
You got this.
Until next week... Be strong
