Over time, having poor posture can lead to stiffness and pain in the back and neck. Most of us don’t notice that we are slouching as poor posture can be developed very gradually. If you have a job that requires you to sit at a desk or stand for long periods of time, it becomes very hard to maintain good posture. Fortunately, there are some simple stretches that can be performed at home or at work to help correct your posture and alleviate back pain or discomfort. Before we dive into the stretches, let’s take a look at why upper body postural stretching and proper posture is important:
1. Healthy Breathing Patterns
Regular stretching and working on our posture helps us breathe better and settle our minds more easily. Keeping our upper body in an upright, balanced position encourages healthy breathing patterns and more regular breathing. This allows for optimal function of our thoracic diaphragm and decreases compression on our abdominal organs. Having good upper body posture lowers the chances of injury, reducing the severity of injuries that occur in the thoracic area.
2. Spinal Health
Proper posture maintains appropriate weight bearing on joints, neutralizes pressure on intervertebral discs, allows for a correct position of our lower back, and supports proper range of motion when twisting at the waist for proper continuation of movement to the pelvis. Our body functions optimally when we maintain good posture.
Upper Body Postural Stretches
Each stretch sequence you can perform 3 to 4 times daily to aid in mobility and decrease tension in your upper body. Tension in the body is often translated into stress in the mind so these gentle stretches can help the entire nervous system, including the brain, relax.
I like to pop a few drops of my favorite essential oil like AromaTouch or wild orange into the diffuser and give myself a bio break every few hours while working. I refill my water bottle and these few minutes gift me more energy, focus, and creativity to add to my travail.
Each stretch should be held for a minimum of 30 seconds to a maximum of 90 seconds while you breathe deeply and pay attention to the stretch sensation. If you experience any pain or tingling sensations when performing a stretch, back off or decrease the range you are moving into. We don’t need to force anything. You should move into and out of each stretch slowly to avoid any injury and only stretch until you feel light resistance. This sequence is not meant to replace the support of a professional but rather to inspire you to connect with your body and release tension gently.
Doorway Stretch
Standing in a doorway place your arm in a 90°/90° position. Using the weight of your body, exhale and engage your core while you lean forward making sure the shoulders are positioned in line with one another until you feel a stretch in the front of your chest and shoulder. Remember, this should feel good and not painful. Try to hold here for 3 more slow, deep breaths.
Standing Side Bending Stretch
Stand with feet hip width apart. Lift hands over head and interlace fingers with index finger pointed to the sky. While keeping your head level (eg not extending the neck), reach the index fingers up and back so you feel a stretch at the front of the chest and shoulders. Come back to center and with feet firmly rooted and core engaged, slowly reach to the right and back to centre and left and back to centre. When you straighten your arms toward the ceiling take a deep inhale and when you side bend follow it with a deep exhale. This is a really great stretch for supporting more expansive breathing as we’re stretching the side waist to allow more space and freedom for the lungs to fill.
Shoulder Roll & Chest Opening Stretch
With your arms relaxed at your sides, begin this stretch by raising your shoulders up towards your ears on inhalation. Move your shoulders back, squeezing your shoulder blades together, and exhale, as your bring your shoulders down your back. You should feel an opening up through the front of your body. Interlace your fingers together behind your lower back if you can and hold while you breathe deeply. You should feel this stretch in both your chest and shoulders.
Neck Stretches
Begin this stretch by placing your hands underneath your collarbones sinking in and providing a slight traction downward toward your feet. Once your hands are anchored extend your neck and lift your gaze slowly toward the ceiling until you feel a slight muscle pull from above the collarbones to the tip of the chin. Lower your chin down towards you chest and do this again for a toal of 3 times. Breathe. With your head back at centre, turn your head and gaze slowly over the right shoulder, back to centre, and left shoulder and back to centre for 3 times. Finally, with the head back at centre, lower your head towards your left shoulder, slowly lift back to centre and then right ear towards right shoulder and back to centre. Do this 3 times. This stretch is beneficial for decreasing tension in the front of the neck as well as aiding in increasing circulation. In our modern world of poking the neck forward to look at devices, I like to come back to this set of stretches 5 or 6 times a day. It only take a few minutes and you’ll feel and see the benefits almost immediately.
Cat Cow Stretch
Many of you likely know this stretch from yoga as it involves moving the spine from a rounded position (flexion – like a standing abdominal crunch) to an arched position (extension – like a cat arching it’s back) and is good for aiding in circulation along the length of the spine. Start with the cat stretch by placing your hands on your thighs and knees hip width apart. Tip your pelvis back tucking your tailbone, follow this motion along the length of your spine arching your back, drawing your navel in towards your spine and dropping your gaze downward while letting your head drop naturally without forcing. Remember to keep your shoulders relaxed and not drawn up towards your ears when moving into spinal flexion.
In the second part of the stretch, the “cow” phase, tilt your pelvis forward so that your tailbone sticks up and out, follow this movement along the length of the spine to the neck moving last after you have opened through the chest widening the collar bone area. Let your belly drop keeping your navel drawn in towards your spine letting your gaze extend toward the ceiling, being sure not to overextend your neck.
If you would like more information on the huge benefits of stretching or would like further essential oil recommendations to aid in stretching or support reduction of tension or stress in the mind and body, book a complimentary consult with Fran by clicking here or give me a us a call at (902) 440-6286 in Halifax.
Until we chat again, be well + oil up!
