Stretching Anatomy-2nd Edition (6 page)

Execution

1. Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight forward.
   
2. Wrap your arms around your shoulders as if you were hugging yourself, placing the arm on top that is the most comfortable.
   
3. Pull your shoulders forward.
   

Muscles Stretched

• Most-stretched muscles:
  Posterior deltoid, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids
  
• Less-stretched muscles:
  Teres minor, infraspinatus
  

Stretch Notes

Poor posture overworks the deltoids, lats, traps, and rhomboids, causing tightness. This stretch relieves many of the aches and pains felt between the shoulder blades. Conversely, these muscles can also become tight from disuse or by doing limited activities with the arms below shoulder level. Tightness in these muscles makes any overhead work, such as painting a ceiling, washing overhead windows, or doing a dumbbell overhead press, harder and more painful. This stretching activity places a low stretch on the musculature and so is the best one to start with if you have extremely tight muscles. Also, doing this stretch helps relieve the pain associated with shoulder impingement, shoulder bursitis, rotator cuff tendinitis, and frozen shoulder.

Intermediate Shoulder Extensor, Adductor, and Retractor Stretch

Execution

1. Stand upright inside a doorway while facing a doorjamb, with the doorjamb in line with the right shoulder.
   
2. Place feet shoulder-width apart, with the toes pointing straight forward.
   
3. Bring the left arm across the body toward the right shoulder.
   
4. Pointing the thumb down, grab hold of the doorjamb at shoulder level.
   
5. Rotate the trunk in until you feel a stretch in the posterior left shoulder.
   
6. Repeat these steps for the opposite arm.
   

Muscles Stretched

• Most-stretched muscles:
  Left posterior deltoid, left middle deltoid, left latissimus dorsi, left triceps brachii, left middle trapezius, left rhomboids
  
• Less-stretched muscles:
  Left teres major, left teres minor, left supraspinatus, left serratus anterior
  

Stretch Notes

Poor posture overworks the deltoids, lats, triceps, traps, and rhomboids, causing tightness. This intermediate stretch places more stretch on these muscles. It relieves many of the aches and pains felt between the shoulder blades better than the beginner stretch. Conversely, these muscles can also become tight from disuse or by doing limited activities with the arms below shoulder level. Tightness in these muscles makes any overhead work harder and more painful. This stretching activity places a greater stretch on the musculature than the basic shoulder extensor, adductor, and retractor stretch. Also, doing this stretch helps relieve the pain associated with shoulder impingement, shoulder bursitis, rotator cuff tendinitis, and frozen shoulder.

To get the maximum benefit of this stretch, you should keep the elbow locked. Over time, as the muscles become more flexible, to keep the elbow locked you will need to grasp the doorframe above the level of the shoulder. Raising the hand does not diminish the major benefits of this stretch. However, as the hand gets higher above shoulder level, the stretch on the rhomboids decreases while the stretch on the serratus anterior increases.

Shoulder Adductor, Protractor, and Elevator Stretch

Execution

1. Stand upright with the feet shoulder-width apart.
   
2. Bring the left arm across the front of the body, with the left hand near the right hip.
   
3. With the right hand, grab the left elbow.
   
4. With the right hand, try to pull the left elbow down and around the right side of the body.
   
5. Repeat these steps for the opposite arm.
   

Muscles Stretched

• Most-stretched muscles:
  Left posterior deltoid, left latissimus dorsi, left triceps brachii, left lower middle trapezius
  
• Less-stretched muscles:
  Left teres major, left teres minor, left supraspinatus, left levator scapulae, left rhomboids
  

Stretch Notes

Tightness in the deltoids, lats, triceps, and traps makes any overhead work harder and more painful. Thus this stretch makes it easier to do any throwing action as well as around-the-house activities such as painting and window cleaning. Also, doing this stretch can help relieve the pain associated with shoulder impingement, shoulder bursitis, rotator cuff tendinitis, and frozen shoulder.

To maximize the stretch, do not raise the shoulder or bend at the waist. If it is not possible to bring the hand toward the hip, try to come as close as possible. As long as the arm is below the shoulders, the stretch will be effective.

VARIATION

Overhead Shoulder Adductor, Protractor, and Elevator Stretch

Bringing the arm above the shoulder places more stretch on the elevators and protractors and is more beneficial for high overhead activities. Stand upright with the feet shoulder-width apart. Raise the left hand high above the head, and bring the left arm up against the left side of the head. Then, with the right hand, grab hold of the left elbow and try to pull the left elbow behind the head, past the left ear. Repeat these steps for the opposite arm.

Shoulder Adductor and Extensor Stretch

Execution

1. Squat while facing a doorway, with the right shoulder lined up with the left side of the doorjamb.
   
2. Stick the right arm through the doorway. Grab the inside of the doorjamb at shoulder level with the right hand.
   
3. While keeping the right arm straight and the feet firmly planted, lower the buttocks toward the floor.
   
4. Repeat these steps for the opposite arm.
   

Muscles Stretched

• Most-stretched muscles:
  Right posterior deltoid, right middle trapezius, right triceps brachii, right teres major, right rhomboids, right infraspinatus
  
• Less-stretched muscles:
  Right latissimus dorsi, right teres minor, right supraspinatus, right serratus anterior
  

Stretch Notes

Although poor posture has a negative effect on both sides of the body and results in overall tightness, most people use one arm more than the other, so the muscles on one side can become tighter from disuse. This is especially possible when doing any overhead work such as painting, window washing, or overhead presses. These activities may become harder and more painful. Thus sometimes you may need to stretch one side more than the other. Since this stretch mimics single-arm overhead work, it is better suited for problems arising from one side being tighter than the other. Also, by stretching one side singularly with gravity assistance, this stretch allows for a greater amount of stretch than any of the other stretches that work similar muscles. Moreover, this stretch relieves many of the aches and pains felt between the shoulder blades.

A lower squat yields a greater stretch, but it increases the pressure and strain on the knee joints. Therefore, be careful not to squat so low that you feel pain in the legs or knees. To reduce strain on the knees, change the point where you grab the doorjamb. Changing the position of the grasp, however, influences the amount of stretch placed on the various muscles (see variation). Regardless of where you grasp, keep the back straight or arched. Do not bend forward at the waist. To get an even greater stretch, inwardly rotate the trunk.

VARIATION

Overhead Shoulder Adductor and Extensor Stretch