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Upper Body Stretching Routine: Effective Exercises for Flexibility

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Below are a range of stretches for your upper body to complete your stretching routine.

1. LUMBAR SPINE

  • Start on your hands and knees on the floor
  • Keep your hands in place, rock back onto your heels    
  • Stretch your hands forward to increase the stretch

2. PEC/CHEST

  • Stand in a doorway or corner of a room with arms at shoulder height and elbows bent at 90 degrees against the doorframe
  • Lean into the doorway with your body, opening up the chest

3. SHOULDER ROTATORS

  • Lie on your side on the floor with your bottom arm out in front, elbow bent
  • Using your top hand, gently push the bottom hand to rotate the arm down towards the floor in the direction of your feet

4.  POSTERIOR SHOULDER

  • Move your arm across your chest in line with your shoulders
  • Using the other arm, pull the arm in close to your torso, bringing the shoulder around the chest

5. LEVATOR SCAP (NECK)

  •  Hold onto a chair with your hand on the side to be stretched
  • Turn away from this side and nod head downwards
  • Use the opposite arm to gently pull your head in this direction

 

6. TRAP STRETCH (NECK)

  • Hold onto a chair with hand on the side to be stretched
  • Tilt your head away from this side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder
  • Use the opposite hand to gently pull your head further

7. TRICEPS

  • Pull one arm up so your bicep is against your ear, hand down between your shoulder blades
  • Use the opposite arm to grab the elbow and pull further towards your head

 

8. FOREARM

  • Hold arm out straight in front of you
  • Using the other hand, first pull the fingertips upwards and hold for the prescribed time
  • Next, pull the palm downwards in the opposite direction and hold



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Source: TBI Health Physiotherapy