Stretch of The Week

Stretch: Doorway Stretch

Instructions: Place arms on either side of doorway in the "field goal" position and lean in with one foot in front of the other. You can move your arms up and down the doorway to reach different parts of the shoulders and chest.

Who would benefit?: EVERYBODY!!! Those who drive, read, hold and carry babies and/or small children, talk on the phone, work at a computer, cycle, massage, sleep etc. We all do one or more of these activities and maybe some not listed and they all contribute to tightness in the chest which can lead to medial rotation and can cause problems in the shoulders (posterior and anterior), neck, down the arm and long-term can even effect the positioning of the hips.
So, EVERYBODY add this stretch to your daily "to-do" list!


When to do this stretch?: Ideally, every time you walk through a doorway, make a habit of using this moment to stretch and think about your posture. Realistically, 2-3 times per day, holding 15-30 seconds each time will increase your flexibility, remind you of proper posture and surprisingly give you a little burst of energy as you are aligning your body properly so it can flow better!

Precautions: If you have previous injuries in the neck, chest, shoulder or arm and feel this stretch aggravates those existing conditions, discuss this with your massage therapist before continuing this stretch in your routine. There are modifications that may need to be made for this to work for you.