Is poor posture causing you shoulder pain?
What about neck tension or headaches?
If so, give this quick, at-home stretch a try. It will help bring your body into alignment, alleviate pain, and prevent future shoulder and neck issues caused by poor posture.
Prevent or Correct Poor Posture
In the video below, Physical Therapist Katie Wolfley, PT DPT, shows you a simple, at-home exercise to improve posture, loosen up, and alleviate mobility issues.
To prevent poor posture, you want to create alignment in your whole body or trunk. This creates equal tension on both your front and back sides.
When you have poor posture, you experience the opposite.
If your shoulders are more rounded, it allows your front muscles to tighten up and your back muscles to elongate – leading to shoulder pain, neck tension, mobility issues, and headaches.
To help alleviate or prevent issues, start by sitting in a resting posture. Bring your chest up nice and tall, along with your head.
Move your hands from a resting position to pulled back at your sides with your palms open. Think about trying to pinch a pencil between your shoulder blades.
If you experience discomfort reaching backwards, keeping your arms in line with your trunk is also an option.
Hold this position for three to five seconds, then release. Repeat ten to fifteen times.
Want Our Help?
If you want help correcting poor posture or a more personalized approach to getting and staying active, our Physical and Occupational Therapists can help.
Treatment is covered by insurance, no referral is required, and with flexible appointments you can find an appointment fast that works with your schedule.
Call 716-458-1990 or go here to schedule at one of our 13 locations throughout Western New York.
Schedule
