Today, Dr. Detweiler explains a great DIY stretch for the traps, upper back, and neck that you can do in your own home. With a lot of people being at home right now, working from home, helping the kids with school, or doing schoolwork at home, we are seeing a lot of unhealthy sitting postures. Many people find themselves in a forward-rounding, hunched sitting posture, which can lead to very uncomfortable neck and back pain.
Benefits of this stretch
- Reduces headaches
- Relieves stress
- Decreases muscle pain and tightness
What you’ll need for this stretch
- Some sort of pillar (ex: squat rack or the leg of a table/chair)
- Light exercise band
Step-by-step instructions
1. Loop the exercise band around a pillar.
2. Loop your hand into the other end of the exercise band, like you’re wearing a bracelet, with the band touching the outside of your hand.
3. Walk a few steps away from the pillar, creating a 30- to 45-degree angle.
4. Once you feel a good stretch, let your arm drop.
a. Make sure that you drop your shoulders as well, so the band is doing the work for
you.
5. Then, bend your head away from the pillar to deepen the stretch.
a. You can rotate your head away or toward the band, directing the stretch based on
what you need at the moment.
If at any point you do not feel a stretch, focus on relaxing your shoulder, letting the band do the work. You may also step farther away from the pillar to deepen the stretch further. However, you do not want to step too far away, because the band may start overpowering the rest of your body, not allowing you to fully relax.
You may do this stretch as many times as you need at home. Try it out, let us know how you feel, and stay tuned for more great at-home DIYs.