Most of us are familiar with the normal shoulder stretch. But, did you know that there’s a way to do it even more comfortably and effectively? Not only will this stretch help reduce pain and avoid injury, but it may also help keep your shoulders healthy. This is a great stretch to do at the end of your workout routine to loosen up those tight muscles and joints. In today’s video, I wanted to show you the number one rounded shoulder stretch.
#1 Rounded Shoulders Stretch
CLICK HERE to watch the YouTube video.
What is the Rounded Shoulder?
This posture can worsen due to lack of treatment and it is part of overall bad posture. There are a few simple exercises that will help keep your shoulders in the correct position and relieve the stress caused by slumping.
Causes and Risk Factors
Poor posture is when a person’s habits or activities affect their physical body. Posture can be affected by conditions such as text neck and rounded shoulders, which are common ways that poor posture begins. Slumped shoulders can happen from any activity that causes the body to look down and forward for long periods – these positions disrupt how the muscles in your neck, back, and shoulder function.
These include the following:
- Driving
- Using gadgets
- Sitting for a long period
- Repeatedly bending
The risks of rounded shoulders include the negative impact they can have on health and appearance. The muscles interpret this slumped position as the body’s natural state, which is very harmful to the body. By adjusting your posture, you’ll be able to remedy these symptoms with ease!
Your body is not typically in a position of perfect balance. The muscles that should pull your shoulders forward are usually stronger than the ones pulling them back to maintain a neutral posture, leading to an imbalance.
Muscles that are tight and shortened include:
- Chest Muscle
- Latissimus dorsi (Low and mid back)
- Sternocleidomastoid
- Upper trapezius (Neck and upper back)
- Levator scapulae (Runs from shoulder blade to neck
Muscles that become overstretched and are weak:
- Lower and mid trapezius (mid-back)
- Serratus anterior (Side of ribs)
- Rhomboids (Back muscles)
- Rotator Cuff (Muscles around shoulder blade)
Try this stretch for your rounded shoulders.
Bring your forearm up against the wall with your elbow slightly below shoulder height. Step forward with your right leg, looking for a light stretch in the front of the shoulder. Do not try and over-stretch the muscles; a light stretch is more effective. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds and then switch to the other side. Do two repetitions; twice on each side, alternating back and forth.
Another way of progressing this stretch is with the use of a door frame. Place your forearm up against the door frame and step through to get more of an intense stretch.
Treating and preventing rounded shoulders does not end with exercises. Instead, correct posture must be followed at all times to keep the curved shape from returning. Habits are what make or break your daily routine, so it is up to you whether you want good or bad habits in the future – we all have a choice!
If you are suffering from any kind of shoulder discomfort and want to permanently end the pain, then click here to check out the Shoulder Pain Solved program.
