Seattle Chiropractor Discusses Five Great Stretches You Can Do Anytime

Hi, I’m Dr. Zapata with Emerald City Spinal Care. On this Tip of the Week, I’m going to share with you five great stretches that you can do anywhere and anytime. Whether you’ve got a tech job in Seattle and are sitting at a desk all day, or you stay active all day, these are some stretches I recommend you try!

98% of our lives happen in front of us. Whether we are sitting at a desk in front of a computer, looking down at our phones, or carrying groceries, over time this will cause muscles in the chest to tighten up and the shoulders to round forward. This can lead to neck and upper back pain, and this is why it is so important to incorporate stretches into your daily routine so that you can loosen up tight muscles and avoid abnormal muscle tension.

So, with this in mind, I’m going to share with you give great stretches that you can do anytime no matter where you are or what you are doing. I would recommend adding the following stretches into your daily routine:

1. The first one is called “The Backwards Clap”. For this stretch, you are going to stand with your hands behind you back and your palms together. Then, you are going to push out your chest like you are trying to intimidate your co-worker across the way!
2. The second stretch, I call “I don’t know”. For this stretch, you are going to raise both your shoulders to your ears. Hold this position for five seconds, then release them. As you release them, feel free to say “I don’t know”.
3. The third stretch, I call “touch the sky”. For this stretch, you are going to interlock your hands together and try your best to touch the sky with your palms facing the ceiling. You will want to hold this position for 10 seconds. Just make sure you don’t have any sweat stains on your shirt while performing this one!
4. The fourth stretch, I call the “one arm hug”. Take your left arm and grab your right shoulder. Take your right hand, and gently pull your elbow towards your right shoulder. Hold this position for roughly 10 seconds and then repeat it on the other side.
5. The final stretch that I recommend I call “push the wall”. You will want to find a wall, then put your hand up against the wall and turn your body slightly away from your arm until you feel a gentle stretch in your shoulder. You will hold this for 10 seconds and repeat it on the other side!

That wraps up another tip of the week! Try incorporating these stretches into your daily routine and see what type of difference it makes for you. For more original content, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on Facebook.

For all of us at Emerald City Spinal Care, thank and have an amazing week!

- Zapata and the Emerald City Spinal Care Team in Seattle WA