Daily Stretches to improve your posture

​We all tell ourselves that we are going to start stretching every morning to start the day, but then we never do. Then we slump over in our chairs all day at work, our backs hurt at night, and other problems. These symptoms are caused by our bad posture and we can help our posture by doing these daily stretches.

Thoracic Spine Opener

We are going to use a foam roller for this stretch. If you do not have one I highly recommend getting one and using it. If you don’t have one you can use a pillow instead. Lie on your side, place your top knee on a foam roller, or pillow, next to you. Opening your chest and placing your shoulder on the ground windmill your arm over to the other side. Try and keep your knee on the roller the entire time during the stretch. This is going to help take stress of your lumbar and helps your thoracic mobility.

Hip Flexor

Tight hip flexors can give you a world of problems. Often experiencing lower back pain is a result of having tight hip flexors. If you sit for long periods of time you likely are going to need to stretch out your hip flexors. Get into a forward lunge position with your knee on the ground. Place your hand straight above your head on the same side that your knee is down. Then push your hips forward and lean into the stretch to extend your hip flexor. Switch legs and do the same on the other side.

Wall Angels
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This stretch will strengthen your scapular retractors. It helps pull your scapula together and this, in turn, pulls your shoulders back. This creates the upright shoulders back position that is best for posture and for looking heathy and confident. As the name suggests wall angels require you to lean against a wall with the tops of your hands placed against the wall. Then bring your hands together above your head and then return them keeping your hands against the wall.