SELF HUG STRETCH

​- OSTEOPATHY - ​
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SELF HUG STRETCH
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A great stretch to relax your upper back and find length between the shoulder blades, a notoriously difficult area to reach. It may also be used to re-introduce a forward arch if your upper back is very straight and compromising the neck mechanics.
​Get into a comfortable stretch, hold for a few deep breaths (5 or so), then stop. Little and often is better than over-doing it once a week.
Do this stretch at your own risk. Stop doing this stretch if it triggers pain or discomfort. I advise to never force a stretch. The body is aiming at staying balanced — if you place a force on it, the body is likely to meet this force with the equal and opposite force. If you stretch a muscle too hard, the muscle may try to meet this resistance and contract further. What I recommend you do is to “tame“ the muscle into a sense of length, and this should be done by being gentle and the stretch being comfortable. If it is painful, the body will fight back and protect the area by contracting further.