Yoga

Morning Mobility

5:23 AM, February 18 2022

Mobility/Stretching

Alex Salazar


The following are exercises that can be beneficial for anyone with tightness in the chest or limited mobility, but they may be particularly helpful for individuals with Pectus Excavatum. This condition can sometimes lead to reduced mobility in the chest and upper back. As always, it's important to listen to your body and work within your own range of motion, and to consult with a healthcare professional or qualified practitioner if you have any concerns about your mobility or exercise routine.

  1. Cat-Cow Stretch: Start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Inhale and arch your back, dropping your belly toward the floor and lifting your head and tailbone. This is the cow pose. Exhale and round your spine, tucking your chin to your chest and bringing your tailbone down. This is the cat pose. Repeat this sequence for 5-10 breaths, focusing on expanding the chest in the cow pose and drawing the shoulder blades together in the cat pose.
  2. Shoulder Rolls: Sit or stand tall with your arms at your sides. Inhale and lift your shoulders up to your ears, then exhale and roll them back and down. Repeat this sequence for 5-10 breaths, focusing on relaxing the chest and shoulders and improving range of motion in the shoulder joints.
  3. Chest Opener: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Reach your arms behind you and interlace your fingers, pressing your palms together if possible. Inhale and lift your chest, drawing your shoulder blades together. Exhale and gently hinge forward from the hips, keeping your arms lifted and your head and neck relaxed. Hold for 5-10 breaths, focusing on opening the chest and stretching the front of the shoulders.
  4. Thoracic Extension: Sit on a foam roller or rolled-up towel with the roller/towel placed between your shoulder blades. Support your head with your hands and slowly lean back over the roller/towel, keeping your feet flat on the floor and your core engaged. Hold for 5-10 breaths, focusing on extending the upper back and improving mobility in the thoracic spine.