4 Essential Daily Stretches

Stretching and mobility work can be very helpful to incorporate into your daily routine. If you wake up feeling stiff in the morning, doing a few stretches can help decrease that stiffness. If you have any back pain, hip pain, or shoulder pain, doing a few stretches can help to reduce that pain. Stretching can also help keep you pain free and active as you age. Flexibility tends to decline as we get older because we stop working on it. You don't have to stop working on it though!

Here are 4 of my favorite stretches that are easy to do every single day. All you need is about 5 minutes. These are a great starting place as well, so if you haven't stretched in a while, you can start with these!

1. Hamstring Stretch/Sciatic Nerve Glides. For this one, lie on your back on the floor or a bed. Keep one leg straight and lift the other one up off the ground. Place your hands behind your knee and slowly straighten and bend that knee. This one is great for improving hamstring mobility and help decrease any pain, tightness, or numbness/tingling that travels down the back of your leg. Repeat 10-15 times on each side.

2. Quadruped Row + External Rotation. For this one, start on your hands and knees. Lift one hand up off the floor so that your upper arm is parallel to the floor. Rotate that same hand up towards the ceiling and then back down. This is a great exercise for shoulder mobility. It's one of my go-to exercises for treating frozen shoulder. Repeat 10-15 times on each side.

3. Quadruped Thoracic Rotation. Start on your hands and knees and place one hand behind your head. Rotate that elbow up towards the ceiling as high as you can go and then come back down. This is great for increasing upper and mid back mobility. Great for someone who sits at a desk all day! Repeat 10-15 times on each side.

4. Shoulder Extension with Neck Extension. For this one, sit down and place your hands behind you on the floor. Then move your hands back as far as you can comfortably. In that position, look up towards the ceiling. Hold for 2-5 seconds. Repeat 5-10 times.

All of these stretches can be done daily! They an be a little uncomfortable to start with, but should not be painful. 

If you want to increase your mobility and flexibility, do a little bit each day and just be patient! You will see results!

I am currently working on a 10-week Increase your Mobility program. This program will help you improve your overall mobility and feel a lot better. It will be available on September 30, but you can pre-purchase now for $25 off!