How to Stretch Your Chest

Spend too much time hunched over the computer? If your chest and shoulders feel tight, try these simple chest stretches to ease your discomfort and improve your posture.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Corner Wall Stretch

1. Stand facing a corner, feet shoulder-width apart and 12 to 18 inches from the wall.

2. Place your palms flat against the wall with your fingertips at shoulder level.

3. Contract your abdominal muscles and avoid arching your back.

4. Press your body forward, toward the wall (corner).

5. Look straight ahead, gently pinch your shoulder blades together and hold the chest stretch position for 15 seconds.

6. Relax and repeat two or three more times.

Chest Stretch at Your Desk

1. Sit on the edge of a chair or stand up.

2. Bring your arms behind your back, elbows straight, interlock your fingers with palms facing up, and straighten your posture.

3. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and extend your arms (reach further behind yourself).

4. Contract your abdominal muscles slightly, just to avoid overarching your back - for this stretch a small bit of back extension is helpful.

5. Hold the position for 10 seconds.

6. Relax your shoulders, maintain the same position with your arms.

7. Repeat the stretch again, but this time bend forward allowing your back to curl and your arms to extend further. Hold 10 seconds.

8. Return to the starting position with a gentle unwinding curl.

Tips & Warnings

• Adjust your hand position if you feel pain in your wrists or hands. You can make a fist - keep your wrists straight - and put it instead of a flat palm against the wall.

• Change the angle of your hands on the wall to alter the part of the pectoral muscle you are stretching.

• This stretch should only be felt in the front of your chest and shoulders. If you feel it elsewhere, reposition and try again.

• If you choose to perform the stretch from a chair with wheels, make sure it doesn't roll away from under you by placing it against a wall.

• While standing and stretching, bend your knees on your return to the upright position to avoid placing increased stress on your spine.

• Stop if you have numbness or tingling in your palms or sharp pain of any kind. This particular position may be too aggressive for you.

• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.