Sleeper Stretch
oec:sleeper-stretch
A side-lying static stretch targeting posterior shoulder tightness and restoring glenohumeral internal rotation.
Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.
Also called: Posterior Shoulder Sleeper Stretch, Side-Lying Internal Rotation Stretch
How to do it
Setup
- Lie on your side on a firm, comfortable surface with the shoulder to be stretched underneath you.
- Position your body so your shoulder blade is pinned flat against the floor to stabilize it.
- Bring your bottom upper arm straight out in front of your chest to a 90-degree angle with your torso.
- Bend your bottom elbow to 90 degrees so your fingers point straight up toward the ceiling.
Movement
- Place your top hand gently on the back of your bottom wrist or forearm.
- Slowly press your bottom forearm downward toward the floor, internally rotating the shoulder until a mild to moderate stretch is felt in the back of the shoulder.
- Hold the stretch steady without bouncing, ensuring the bottom shoulder blade stays pinned to the floor.
- Gently release the pressure and return the forearm to the upright position before switching sides.
Breathing
Breathe smoothly and deeply throughout the hold, exhaling as you ease deeper into internal rotation.
Cues
- Keep the shoulder blade pinned flat
- Rotate gently from the shoulder socket
- Stop well short of sharp anterior pain
Common faults
- Allowing the bottom shoulder blade to roll forward off the ground.
- Roll slightly onto the back of the bottom shoulder blade to keep it firmly anchored against the floor.
- Pushing aggressively into internal rotation and causing sharp pain in the front of the shoulder.
- Apply gentle pressure only until a mild stretch is felt in the back of the shoulder; back off immediately if pinch or anterior joint pain occurs.
Safety
- Avoid aggressive downward force, as this can irritate the subacromial structures or anterior capsule.
- Discontinue if you feel sharp, pinching pain at the front or top of the shoulder.
Muscles
Joints
- Shoulder: Internal rotation
- Shoulder blade: Isometric stabilization
Details
- Movement
- Stretch
- Modality
- Flexibility, Mobility, Rehabilitation
- Mechanics
- isolation
- Force
- static
- Laterality
- unilateral
- Kinetic chain
- open
- Level
- beginner
- Equipment
- None
- Record
- Duration
- Load
- none
Sources
- wger: Sleeper Stretch, by Croak6728 (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.