Wall Shoulder Flexion Stretch
oec:wall-shoulder-flexion-stretch
A standing static stretch using a wall to improve overhead shoulder flexion and thoracic extension.
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: Shoulder Flexion Wall Stretch, Standing Wall Lat Stretch, Wall Overhead Stretch
How to do it
Setup
- Stand facing a sturdy wall at arm's length with feet hip-width apart.
- Place both palms flat against the wall above shoulder height, roughly shoulder-width apart.
Movement
- Step your feet back while hinging at the hips, keeping your arms extended on the wall.
- Gently lower your chest toward the floor until you feel a comfortable stretch through the shoulders, lats, and upper back.
- Maintain a neutral lower back by bracing your abdominals lightly to prevent excessive lumbar arching.
- Hold the position steadily for the desired duration, then walk your feet forward to safely release the stretch.
Breathing
Breathe deeply and rhythmically, relaxing your chest further toward the floor with each exhale without forcing the joint range.
Cues
- Hips back, chest down
- Keep the ribs tucked
- Reach through the palms
Common faults
- Excessively arching the lower back to compensate for stiff shoulders.
- Engage the core and keep the ribcage pulled down so the extension occurs in the thoracic spine and shoulders.
- Bending the elbows during the hold.
- Keep the elbows extended and actively push the palms into the wall.
- Shrugging the shoulders violently into the neck causing pinching.
- Allow natural upward scapular rotation while keeping the neck relaxed and neutral.
Safety
- Avoid pushing past the point of mild tension into shoulder impingement or sharp joint pain.
Muscles
Joints
- Shoulder: Flexion
- Shoulder blade: Upward rotation, Elevation
- Thoracic spine: Extension
- Hip: Flexion
Details
- Movement
- Stretch, Mobility drill
- Modality
- Flexibility, Mobility
- Mechanics
- compound
- Force
- static
- Laterality
- bilateral
- Kinetic chain
- closed
- Level
- beginner
- Equipment
- Wall
- Record
- Duration
- Load
- none
Sources
- wger: Shoulder Flexion Wall Stretch, by Original exercise instructions prepared for nalhilal (CC0-1.0)
This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.