ARM STRETCHES

Carrying your children and shopping bags in your busy life can leave you feeling tense and stressed; which is usually manifested by pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulder area or worse- headaches and back pain! The remedy is simple: a few stretches everyday will keep you pain free!

Stretching will not only increase the functionality of your muscles, it will alleviate tightness, help to maintain your balance, posture and range of motion, making it easier to carry out daily tasks. It can also help to alleviate muscle pain and help to make you feel more relaxed. Stretching can also help you to feel confident and calm, especially if the exercises are combined with deep breathing.

Be careful: do not over stretch, you could risk injuring your ligaments and muscles and stressing your joints. Keep your movements in a safe range of motion (whatever feels comfortable- do not push yourself or bounce into the stretch) and ensure that you are stretching when the muscles are warm, at the end of a workout or after a warm bath.

Try the following 3 exercises at least 3 times a week

Shoulder rolls. These simple exercises will warm up the muscles and get the blood circulation to the area. Roll your right shoulder forward in a circular motion 5 times and then repeat backwards. Repeat on the left shoulder, and relax.

Arm stretch Sit up straight, breathe in and pull your left arm across your body, holding your right hand over your left elbow push your left arm towards you, exhale slowly. Feel the stretch in the top of your arms and your upper back. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat on the other arm.

Back stretch From the all fours position, on the floor, lower your bottom towards your feet while stretching your arms out on the floor in front of you. You may have to open your knees slightly to get a good enough stretch. Place your forehead on the floor and stretch your arms as much as you can. Inhale slowly and then relax as you exhale. Repeat the breathing and relax.