The Complete Guide to Stretching

Explore contracture as adaptive shortening of muscle-tendon units and surrounding soft tissues that limit range of motion, and review types and stretching techniques to improve mobility.

Perform a prone spinal extension with elbows extended, pushing through the hands to straighten the arms while keeping the pelvis grounded and feet hip-width apart. Hold and repeat as prescribed.

Lie on an exercise ball with feet hip-width apart; extend backward to stretch the abdominals without neck or back pain, hold, then roll forward to seated and repeat.

Lie on your back, knees bent, bring knees toward your chest with a towel under the knees, and pull the towel toward the head to stretch the lumbar erector spinae.

Learn the spinal extensor stretch in child's pose, using knee-friendly options, lowering the body with bent elbows toward the heels, extending the arms, holding, and repeating as prescribed.

Perform a standing quadratus lumborum stretch with wall support, side bending away from the wall, extending the arm, and controlled breathing through the hold.

Stretch the left anterior and middle scalene muscles with the arm behind the back in a static hold, depress the shoulder, tilt the head right and look left.

Perform a left posterior scalene static stretch with the arm behind the back and sit upright, depress the shoulder, and tilt the head to the right to isolate the neck.

Perform seated chin tucks to stretch the suboccipital muscles by retracting the head with the neck neutral, then gently pull the back of the head upward, hold five seconds.

Lie on your back with a towel under neck and retract the head, tucking the chin toward the chest; keep gaze down and apply light overpressure with fingers at range.

Perform the levator scapulae stretch with the left hand behind the back and the right hand over the head, rotating toward the right armpit and applying gentle pressure, then hold.

Perform levator scapulae stretch by grasping your left wrist, pulling toward your right side, rotating the head toward the right armpit, and holding at end range, seated or standing.

Sternocleidomastoid stretch with left arm behind back, right hand on left collarbone, upright body; bend neck to right, look left, breathe, then repeat.

Learn the upper trapezius stretch with a hand-behind-back position, using the opposite hand to tilt the head and apply gentle overpressure to hold at end range, in sitting or standing.

Perform the seated upper trapezius stretch by depressing the left shoulder while the right hand gently pulls the head to the right; hold at end range and repeat.

Perform a lower pectoralis major wall stretch by extending left arm to 45 degrees with the palm on the wall, right hand behind back, rotating clockwise to end range, hold.

The middle pectoralis major stretch at the wall extends the left arm to 90 degrees with the palm on the wall, right hand behind, and rotates clockwise to end range.

Stand facing the wall; perform upper pectoralis major stretch by reaching the left hand to the side at about 135 degrees, palm on the wall, turn clockwise, hold, and repeat.

Stand at a wall corner with feet staggered for a base, and reach hands at 45 degrees to stretch the lower pectoralis major. Bend the front knee, hold end range.

Perform the middle pectoralis major stretch at a wall corner with forearms on the wall, 90-degree shoulder abduction, and elbow flexion, step forward to feel a chest stretch, then hold.

Stretch upper pectoralis major at a wall corner. Stand with one foot forward and back, extend arms to 135 degrees with palms on the wall, bend front knee, hold, repeat.

Perform a pectoralis minor stretch at a wall corner by pressing the left shoulder to the wall and turning the torso to the right. Hold at end range and repeat.

Stand facing a chair, raise arms with palms together, wrists on chair back, bend forward through the hip for latissimus dorsi static stretching, breathe through hold, return to start, repeat.

Perform a standing latissimus dorsi stretch: stand, raise arms overhead, pull the left arm sideways with the right, bend the trunk slightly to the right and forward, breathe, then repeat.

Perform the seated rhomboid stretch as static stretching to open the shoulders and back, bending forward with knees spread and arms crossed, breathing steadily.

Perform a static anterior deltoid stretch with a towel behind the back, holding ends with forearms, extend shoulders backward with straight elbows, palms forward, and breathe through the hold.

Stand upright and perform a static internal shoulder rotation stretch using a belt; lift with the right hand behind the head while the left tightens the belt, then repeat.

Learn a shoulder internal rotation dowel variation of static stretching, standing with a behind-the-back double, gently pulling upward and shrugging the shoulders, breathing steadily through the hold, then repeating.

Perform a towel-assisted shoulder external rotation stretch to target left shoulder, pulling down with the right hand from overhead behind the head, hold the stretch and repeat for the set.

Perform a dowel shoulder internal rotators stretch (external rotation variation 2) for the left shoulder, with the left arm abducted 90 degrees and elbow 90. Push forward and repeat.

Perform the biceps brachii static stretch with a belt behind the back in an upright position, extending the shoulders while keeping elbows straight and breathing steadily during the hold.

Perform static left biceps brachii short head stretch against wall: abduct the shoulder to 90 degrees, left palm on wall, rotate the arm away, and breathe through the hold.

Perform a belt variation static stretch for the triceps brachii and latissimus dorsi while standing, pulling the belt with the right hand to stretch the left shoulder.

Engage in a bilateral wrist flexors stretch, standing or seated, pressing palms together at chest midline in prayer position, maintain contact and flat palms, breathe, hold pain-free, return and repeat.

Perform a wrist flexor unilateral variation static stretch, standing or sitting upright. Pull the left hand back with the right, keeping the elbow extended and breathing through the hold.

Perform a bilateral wrist extensor stretch as a static hold, pressing the back of both hands together at chest midline, then lift the hands while lowering the elbows, breathing steadily.

Wrist extensor unilateral variation is a static stretch against the wall, with the left arm raised, elbow extended, and the back of the hand in contact with the wall.

Perform hip flexors and quadriceps femoris stretch in a half kneeling belt setup. Keep upright, avoid back arch, lean forward to feel stretch, then pull belt to deepen and repeat.

Perform standing belt stretch for hip flexors and quadriceps. Stand upright, wrap belt around the ankle, lift the foot with a bent knee, and keep torso upright.

Perform a supine single knee to chest gluteus maximus stretch, stabilizing the right leg and applying gentle over-pressure with both hands, then hold the position per your program.

Target the gluteus maximus with a supine double knee to chest stretch from a hook line, engaging the abdominals, lifting the knees, holding as you breathe, then return and repeat.

Perform the seated piriformis stretch by sitting upright, crossing the left ankle over the right knee, pressing the knee down, and gently leaning forward through the hips. Repeat as prescribed.

Lie on your back with hips and knees bent, cross the left ankle over the right knee, and pull a towel to the head for a piriformis stretch; repeat.

Perform the supine gluteus medius stretch by lying on your back, pull the right knee toward the left ribcage with the left hand to guide it, hold, and repeat.

Stand with feet wide apart and toes forward. Lunge to the right, bend the right knee, push hips back, and stretch the left inner thigh; hold and repeat.

On all fours, extend left leg to the side with knee extended and foot on the mat, sit back toward right heel to stretch left inner thigh; hold and repeat.

Lie on your right side in sidelying to stretch tensor fasciae latae and iliotibial band; reach for the left foot, extend the hip, hold, press the knee down, and repeat.

Sit at the front edge of a chair, extend the left leg with heel on the floor, lean forward to stretch the back of the thigh, hold, and repeat.

Lie on your back and perform a supine belt hamstrings stretch by looping belt around left foot and pulling the leg toward ceiling to stretch back thigh; hold and repeat.

Lie on your back with a towel around the left foot, and lift the leg toward the ceiling to stretch the back of the thigh, keeping the left knee extended.

Stand at the wall to perform gastrocnemius stretch: step forward with the right foot, keep the left foot flat and left knee extended, bend the right knee, hold, and repeat.

Perform a seated gastrocnemius stretch with a belt: sit upright, extend the left leg keeping the knee straight, belt around the sole, pull toward the body, and hold, then repeat.

Learn a seated soleus stretch using a towel: extend the leg, place the heel on the floor, loop the towel, and pull toward the body for controlled holds and repetitions.

Stand against the wall, step the right foot forward and left back, left foot flat. Bend knees and lean forward to stretch the soleus, using arms for support, then repeat.

Sit in a chair and cross your left leg over your right. Hold the left foot and pull the forefoot into plantar flexion and inversion for static stretching; then repeat.

Stand upright with support to perform an anterior standing static stretch. Place the left foot behind, rest the toes, breathe, turn the heel outward to stretch the shin.

Practice the tibialis posterior seated towel stretch to improve ankle mobility. Sit, slide the left foot back on a towel, keep the heel down and stabilize with the right hand.

Perform tibial posterior standing wall static stretching by facing the wall, keeping the left heel down with a towel under the left foot, and lunging forward with the right leg.

Perform a seated soleus and plantar fascia stretch by crossing the leg, pulling toes toward dorsiflexion, supporting the heel, and breathing through a static hold.

Remove shoes and socks, place a plantar fascia ball under left foot (lacrosse, golf, tennis, or trigger point), and roll from heel to ball with body weight, rest and repeat.

Stand upright with feet shoulder width apart and rotate the torso in a double trunk spinal rotation, arms in a w or surrender position, hands behind the neck, ten repetitions.

Practice a side lunge with a twist; stand with feet wider than hip width, bend left knee, rotate the torso left, return, and repeat on the right for ten reps.

Forward lunge with trunk side bends: lunge right leg, knee over ankle, reach overhead with left arm, bend torso to the right; return upright and switch legs for ten repetitions.

Perform knee tucks standing with feet shoulder-width apart, raise right knee toward chest, hold the shin, and press the knee forward; return to balance for ten reps per side.

Squat with feet shoulder-width apart; inhale as you bend hips and knees, lower until thighs parallel, keep knees in line with toes, raise arms for balance, then exhale to return.

Perform walking lunges with a straight trunk and front knee over the front foot. Inhale to step forward, exhale to extend the knee, then switch legs for ten reps.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and perform arm circles at shoulder height, starting with small circles and moving to larger ones, then reverse clockwise to counterclockwise for ten more.

Master the shoulder front raise with feet shoulder width apart and straight elbows, lifting each arm to 180 degrees flexion, then repeat on the other side for ten repetitions.

Do shoulder side raise, arms at sides, palms forward in a thumbs-up position; keep elbows straight as you abduct an arm to 180 degrees, then switch arms for ten reps.

Perform a seated knee extension as a dynamic hamstring stretch in chair. Exhale to lift and extend one leg, hold briefly, inhale to lower, and repeat ten times per leg.