Foam Roller Upper Extremity
This is a series of movements using the foam roller and the movement of your arms to improve range of motion in your shoulders and also your upper back. This is a good way to improve your upper back motion to assist your posture. 1: Front line stretch. Start lying on the foam roller with your head and bottom fully supported. Knees are bent up to help you maintain balance. Rest your arms at your side palms up and allow gravity to open your chest. Take some deep breaths and relax. Enhance the stretch by straightening one leg and relaxing and add the opposite arm stretching out. 2: Go back to starting position and move your arms to shoulder height, bending your elbows in the shape of a goal post. Keeping your elbows bent and at albow height rotate one arm down moving that palm toward the floor, then return to the start and repeat on the other side. Try doing moving your arms at the same time. 3: Marching your arms, making sure to really reach either direction as far as you can. 4: Clasp your hands over your chest and move them in a diagonal up from up beside your head to down across your body to the other hip. 5: Grab your elbows like "genie arms" and rotate toward one side and then repeat to the other side. 6: Snow angel, from start position try to keep hands resting on the floor and pretend you are making a snow angel in the snow. If you can't keep your hands on the floor, it's ok but work toward that. 7: From start position, start by engaging your core and marching one knee up in the air. You can repeat each side until you are ready to add the opposite arm. 8: Clasp your hands over your chest, keeping your arms straight. Punch your firsts toward the ceiling using your shoulder girlde. Release your shoulders toward the foam roller and hug the foam roller with your shoulder blades. 9: In start position tuck your chin toward the foam roller. You are trying to make a double chin. You can put a finger at the curve of your neck and try to aim to push one vertebrae into your finger. This can help ensure the quality of your movement. 10: Upper back mobility. Clasp your arms over your chest. Tuck your chin toward your chest and start to curl your spine up off of the foam roller reaching your hands toward the ceiling and then slowly lower back down one vertebrae at a time. This is difficult and is important you go slow and controlled.



