I’m gearing up for a 9 hour drive from Mi to upstate NY to attend my daughter’s graduation from chiropractic school (look out there’s a Doctor in the house!). As I’ve gotten older- change that to matured, I find it’s harder to sit for long hours without my hips bothering me. To the embarrassment of my children I have been know to stretch while traveling. I can always find a place to do it, a chair at McDonald’s, the grass outside of a restaurant, the top of a picnic table or to lean into a tennis ball against a wall. The best thing I can do for myself is to stretch while I’m driving. I try to do these stretches every 20 minutes or so. Here are the two best stretches to do while your driving. Remember, keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Happy trails!

Hip stretch for the car

Pectoralis stretch for the car

You don’t have to be a pro to look like one. Standing pool or lakeside doing these 3 stretches will make you look like you know what your doing. It doesn’t matter if your a real swimmer or just dog paddling around, these stretches will keep your upper back and shoulders in good shape for the season.

Shoulder Stretch

Pectoralis Stretch

Rhomboid Stretch

This is one of the all time top three stretches. This stretch can not only eliminate the nagging pain between the shoulder blades, it can improve your posture. If it’s all that big deal why not try it?

#2 all time top stretch: Pectoralis doorway stretch

Interested in a 3 way? Here is a 3 way should stretch that stretches the Biceps, Deltoid, and Pectorails muscles. These are the muscle that you feel at the top of your shoulder/ arms. Give it a try after a hard day in the garden.

This is hands down the BEST pectoralis stretch. Improve your posture and get rid of the pain between your shoulder blades at the same time.

Summer is in full swing and we are out enjoying those activities that we love to do in summer. Canoeing is a popular things to do in this part of Michigan with all the lakes and rivers we have. Don’t be fooled by the idyllic picture we have of drifting on the smooth water, relaxing on a hot summer day. Most of us go out once a year and beat the crap out of the water with our paddles and hurt for a week after our not so relaxing canoe trip.

When you paddle a canoe you use your whole body. Your arms raise the paddle out of the water with the help of your chest, upper back and shoulders. The paddling of the water is done using your stomach, back and legs. Whew! What a work out! Paddling is a repeated motion, one that you probability don’t normally do. The following day the pain sets in with soreness in the chest and arms. This is when you should do your pectorials and your forearm stretches to relieve that discomfort. Don’t find yourself up the river without a paddle, come armed with your stretches and have some fun!

Long car trips. The AC doesn’t work. Fuzzy country on the radio. Those were the good old days. It’s still hard to drive for hours and with summer here in full swing we are hitting the highways and traveling long distances. This pectoralis stretch can be done as you drive along, it will help with that pesky area between your shoulder blades. Drive safely.

If you use a computer, or have pain between your shoulder blades this simple stretch is for you.