Remember the boring stretches we did in high school?

Well guess what?  Those stretches can really benefit us now as adults.  Who knew?  Our P.E. teacher did that’s who.

In all seriousness, taking 5-10 minutes out of our day to do stretches like these can really help us in the long run.  Just follow the chart below.  This stretching chart targets all areas of the body.  These stretches are going to stretch your nagging pain too.  It’s a good starting place that can make a tremendous difference in how you feel and think throughout the day.  Trust me, I know.

Stretches to do at home or at work

Click here to download this chart.

I’m in the health and wellness field.

I hate to think that I take my body for granted but I do.  All that taking for granted catches up to us doesn’t it?  Well, it sure did for me.  The crazy thing is I kept thinking to myself stretching would feel really good.  You see I knew what I needed to do but just couldn’t bring myself to do it.  Sound familiar?

As a massage therapist, I do a lot of forward bending.  I kept getting this haunting pain in the middle of my back next to my spine.  It always seemed to be there.  In the back of my mind, something told me to stretch.  Often times I would lay on the floor, try to crack my back or have someone press on my back.  Although these felt great they were temporary fixes, I needed more.  

I remember one day, I just stood still and stretched for 10 minutes.  THE RELIEF WAS AWESOME.  It was so great that my back felt amazing the day after.  I stretched again, got the the same feeling.  I was hooked and pain-free.

Stretching has just become a thing I do every morning before I get my day started.  It’s as regular as me drinking coffee now.  Doing regular stretches prepares my body for the day and the work it has to do.

Not only that but it helps my mind focus too.

My mind has one less nagging concern to deal with throughout the day.  It’s amazing what I can get done if I’m not focusing on pain everyday.

A word of caution.

If a stretch hurts do it less.  If a stretch still hurts modify it or stop it.  When you go in for your next massage session point it out to your therapist so it can be a point of focus for that session.  

Felicia Hayes

Hi. I’m Felicia. I’ve made a 20+ year career of massage and bodywork. And, I still love it. I also enjoy writing, playing music, photography, cooking, baking and painting. All of which I’m not very good at. I’m also a daily bike commuter.