Spinal mobility – Arm sways

by | Apr 19, 2022 | Exercises, Upper back | 0 comments

This is one of my favourite spinal mobility movements to do as it really feels like it gets the bit of the spine between my shoulder blades moving.  It is also quite a quick motion to do, and the check at the end is as much to confirm it has done what I want it to do.

The only downside is that it needs to be done lying on your back, although I have done it sitting in a chair.

As always these movements should not create any additional pain.

 

Equipment

None really necessary, but something soft under the knees is nicer than a wooden floor (folded towel or yoga mat).

Stages

There are three stages to this movement.  Stages 1 & 3 are the same, so that the final bit is a check on how things feel.

Throughout the movements the hands don’t slip on each other, the elbows don’t bend, and the legs and pelvis stay quiet and don’t sway.  These are all short cuts that we might employ to get the hands further.

Part 1: Movement watching hands.

 

Steps

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent.  Feet hip width apart and comfortably close to your bottom.
  2. Bring your arms up above your shoulders, arms straight and the hands together.
  3. The hands don’t slide against each other nor do the elbows bend during the movement.
  4. Keep looking at your hands/thumbs throughout this stage.
  5. Take the hands and arms over to the right as far as you can comfortably go, so that the left shoulder lifts off the ground.  Don’t bend the right elbow to do this.
  6. Roll back across the shoulders so the arms are back at the starting place.
  7. Then take the arms over to the left, so that the right shoulder lifts off the ground.  Again don’t bend your elbows or let the hands slide.
  8. Roll back to the starting place.
  9. Repeat this rocking from side to side 10-15 times. 
  10. Once you have the idea it can be a fairly smooth movement, going as fast as you like as long as you can notice what it feels like in the spine to do this movement.

 

Things to think about
  • You are trying to make a smooth continuous movement.
  • Notice what your spine feels like doing this movement.  It feels a bit like hard work at this stage.

Part 2: Head and hands move differently

Steps

  1. Return to your starting position: knees bent, arms above your shoulders with the hands together.
  2. This time as the arms go to the left, lifting the right shoulder off the floor, you turn your head to the right.
  3. The head movement should feel safe and pain free on the neck, if it hurts then just move your eyes and look to the right.
  4. Really pay attention to if the hands slip, the elbows bend, or the knees and pelvis start joining in.  Keep them still and straight!
  5. Then come back to the middle
  6. Then the hands/arms go the right and you turn your head (or look) to the left.
  7. Still keep the arms and hands in place.
  8. Sway the arms from left to right, looking in the opposite direction, 10 – 15 times.
Things to consider
  • The co-ordination of the arms and hands takes practice and is harder. 
  • It is trying to get your body to move differently and against the direction you’re turning your eyes.
  • It is not about how far you get your hands moving, just far enough to lift the shoulders off the floor.

Part 3: Watching hands, again.

 

Steps

  1. This is the same as Part 1, so lie on your back with your knees bent. 
  2. Bring your arms up above your shoulders, arms straight and the hands together.
  3. The hands don’t slide against each other nor do the elbows bend during the movement. Keep looking at your hands/thumbs throughout this stage. 
  4. Take the hands and arms over to the right as far as you can comfortably go, so that the left shoulder lifts off the ground.  
  5. Then take the arms over to the left, so that the right shoulder lifts off the ground. 
  6. Repeat this rocking from side to side 10-15 times.
  7. Once you have the idea it can be a fairly smooth movement, going as fast as you like as long as you can notice what it feels like in the spine to do this movement.

 

Things to think about
  • You are trying to make a smooth continuous movement.
  • Notice what your spine feels like doing this movement.  It hopefully feels easier to do the movement at this point.

Video

Here’s a short video of me running through the movement.

The video can be made larger by clicking the four arrows in the bottom right corner to make it full screen.

As I said this is one of my favourite movemetns to do, and I will often do it before I do a yoga class as it helps to waken my spine up.

Thanks for reading this my lovely Interonauts.

Tim