TOTAL-BODY BAND STRETCH
One of the most common cause for neck and back pain are tense or weak muscles groups. If certain body parts are tight or weak it can cause imbalance in your body and puts stress on your spine. The following band stretches are designed to keep your back healthy and your whole-body flexible. [1]
This holistic stretching and mobility routine targets your neck, shoulder, back, hips, and legs. You will be using a looped resistance band to add a new dimension to your stretching routine. Some stretching exercises will include dynamic stretching to increase the blood flow to the tissues and improve your range of motion. Remember to keep tension on the resistance band to deepen your stretch without going too far.
Lateral-Stretch
Setup: Band above your head. Arms fully extended. Knees slightly bent.
Execution: Bend to one side while your arms stay straight above your head. Pull the band apart and keep a low but constant strain on the band. You should feel the stretch of your lateral muscles on one side. Return to starting position and stretch the opposite side. Repeat for about 20s.
Areas of focus: Arms straight. Upper body and lower back aligned. Core stable.
Pass Through
Setup: Hold the resistance band in front of your body. Hands more than shoulder width apart.
Execution: With locked elbows lift the resistance band upwards and continue to bring the band behind your back. Reverse the movement to bring the resistance band in front of your body again.
Areas of focus: Straight arms. Shoulders stay down. Keep resistance band under tension.
Resisted Hamstring Stretch
This dynamic stretch is perfect for applying a deep stretch without the help of a friend. Through varying the position of the band, you can target different muscle groups.
Setup: Loop the band around your foot. Lift foot towards the sky and hold band in one or two hands.
Execution: Use your arms to apply pressure on the band by pulling it towards you. Feel the stretch from your ankle down to your hamstrings. Slowly lower your leg to the side until you feel a stretch in the inner thigh. Apply pressure for about 15 seconds than relax and repeat -each time try to get a little deeper into the stretch. Switch sides after 40s.
Areas of focus: Hips stay flat on the ground. Keep your lower back stable. Shoulders stay on the ground. [2]
Resisted Quad Stretch
Setup: Get into lunge position and wrap the band around your foot. Put the band on your shoulder and hold it on the side of your body, opposite to your stretched leg.
Execution: Gently pull the heel towards the glutes to stretch the front of the thigh. Feel the stretch in your quad. Slowly raise up the arm on the side of your stretched leg. Hold the position and then return to the start. Repeat for about 20s and switch sides afterwards
Areas of focus: Hip stays straight. Keep stability. Keep tension on the band at all times. Hip and upper body stay aligned in a straight line.
Resisted Side Neck Stretch
Setup: Step into the resistance band with one foot. Hold the band in one hand and apply tension to the band.
Execution: Start with your shoulders straight, while the resistance band gently pulls on one side of your body. Gently tilt your head towards your shoulder.
Areas of focus: Keep Shoulders down. Keep even tension on the band.
Summary
Include these stretches in your daily workout routine to relief muscular imbalances and improve your range of motion as well as mobility. Preferably, your muscles should be warm when you perform these stretches. Do a short warm up in order to be prepared for these stretching routines. The stretches should not be painful at any moment.
Sources:
[1] Mayo Clinic Back Pain UTSW MedBlog