What to Do When Your Shoulders and Hands Hurt PLUS Stretches that Really Help!!
Watch your habits, for they become your posture. Watch your posture, for it creates your boundaries. Watch your boundaries, for they restrict your growth. Watch your restrictions, for they create immobility. Watch your immobility, for it becomes your illness.
~ Katy Bowman, "Alignment Matters"
~ Photo by Rebecca Grant on Unsplash
What We Do THE MOST Becomes Our Body's Strengths
I am a knitter. I can be an obsessive knitter when I am enjoying a repetitive pattern that just flows on my needles. Since I rarely knit in the summer months, I have some muscles to strengthen in the shoulders and side body (like middle obliques, believe it or not ~ try keeping your hands in front of your chest for HOURS each day and you might understand).
Because I love to knit and have been doing it for over 25 years, I put up with the initial pains and tinglings in the hands. I know that my muscle aches will go away with strengthening over time and I have stretches that will benefit my shoulders if I practice these stretches daily.
Our Bodies Form Into the Shapes We Are In the Most
From the various photos in this essay, you can easily see that our fingers curve inward. Now that is just the result of using our hands, so it isn't inherently a bad thing. The problem with any movement or body configuration (like sitting) is the duration or time spent with the fingers in the curving inwards position.
~ Photo by Clique Images on Unsplash
~ Photo by WebFactory Ltd on Unsplash
Try Something with Me, Won't You?
1.) First, sit in a comfortable position and rest your hand on the tops of your thighs or on the table if your muscles are really tight. Turn the palms up towards the ceiling so you can see them. Notice the shape of the fingers, which is curved inwards and completely normal.
2.) Try to sit still with your hands in this palms up position for a couple of minutes. Put a timer on, if that helps, just because what a couple of minutes still feels like....well you might be surprised how long that feels. Most of us do not give ourselves 15 minutes of just pure quiet time away from screens to relax fully.
3.) Think about the palms softening along with the breath. Bring your attention to the shoulders and allow the shoulders to soften and lower towards the floor. Pause. Relax. Breathe.
This "exercise" is a reset button. You are not only allowing your body to rest but also focusing on a specific target area that may be in a slight holding pattern due to overuse without fully releasing.
During the day, I will integrate this into my life by sometimes just flipping my hands over and softening the palms. 2 minutes several times a day becomes a wonderful, no props needed reset for the body.
~ Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash
Tissues Become More Supple with Short Interval Stretches
Anyone who has done "too much too soon" will understand. We all know that we cannot get off of the couch and run a marathon the next day. One has to train for months to gain the strength and endurance for such an endeavor ~ right? The same holds true for any sort of exercise or stretch.
- Short intervals performed throughout your day will have more successful results than trying to stretch and strengthen all at once.
- Fingers ONLY Stretch
1.) Starting on your right side: Have the wrist, elbow, and shoulder all in line to get an even stretch. Essentially the forearm is parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the trunk.
2.) With the right palm facing up towards the ceiling, allow the palm to tip away from the body (which becomes a gentle stretch for the inner forearm).
3.) Take the left hand's index fingertip onto the tip of the right hand, and attempt to backbend the right finger (to your best ability). Repeat this with all the fingers, attempting essentially a backbending shape (which is the opposite of the shape the fingers are in most of the time).
4.) Hold for a few inhalations and exhalations. Notice if there is any tension in the arms and/or shoulders. Soften the breath and try to allow the shoulders to lower a little towards the floor.
5.) Switch sides, stretching the left hand's fingers one at a time with the right hand's index finger to gently stretch the tight muscles.
- Only spend a short period of time with each finger. Second round, stretch two fingers at the same time to change it up, adding different loads to the body.
- Thumb Stretch:
The thumb stretch is a little different.
1.) Starting on the right side with the wrist, elbow, and shoulder all in line to get an even stretch (the placement of the arm stays the same as the finger stretch). Essentially the forearm is parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the trunk.
2.) Next, take the right hand and point the tip of the thumb up towards the ceiling.
3.) Curl your right hand's fingers in and keep the tip of thumb pointing up. With the opposite hand, gently grab the right thumb with the left hand's fingers and thumb. You want a firm grip to support the bones of the thumb and isolating the movements and stretch to the base of the thumb.
4.) GENTLY pull the right thumb towards the body while keeping the right wrist as stationary as possible. You should feel a stretch in the big muscle below the thumb joint on the inner right palm.
5.) After a few breaths, add a little movement to the stretch by gently moving the right thumb side-to-side with the left hand ONLY moving a few inches in each direction. Notice where you feel tension. Stay with the tension for a few breaths, allowing the muscles at the base of the thumb to stretch.
6.) Lastly, while still pulling the right thumb towards the body also pull it slightly towards the right elbow. By taking the thumb gently away from the palm in a diagonal plane you will be stretching this muscle optimally.
7.) Hold for a few breaths to around 30 seconds. Repeat on the second side.
Whatever Direction Your Muscles Move to Contract, Do the Opposite to Stretch
As simple as these stretches appear, do not think they aren't important or even profound in their ability to heal the body. I practice these stretches whenever and wherever I can. I teach them in my yoga and foundational movement classes on the regular and we all have had amazing results. Never underestimate the value of something that seems rather simple. I will personally tell you that after practicing these stretches for a week or so, my hands no longer "fell asleep" while I was lying on my side in bed.
These finger stretches DO help the body by increasing your range-of-motion which nourishes everything above, including tight shoulder muscles. Never forget, movement is LIFE.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Take care. Be well. God Bless!!
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