Massage & Bodywork

MAY | JUNE 2017

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Wall Clock Stand about 1–2 feet away from the wall, facing sideways. Stretch your arm straight up beside your head and place your open palm on the wall (Image 4A). Imagine you are standing in the center of a clock, with your palm resting on 12 o'clock. Now, engage your scapular sling muscles to draw your shoulder down and away from your ears. Gently press your palm into the wall as you engage your core and elongate your spine. Hold for three breaths or up to a minute. Now, reposition your palm one hand- width behind your body in the next position on the imaginary clock—your right palm will be on 1 o'clock or your left palm will be on 11 o'clock (Image 4B). Hold for another few conscious breaths, and then progress to the next two positions (Image 4C) until you get your arm parallel to the ground. If you are able to move your arm parallel with the floor (right hand at 3 o'clock or left hand at 9 o'clock), you can intensify by supinating or turning your palm face up. Press the pinky side of your hand into the wall and maintain a gentle bend in your elbow. For more intensity, you can slowly turn your feet and chest away from the wall. Note: Avoid pushing or forcing yourself into any position. Continue to create a friendly practice in which you can maintain your easy breathing and sustain a relaxed body posture. You may want to look in a mirror before moving on to your opposite side to see the significant release of shoulder tension and reorganization of your fascia. Benefits: This stretch opens the chest, shoulders, and thoracic outlet; releases vascular or nerve compression; engages the rhomboids; increases range of motion; increases blood circulation and synovial fluid production; and encourages lymph movement in the axilla. Crocodile Lie on your belly on a comfortable surface and rest your forehead on the back of your stacked palms or wrists (Image 5). Begin to notice your breath and your body. Rest here for 90 seconds to 3 minutes. For added comfort, place a towel or blanket beneath your hip bones (anterior superior iliac spine) and bring your legs wider apart. For greater intensity, draw your legs together. Benefits: This is a gentle back extension that can rebalance and encourage flexibility in the lumbar spine. The Crocodile assists recovery of back and disc challenges in its actions of encouraging a more anterior orientation of intervertebral discs, which often bulge posteriorly due to excessive ventral drag. LOW-BACK HEALING POSTURES 4A 4B 4C 5

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