Rhomboid Stretch Exercises
Ever feel that your mid back needs to be stretched? Do you feel the muscles in between your shoulder blades are tight? Then let’s do some stretch exercises for your rhomboids. I felt a good stretch in my rhomboids after giving my 1 year old son a tight hug. It’s like getting a big bear hug but as a stretch.
The hug me or bear hug stretch exercises focuses on the rhomboids mainly as well as middle trapezius, latissimus and posterior deltoids. Other muscles that are stretched are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres major and minor. These particular stretch exercises with the rhomboids targets both the major and minor muscle parts.
These rhomboid muscles start from the cervical spinous process of C7 and down to thoracic spinous process T7. They attach along the medial border of the shoulder blade from the top of the scapula spine down to the inferior angle. The motions the rhomboids are responsible for are bringing the shoulder blades together (retraction) and a downward rotation of the scapula (shoulder blade). The rhomboid muscles named mainly for the shape by how the muscle fibers run obliquely and downward.
The rhomboid stretch exercises will be described in a standing position. These stretch exercises along with other neck exercises will help reduce neck tension, stress and pain. This stretch will help loosen the muscles in the mid back and keep your mid back flexible. Rhomboids also help in maintaining good posture.
Standing Position:
• Start with your feet shoulder width apart
• Knees slightly bent
• Pelvis tucked in
• Stomach taught
• Your chest towards the wall
• Shoulders and arms relaxed
• Your chin back like a chin tuck
• Your head level
• Eyes looking straight ahead
Rhomboid Stretch Exercise:
• Take a breath in
• Bring your right arm up and place your right hand on your left shoulder blade
• Bring your left arm up and around your body
• Place your left hand on the right shoulder blade
• Breathe out and give yourself a squeeze
• You can bring your chin and head down towards your elbows
• Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times
There should be no pain with these stretch exercises. You should feel in the middle of your back a stretch. You can try to bring your shoulder blades apart more by trying to bring them forward with more pressure. Don’t forget to breathe on this stretch. Other rhomboid stretch exercises will be described at a later time.
In the mean time, enjoy other mid back neck exercises from the blog:
• Shoulder Blade Pinches Alternative
