Simple Snake Stretch

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Stiff in the Morning?

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Whether or not you are slave of the alarm clock, getting out of bed in the morning can be challenging. As we age, our backs develop arthritic deposits along the spine. They might be barely noticeable on X-rays but they, along with decreased synovial fluid and muscle tightness, can hinder mobility. This sometimes makes the simple task getting up from bed difficult. Turn too quickly and ouch!

Perhaps not as many people as they should, get up, freshen up, pull up their fitness mat, and begin a vigorous morning routine of exercise. Perhaps you prefer to lace up your tennis shoes and jog around the block or head to the gym.

But, getting that kink while rolling out of bed can hinder your day’s activities. Try stretching your back before getting out of bed.

Snake Strech

  1. Lay on your side.
  2. Fill your lungs with a deep breath.
  3. Raise your chest to your chin while arching your back.
  4. Slowly exhale, while lowering your chest and sticking out your buttocks and rotating your hips.
  5. Repeat three or four times, then twist your upper torso up away from the bed.
  6. Turn on your other side and repeat.

Imagine yourself tracing an “S” or moving as a snake. Be careful if you have chronic lower back pain. When you’re done, either roll out of bed feet-first or place one foot on the floor and grasp your other knee to pull your torso upright.

In-bed S-stretch

You don’t have to wait for arthritis to set in. Begin this stretching routine today. The little warmup may encourage you to do even more bedside stretching… or at least get out of the bed in the morning to begin a productive day.

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Updated: Sep 1, 2022

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