This week’s blog post is a continuation of yoga series we started last month. This time, there is a focus on upper body pain, particularly the shoulders and neck. Practice these poses at home to help combat any upper body pain you may be experiencing!
Camel Pose
This pose is great for helping with upper-body pain, because it stretches your neck, chest and abdomen. It also has been shown to strengthen back and arm muscles. In addition to these benefits, this pose also massages and stimulates your organs and abdomen chakras (a center of spiritual power in the human body).
Cobra Pose
It seems like this pose was made to combat problems with the upper body muscles. This pose stretches your chest, shoulders and abdomen. It also strengthens your back and arm muscles, which is vital in keeping shoulder pain at bay. As an added bonus, it also stretches and massages your internal organs and tones your glutes.
Dolphin Pose
This forward bend and inversion pose has a multitude of benefits for shoulder pain sufferers. This includes strengthening of the shoulders and arms, as well as toning the abdominal muscles. In addition, this pose stretches the hamstrings. This helps shoulder pain, because the muscles in the hamstrings and knees are also connected to the neck and shoulder muscles, so stretching these muscles also stretch the upper body muscles.
Supported Shoulder Stand
This pose is great for stretching the shoulders and making the upper spine more flexible. In addition to these upper-body benefits, it also helps with digestion, relieves stress, helps relieve menopause symptoms and clears mucous from your lungs.
Gate Pose
This revitalizing pose helps to open up your shoulders and back, while also stretching out the hamstrings. In addition, it stretches out torso muscles, which help to support the rest of the upper body (including your shoulders). Traditionally, this pose was seen as a stimulus for abdominal organs, as well as lungs.
High Lunge, Crescent Version
This pose expands your chest, lungs and shoulders, which can reduce current pain while also preventing future pain. In addition, its also a great lower-body stretch and strengthening exercise. By practicing this pose, you’ll also see an improvement in sciatica symptoms, as well as balance and concentration.
Half Moon Pose
This pose has a multitude of upper-body benefits to be utilized. First off, this pose is great for opening up back and shoulder muscles. It also increases your neck’s movement potential and lengthens spinal muscles. All of these benefits can positively affect shoulder and other upper-body pain. It is also a great lower-body workout, because it stretches out hamstrings and groin muscles while also strengthening your thighs and calves.
Reverse Warrior Pose
This pose opens up the shoulders and chest while also combating pain by strengthening the arms and neck. In addition to this, this pose is a great way to stretch many lower body muscles, including the groin, hips, obliques and quads. An increase in perseverance and self-esteem has also been linked to the practice of this pose.
Namaste.