Managing an acute injury

Knowing how to immediately look after an injury for the first few days can speed up its recovery. In this blog we look at a more up to date protocol on how to help you manage it.

Many of us are well versed on the R.I.C.E acronym (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). Which eventually was upgraded to P.R.I.C.E (P = Protect). Over the last few decades the advice on the management of acute injuries has rarely been contested. However, with growing research there has been a change in the way clinicians deliver advice on acute injuries to patients. With more recent research there is a new acronym called P.O.L.I.C.E. Standing for Protect Optimal Loading Ice Compression Elevation.

What’s changed?

The term REST can be completely misinterpreted. While it’s important to have a balance of rest AND loading. Too much rest can lead to
deconditioning of tissues, stiffness and weakness. By OPTIMALLY LOADING tissue it provides the right levels of stress to encourage tissue healing, while assisting with the drainage of swelling.

What is the right amount of load?

Firstly, you must listen to the pain and not try to push through it. But if in doubt seek advice from a health professional, whether it be a Dr or Physio. Assessing the injury will help clear any serious problems, like fractures or ruptures. After having the serious issues cleared, you can be guided on the appropriate movements or weight bearing exercises to perform.

If in doubt seek advice from a Health professional

Additionally, to help provide the right loading you may require a moon boot, crutches, brace or strapping for support. Before being gradually weaned off.

Ice

I’ve previously questioned the value of applying ice for reducing swelling. There is growing evidence that shows that we need some swelling to aid in the healing process and by using ice to minimise swelling, we could be slowing down the rate of tissue healing.

See: hold the ice in RICE

But using the ice instead to reduce pain, by limiting nerve conduction and lowering tissue temperature. This can be effective within 5-10 minutes of application. Doing this every hour will bring pain levels down allowing you to move or load the tissue as tolerated.

Side note: Make sure you regularly check tissue quality while icing to avoid frost bite.

Compression and Elevation

These two are the least controversial in their benefit of recovery from acute injuries. Having compression helps maintain swelling to a manageable level and the area can still move normally. Making sure the compression is tight but not causing pain or numbness. You can use crape bandaging or a tubigrip.

Elevation, particularly for the lower limb helps again at minimising excessive swelling. While elevated it helps to be gently moving the
area, which also assists with tissue healing and swelling.

Anytime you’re dealing with a new injury it’s important follow the most up to date advice to help you recover as quickly and safely as possible. By seeking physio, we can offer you that guidance and support as you progress. At Fundamental Physio Newmarket, you’ll be thoroughly assessed to identify the extent of your injury, then put on the right treatment plan to help you return to normal activity.

References

Bleakley et al 2012 PRICE needs updating, should we call the POLICE? Br J Sports Med

Algafly et al. 2007. The effect of cryotherapy on nerve conduction velocity, pain threshold and pain tolerance. Br J Sports Med

Malanga et al 2015. Mechanisms and efficacy of heat and cold therapies for musculoskeletal injury. Postgrad Med

Complex movements and a neutral spine

Being aware of what a neutral spine feels like is a good start. But when incorporating it into more difficult movements, it requires patience and consistency.

Let’s start simple before making it complicated

Moving with integrity is essential to getting the best output from your exercise and with that, understanding the principals of neutral spinal position play a primary role. You could be pushing off to sprint or jumping up to block a shot or preparing for an Olympic lift, finding a neutral spine provides your limbs with a stable base to engage.

What is a neutral spine?

The design spine provides a wide range of movement in different directions, helped by having 25 mobile vertebral segments. This allows you to be highly functional. But not all spinal positions are efficient. It’s a neutral spine that evenly distributes stress through the complex tissue structures of the spine. This reduces the risk of injury when challenged and provides a strong platform for the arms and legs to work from. It also provides the least amount of tension on the nervous system as it branches out from the spinal column.

Looking at the supportive network of the spine, it’s made up of 3 arches. A slight inward cervical arch (neck), an outward thoracic arch (mid back) and inward curve at the Lumbar (lower back). Underneath the lumbar is the sacrum connecting to the pelvis.

Why do we need a neutral spine?

Physically it’s the most efficient position, but it doesn’t mean we need to be fixed in this shape at all times.

It does however become important when we throw complex movements into the mix. A complex movement is something that requires speed, power and timing from multiple muscle groups across multiple joints. Lacking the coordination of maintaining this posture during difficult movements not only compromises the spine but offers poor performance output.

An easy example of poor spinal position can be the dead lift. Often people race to get a heavier lift while ignoring the potential risks to the tissues of the spine. Finding a neutral position will not only be safe, but will offer better outcomes in developing strength.

Another example I see is the pull up. Coming over the bar there is often excessive chin poke and neck extension to clear the head over the bar. This compromises the neck, shoulders and upper back.

If you’re struggling with maintaining this spinal shape when doing complex movements you might want to remove an element of difficulty, such as weight, speed or scaling the movement. Develop better body awareness before making it more more challenging.

How to find your neutral spine

On the floor –

Lying down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Tilt your pelvis up and down to feel the top and bottom of your sacrum, at the back of the pelvis.
Then you want to feel the middle of the sacrum, adjusting your pelvis, it will lie between the top and bottom of the tilt.
Then tuck your chin in without fully flattening your neck to the floor.

Once you’re confident with the shape, get up into standing and attempt to maintain it through movement. The video below, using a stick will provide feedback to keep you well positioned.

… and then once you’re confident with keeping this shape, slowly start incorporating it into heavier, faster movements. This will put you in a safer position and improve the results of your training.

Upper Crossed Syndrome – A foundation for failure

Are you aware of upper crossed syndrome? Does this postural shape look familiar to you? If yes, then you take a look at the corrective exercises I’ve included in the blog.

Posture follows movement like a shadow

Are you being double crossed by your posture? There is a chronic condition called Upper Crossed Syndrome (USC) which is expressed by the rounding of shoulders, forward chin poke of the head. Mostly seen with elderly, but with an accelerated escalation of sedentary lifestyles and work environments, it has become a common sight for all ages.

Upper Crossed Syndrome Anatomy

The position of your head and shoulder is orchestrated by various opposing forces. These muscle balance forces vary depending on the positions we regularly find ourselves in. With UCS there is usually a weakness of the deep neck flexors and overactive/tightness of the upper traps and levator scapulae. This causes a forward head position with a hinge point at the lower cervical spine.

Lower down with weakness of rhomboids and lower traps, matched with overactive/tight pectoralis major and minor causes a rounding of the shoulders.

The muscle imbalance can affect multiple joint levels of the spine, the glenohumeral joint, the acromioclavicular joint and scapulothoracic joint. These might all lead to dysfunctions and result in injury.

How does this impact me?

Well that depends on how you live your life. This is a chronic condition that affects multiple joints and progressively over years they become stiff or weak. This closes the window on living an active lifestyle and increases risk of injury.

With less mobility and stability, comes greater risk to injury.

This is typical with most office workers, students or driver’s. Their neuromuscular system has adapted to the UCS shape for years. But the injury risk increases when activity and movement levels are pushed higher than normal, for example overhead lifting, throwing sports or freestyle swimming that requires a wider overhead range of movement and ends up putting undue stress on the upper body.

Have you got the following?

Chin Poke: Is your head sticking so far out it’s at risk of falling off! Next time you stop at traffic lights take a look at the other drivers posture, it’s common to see the drivers head stuck at least 12 inches from the head rest.
Rounding of the Shoulders: Due to a weakness of scapula retractors, the lower traps and rhomboids, the super tight Pec muscles draw the shoulders forwards. Look at overly developed bodybuilders for a great example of rounded shoulders.
Winging scapula: When the scapula lifts away from the wall of the rib cage, it’s usually the result of a muscle imbalance. This might take a friend to spot this one for you.
Creasing in the neck: It’s the last places you want to see a crease. At the base of the neck and accompanied by the start of a hump in the thoracic spine.

Change starts now – How do I get there?

Expecting to do an overhead squat or chest to bar pull up straight away might be unrealistic if you’ve spent years holding a UCS posture. But there are ways of getting there…

Scaling the new movement that your practicing and working within the ranges that your body allows. Giving the joints time to adapt, without risking injury.
Working on individual muscles that developed the weakness and tightness over the years. This requires specific strengthening and stretching exercises.
Muscle tightness in your neck and chest may benefit from soft tissue work to release the muscle, like massage or dry needling.
Correcting form, sometimes we don’t have the body awareness to identify poor technique. Having the coach or physio look at your movement to correct where it’s needed.
Change can only be enforced through repetition and habit. The positions you’re in most of the day dictate your posture. At work, in the car, or at home, try to change your posture regularly.

Below are some basic examples of exercises to get you started with organising the shoulder and head. Try following them regularly to give your body the opportunity to change.

Continue reading “Upper Crossed Syndrome – A foundation for failure”

What’s causing my muscle tightness?

Muscular tightness is one of the disruptions to normal movement and if not managed well can lead to possible injury. Identifying your tightness and using specific strategies will help relieve tension.

One of the main issues patients struggle with is muscular tightness. They get a feeling of pain or tightness and an inability to relax the muscle.

What is tightness?

When looking at patients I need to find out if they have mechanical stiffness or the “feeling” of tightness or a combination of both, as this would direct my treatment plan.

Is the range of movement limited? does it have a soft or hard end feel? Are movements a struggle at end range, feeling heavy? What’s the rest feeling like, is it a constant tightness?

While we can have mechanical tightness of a joint or muscle, there are also the “feelings” of tightness. You might get your hands to the floor with your legs straight and feel the hamstrings tightening. While another person could do the same, get to their knees and not have tightness.

What causes the feeling of tightness?

Tightness is a sensation like many others, including pain. What we understand from pain is that this is not always brought on physically, but also by the perception of threat.

So like pain, tightness is a protective mechanism from the central nervous system to avoid danger. On a number of levels it detects stressor’s that expose the whole body or specific region to threat.

Examples of this…..

Prolonged sitting, without movement we often notice tightness in certain areas, possibly through reduced oxygen supply and increased metabolic toxicity.
Stressful situations cause rising cortisol levels and increased activity of the Vagus nerve leading to muscular tightness.
Repetitive movement over a period of time causes increased tension.
Injury or pre-existing weakness can cause a guarding response from the nervous system.

Using tightness as a warning sign for these potential threats might allows us to acknowledge the situation and quickly act upon it.

What will help my tightness?

Like all movement patterns, we improve with practice. The same goes for muscle tightness. If we regularly bombard it with neural messages to remain tight we develop trigger points and chronic tightness through a process called central sensitisation. Which makes the tissues more sensitive to pain and tightness.

If we can regularly supply our nervous system with input that is non-threatening we can slowly help desensitise the muscle. But this takes time and regular repetition.

Stretching

Most people with tightness, especially after prolonged rest feel the need to stretch out. But depending on our intended goal there are different types of stretches.

Static stretches
Active stretches
Dynamic stretches
PNF (Contract-relax)

While these stretches will help, it might only be temporary without regular repetition and reinforcing the nervous system with good movement.

Strengthening

There is a misconception that resistance training causes our muscles to feel tighter. Mainly due to the effect of DOMS. That feeling of soreness you have the day after a hard workout. But some recent studies have shown that strengthening can be equally, if not more beneficial than stretching.

Improvements in flexibility coming from improved ability to handle higher levels of metabolic stress and lower levels of inflammation. By lowering the threat to the nervous system through increased strength, it allows you to work the muscle through a wider range, without getting a stretch reflex.

Massage and other soft tissue work

Another way to help desensitise these tight muscles is to apply pressure. This could be with the use of a foam roller/lacrosse ball or other manual therapy techniques like deep tissue massage, myofascial release, trigger point release, dry needling.

Relaxation techniques and breathing mechanics

Like in the previous blog, an overactive or dominant sympathetic nervous system can cause muscle tightness. Finding ways of breaking poor postures or shallow breathing using a range of methods like kapalbhati, wim-hof, meditation, yoga etc. Using these methods are just part of the process to lowering overall tightness.

Usually, just following one of these methods individually is not going to be as effective as combining them together. Try to deal with the tightness from all angles.

If guidance is required or manual therapy techniques feel free to call 09 5290990.

Study: Resistance training on neck pain

This study found positive results with strengthening exercises to reduce muscle tension and pain with office workers suffering with neck pain.

Lindegaard 2013

Working in the office you’re bound to suffer with neck pain at some stage. If poorly managed this can progressively become chronic. Not only can this impact your function, but interferes with your levels of concentration and performance at work. This then feeds into your mood and becomes a negative loop which is then difficult to break.

When treating a patient with chronic neck pain there’s a range of manual techniques that have strong evidence to support them. But in addition to hands-on therapy, exercises are provided to assist in the recovery. These could be in the form of stretches, postural setting or strengthening.

This study focused on strengthening exercises using a resistance band (Theraband). Over a 10 week period they performed lateral raises with the resistance band once per day to the point of fatigue or up to 2 minutes. They found at the end of the 10 weeks through EMG testing the neck muscles were more relaxed and had reduced pain levels.

Original Abstract

Background: This study investigates the acute and longitudinal effects of resistance training on occupational muscle activity in office workers with chronic pain.

Methods: 30 female office workers with chronic neck and shoulder pain participated for 10 weeks in high-intensity elastic resistance training for 2 minutes per day (n = 15) or in control receiving weekly email-based information on general health (n = 15). Electromyography (EMG) from the splenius and upper trapezius was recorded during a normal workday.

Results: Adherence to training and control interventions were 86% and 89%, respectively. Comparedh with control, training increased isometric muscle strength 6% (P < 0.05) and decreased neck/shoulder pain intensity by 40% (P < 0.01). The frequency of periods with complete motor unit relaxation (EMG gaps) decreased acutely in the hours after training. By contrast, at 10-week follow-up, training increased average duration of EMG gaps by 71%, EMG gap frequency by 296% and percentage time below 0.5%, and 1.0% EMGmax by 578% and 242%, respectively, during the workday in m. splenius.

Conclusion: While resistance training acutely generates a more tense muscle activity pattern, the longitudinal changes are beneficial in terms of longer and more frequent periods of complete muscular relaxation and reduced pain.

Lidegaard M, et al. Effect of brief daily resistance training on occupational neck/shoulder muscle activity in office workers with chronic pain: randomized controlled trial. Biomed Res Int. 2013.

The Office WOD

Do your best when no one is looking. If you do that, then you can be successful at anything that you put your mind to.

Following up from last weeks piece about SITTING POSTURE. It’s not about holding the perfect posture. Whats more important is changing position regularly, adding variation. Holding postures long enough results in changes to the strength of a muscle and how quickly it activates.

Neuroplasticity

This refers to the brain constantly changing to its environment, trying to find more efficient neural connections.

Consider your memory at school, studying a particular subject and you ace the exams. Now think 10 years on and you’ve done nothing relating to the subject, you’ll likely struggle with the same exam paper. The neural connections changed, these memories were not regularly reinforced and were forgotten.

A short list of changes to different muscle groups

A crude drawing slouched sitting posture

Look at the typical sitting posture above that we find most of us in. Multiple changes are happening from head to toe. This also happens on a neural level. The longer we hold this posture the more the change will be ingrained. When doing complex activities that require fast reactions or more strength the adapted structures will make the task more challenging.

The Office WOD

The office workout is focusing on the neglected muscles we forget to stretch or use throughout the working day. Following this routine, 10-15 minutes at Lunch or on a coffee break will help maintain healthy muscle activity and length.

**This does not substitute exercise that gets your heart rate elevated.

The Workout won’t draw too much attention to you in the office. I won’t have you doing planks off the office chair or dead lifting the photocopier.

1. Chin Tucks (1 minute)

2. Neck Extensor stretch (1 minute)

3. Thoracic Spine Stretch (2 minute)

4. Posterior Shoulder Strengthening (1 minute)

5. Forearm Stretch (1 minute Each)

6. Glute Strengthening (1 minute)

7. Hip Flexor Stretch (1 minute each)

8. Hamstring Stretch (1 minute each)

9. Calf Stretch (1 minute each)

Try these exercises in your workplace to get muscles fired up again and working. Feel free to leave a comment about any of the exercises or any suggestions for changes.

Sitting Posture – How important is it really?

Sitting posture is something that get’s heavily criticised and over analysed. There could be more to it than simple ergonomics.

Your best posture is your next posture

In the last several years sitting posture has been classed as the “new smoking” or a dangerous position that will ruin your life. There are various arguments for and against sitting from different health experts and research. My opinion on this topic comes from my own clinical experience and taking value from all of the other respective parties.

First of all, sitting is not dangerous. But the longer we sit over a prolonged time is not healthy

Our body is dynamic and multi-functional, one of these functions is sitting. What’s up for debate is length of time and position. Recent studies have documented the following long term health risks from prolonged sitting.

**These studies are predictors for potential health risks, but are also contributed by poor nutrition, sleep deprivation and lack of exercise.

What’s the physical problem with sitting?

In unsupported sitting (i.e. on the floor, perched sitting) we have some activity from core muscles that stabilise the spine. With no activity we would collapse into a heap.

Our central nervous system cleverly adapts to positions we hold most in the day. In supported sitting our body adjusts, slowly loosing flexibility in the thoracic spine, hips and hamstrings. The trunk muscles, “the core” reduce activity in sitting and loose their primary function of support when doing physical activities. Other muscles like the glutes, scapular stabilisers and posterior rotator cuff become short or weakened.

With the lack of support our body naturally falls into the path of least resistance and this is when changes in posture begin to happen. Essentially causing us to hang off the tension of ligaments and other soft tissue, instead of support from the tone and strength of stabilising muscles.

Chemical changes are brewing while sitting

The longer we sit without movement puts more stress and pressure specific tissues. Causing reduced blood flow to that area, meaning it gets less oxygen and less removal of metabolic bi-products. The muscle becomes increasingly toxic and acidic.

Luckily our tissues hold acidic sensing Ion channels that detect changes to PH levels. When in an acidic environment it sends our brain a signal and we get the feeling of discomfort.

Choosing to ignore the discomfort and stay in the same position causes an increase in toxicity and will result in the development of the trigger point phenomenon. Another phenomenon called central sensitisation may also happen. When pain signals constantly bombard the brain with pain signals it lowers your pain thresh-hold, making you more susceptible to pain in stressful environments.

Whats the answer to sitting?

Looking at the physical and chemical changes that happen in a sustained position you can see that any position for a prolonged time is not beneficial to us.

A posture that doesn’t move isn’t a postural problem, it’s a problem of movement.

“Neutral” spinal and postural alignment is all well and said. But even sitting in an ergonomically aligned position will feel uncomfortable if sat this way for 8 hours.

To counteract the negative effects of sustained sitting positions, here are some recommendations:

1. Position variation

Look at the postures below. Some of them were traditionally classed as “bad” postures. But these postures vary the tensions and stress’s applied to different tissue. By regularly changing these forces it will allow you to tolerate sitting for longer. Making a conscious effort to change position every 15-20 minutes (remember you can still work, just change position).

2. Get up and move

Offload the stress and compression of your toxic butt! Giving a chance for tissue to oxygenate and flush unwanted toxins away. Also reducing eye strain, stress levels and fatigue. Not to mention all the other long term health benefits displayed above.

Studies have shown improvements in performance with intermittent breaks every 30 minutes (4). Consider standing when taking a phone call. Think about how many calls you get a day!

3. Sit-standing desks

Standing desks have taken off and are all the rage in open plan offices. Standing gives those stablising muscles a chance to work their magic. But even with standing you should consider regularly changing standing positions to offload pressures. Using a perching stool or foot stool to alternate step-standing.

4. Exercise

If this component is not included all of the above strategies will be wasted. Standing desks are not an exercise, it encourages a little more activity and is more sustainable. But your body needs to be challenged in other positions other than the one you hold most of the day. The long term health benefits are well documented for exercise.

Remember if you are just starting to exercise and coming from prolonged sitting over a number of years, ease into exercise gradually. Start off with regular power walks or exercycle. But as your fitness improves try to challenge it more, through other sources like pilates, yoga, resistance training or team sports.

Sitting isn’t the problem, it’s not moving enough.

Bell et al, (2014) Combined effect of physical activity and leisure time sitting on long-term risk of incident obesity and metabolic risk factor clustering. Diabetologia
Schmid et al, (2014) Sedentary behavior increases the risk of certain cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst
Katzmarzyk et al, (2012) Sedentary behaviour and life expectancy in the USA: a cause-deleted life table analysis. BMJ Open
Thorp et al (2014), Breaking up workplace sitting time with intermittent standing bouts improves fatigue and musculoskeletal discomfort in overweight/obese office workers. Occup Environ Med.

Ligament Sprains & Timeframes

Ligament sprains are one of the most common injuries, as their main role is to support the
joint. If poorly managed there is a risk of further injury.

Patience is not about doing nothing. Patience is about doing everything you can. But being patient about Results

What are ligaments?

Ligaments are fibrous tissues that attach from one bone to another across a joint. The tissue is very strong, varies in thickness and is dense with nerve receptors. Its role is to provide stability, guide movement, maintain joint shape and act as position sensors for the joint.

Previously ligaments were thought of as inactive structures, they are in fact complex structures that influence the localised joint and the entire body once injured (1).

Ligaments of the elbow

Ligaments of the wrist

Ligaments of the knee

Ligaments of the pelvis

ligaments of the shoulder

How are ligaments injured?

Ligament sprains are the result of loads exceeding the maximum strength of the ligament with little/no time to recover. This force causes acute tears of the ligament fibres.

These structures can be damaged through several mechanisms, like contact or direct trauma, dynamic loading, repetitive overuse, structural vulnerability and muscle imbalance (2). A sprain of ligaments usually affect the following joints:

Knees
Ankles
Wrists
Shoulders

How does it affect us?

As with most soft tissue damage there will be the typical acute pain and swelling. Injury to a ligament will compromise joint stability and ability to control movement. It can also reduce our balance, proprioception and muscle reflex time (3). With poor joint position comes restriction in movement and weakness of the surrounding muscles.

What types of ligament sprains are there?

The severity of ligament injury is graded using various clinical classifications. The most common is a three-level system that determines structural involvement.

Grade 1

Slight stretching and microscopic tearing of the ligament fibres
Mild tenderness and swelling around the ankle
Heals within 1-2 weeks

Grade 2

Partial tearing of 10-90% of the ligament fibres
Moderate tenderness and swelling around the ankle
Partial structural instability when tested by Physio or doctor
Healing takes up to 6 weeks

Grade 3

Complete tear of the ligament
Significant tenderness and swelling around the ankle
Complete instability when put under stress
Poor weight bearing
Conservative treatment can take 12-16 weeks
Potential reconstructive surgery is required

*Timeframes are based upon the guidance of a professional. Treating injuries on your own poses a risk of not fully recovering and a greater chance of re-injury.

For an appointment, call on 095290990

Frank, (2004) Ligament structure, physiology and function. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact
Gabriel (2002) Ligament injury and Repair: Current concepts. Hong Kong Physiotherapy J
Hauser (2013) Ligament Injury and Healing: A Review of Current Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutics. The Open Rehabilitation Journal

Improving press position

The final part to the 4 shoulder positions that give us stability. The press position is used in so many ways, failing to find a good press shape can produce poor results and pose a risk to injury.

This is the final part of the 4 shoulder shapes we should all be able to achieve. Creating these shapes provides more efficient transitions when under load, making it easier and posing less risk to the shoulder.

So we’ve opened up the over head, front rack and hang shape. The last position is a press. Think of so many positions, bench press, rowing, burpee, chest to bar pull up, muscle up, ring dip….. If we create a poor, unstable position from this point it will make the movement much more difficult.

2013 Open workout descriptions with Julie Foucher

With the press we need to achieve full shoulder extension without the elbows flaring. Rarely do we get full extension in the shoulder. Even when sat at a desk typing were put in a perfect opportunity to hold the press position, but we get too flexed through the spine and the keyboard is placed to far away.

The other movement is internal rotation, which was part of our hang position. Good internal rotation at the shoulder will stop the elbows from flaring.

The last part being the lack of mobility of our lower cervical and upper thoracic spine. Which when stiff takes us into a rounded shoulder position. Trying to mobilise this area will help improve shoulder and head position.

Below are a series of mobility exercises to help with these directions.

Barbell hold – With the bar racked up to shoulder level and secure in the rack. Reach back with both hands, hold onto the bar and gentle lean forwards till you feel a stretch in the front of the chest and shoulders. Hold for 2 minutes. Gradually work your hands closer together.

Peanut lower cervical – This one you’ll have to get hold of a peanut (two lacrosse balls stuck together). Place the peanut at the base of the neck. Lift the hips to the ceiling. Some gentle rocking or arm movements through flexion or behind the back will help mobilise this point. 2 minutes

Lats smash with LaX ball – Take the ball under the arm pit into the meaty portion at the back, which is your lats. Roll into the lats with the arm in over head position lying on your side. 2 minutes.

Band hold – The other alternative to the bar hold is a band hold. Same position but hold the band behind you. Hold the stretch for 2 minutes.