Welcome to "The Stretching Post"
Static Stretching Routines

The stretching post is designed as an "Educational Resource" and a "Reference Resource"
for Craddock and Associates, the owner of www.professionalmassage.us
We make no other claim to this information other than it works for us and the clients we serve.

If there are any questions that you may have, contact us.

Create and Print your custom routine:
Therapist's Name: Patient's Name:
(Select up to 6 Routines using the check boxes below, then click "Print".)

Lateral Neck Stretch Look forward while keeping your head up. Slowly move your ear towards your shoulder. Keep your hands behind your back and do not lift your shoulder up to your ear.	Diagonal Flexion Neck Stand upright and let your chin fall forward towards your chest. Then gently lean your head to one side.	Forward Flexion Neck Stretch Stand upright and let your chin fall forward towards your chest. Relax your shoulders and keep your hands by your side.	Neck Protraction Stretch Keep your head up then push your head forward by sticking your chin out.
Sitting Neck Flexion While sitting on a chair, cross your arms over and hang on to the chair between your legs. Let your head fall forward and then lean backwards.	Parallel Arm Shoulder Stand upright and place one arm across your body. Keep your arm parallel to the ground and pull your elbow towards your opposite shoulder.	Bent Arm Shoulder Stand upright and place one arm across your body. Bend your arm at 90 degrees and pull your elbow towards your opposite shoulder.	Wrap-around Shoulder Stretch Stand upright and wrap your arms around your shoulders as if hugging yourself. Pull your shoulders back.
Cross-over Shoulder Stand with your knees bent. Cross your arms over and grab the back of your knees. Then start to raise upwards until you feel tension in your upper back and shoulders.	Reaching-up Shoulder Place one hand behind your back and then reach up between your shoulder blades.	Elbow-out Rotator Stretch Stand with your hand behind the middle of your back and your elbow pointing out. Reach over with your other hand and gently pull your elbow forward.	Arm-up Rotator Stretch Stand with your arm out and your forearm pointing upwards at 90 degrees. Place a broom stick in your hand and behind your elbow. With your other hand pull the bottom of the broom stick forward.
Arm-down Rotator Stretch Stand with your arm out and your forearm pointing downwards at 90 degrees. Place a broom stick in your hand and behind your elbow. With your other hand pull the top of the broom stick forward.	Reverse Shoulder Stretch Stand upright and clasp your hands together behind your back. Slowly lift your hands upward.	Assisted Reverse Shoulder Stretch Stand upright with your back towards a table or bench and place your hands on the edge of the table or bench. Keep your arms straight and slowly lower your entire body.	Seated Partner Assisted Chest Stretch Sit on the ground and have a partner stand behind you. Reach behind with both arms and have the partner further extend your arms.
Parallel Arm Chest Stretch Stand with your arm extended to the rear and parallel to the ground. Hold on to an immovable object and then turn your shoulders and body away from your outstretched arm.	Bent Arm Chest Stretch Stand with your arm extended and your forearm at right angles to the ground. Rest your forearm against an immovable object and then turn your shoulders and body away from your extended arm.	Assisted Reverse Chest Stretch Stand upright with your back towards a table or bench and place your hands on the edge of the table or bench. Bend your arms and slowly lower your entire body.	Bent-over Chest Stretch Face a wall and place both hands on the wall just above your head. Slowly lower your shoulders as if moving your chin towards the ground.
Kneeling Chest Stretch Kneel on the floor in front of a chair or table and interlock your forearms above your head. Place your arms on the object and lower your upper body toward the ground.	Assisted Triceps Stretch Stand with your hand behind your neck and your elbow pointing upwards. Then use your other hand to pull your elbow down.	Kneeling Forearm Stretch While crouching on your knees with your forearms facing forward and hands pointing backwards, slowly move rearward.	Fingers-down Forearm Stretch Hold onto your fingers and turn your palms outwards. Straighten your arm and then pull your fingers back using your other hand.
On Elbows Stomach Lie face down and bring your hands close to your shoulders. Keep your hips on the ground, look forward and rise up onto your elbows.	Rising Stomach Stretch Lie face down and bring your hands close to your shoulders. Keep your hips on the ground, look forward and raise up by straightening your arms.	Rotating Stomach Lie face down and bring your hands close to your shoulders. Keep your hips on the ground, look forward and raise up by straightening your arms. Then slowly bend one arm and rotate that shoulder towards the ground.	Standing Lean-back Stomach Stretch Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart and place your hands on your buttocks for support. Look upwards and slowly lean backwards at the waist.
Standing Lean-back Side Stomach Stretch Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart and place one hand of your buttocks. Look up and slowly lean backwards at the waist, then reach over with your opposite hand and rotate at the waist.	Reaching Upper Back Stretch Stand with your arms out in front and crossed over. Push your hands forward as far as possible and let your head fall forward.	Reaching Shoulder Stretch Sit in a squatting position while facing a door edge or pole, then hold onto the door edge with one hand and lean backwards away from the door.	Lying Whole Body Stretch Lie on your back and extend your arms behind you. Raise your toes and then lengthen your body as much as you can.
Sitting Bent-over Back Stretch Sit on the ground with your legs straight out in front or at 45 degrees apart. Keep your toes pointing upwards and rest your arms by your side or on your lap. Relax your back and neck and then let your head and chest fall forward.	Sitting Side Reach Stretch Sit with one leg straight out to the side and your toes pointing up, then bring your other foot up to your knee. Let your head fall forward and reach towards the outside of your toes with both hands.	Kneeling Back-arch Stretch Kneel on your hands and knees. Let your head fall forward and arch your back upwards.	Kneeling Back Rotation Stretch Kneel on the ground and raise one arm. Then rotate your shoulders and middle back while looking upwards.
Standing Back Rotation Stretch Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands across your chest while keeping your back and shoulders upright. Slowly rotate your shoulders to one side.	Standing Reach-up Back Rotation Stretch Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands above your head while keeping your back and shoulders upright. Slowly rotate your back and shoulders to one side.	Lying Leg Cross-over Stretch Lie on your back and cross one leg over the other. Keep your arms out to the side and both legs straight. Let your back and hips rotate with your leg.	Lying Knee Roll-over Stretch Lie on your back and cross one leg over the other. Keep your arms out to the side and both legs straight. Let your back and hips rotate with your leg.
Sitting Knee-up Rotation Stretch Sit with one leg straight and the other leg crossed over your knee. Turn your shoulders and put your arm onto your raised knee to help rotate your shoulders and back.	Sitting Knee-up Extended Rotation Stretch Sit with one leg bent and the other leg crossed over your knee. Turn your shoulders and put your arm onto your raised knee to help rotate your shoulders and back.	Kneeling Reach-around Stretch Kneel on your hands and knees and then take one hand and reach around towards your ankle. Keep your back parallel to the ground.	Reaching Lateral Side Stretch Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, then slowly bend to the side and reach over the top of your head with your hand. Do not bend forward.
Sitting Lateral Side Stretch While sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the ground, look straight ahead and keep your body upright. Slowly bend to the left or right while reaching towards the ground with one hand. Do not bend forward.	Lying Cross-over Knee Pull-down Stretch Lie on your back and cross one leg over the other. Bring your foot up to your opposite knee and with your opposite arm pull your raised knee towards the ground.	Lying Leg Tuck Hip Stretch Lie on your stomach and bend one leg under your stomach. Lean towards the ground.	Standing Leg Tuck Hip Stretch Stand beside a chair or table and place the foot furthest from the object onto the object. Relax your leg, lean forward and bend your other leg, lowering yourself towards the ground.
Sitting Rotational Hip Stretch Sit with one leg crossed and your other leg behind your buttocks. Lean your whole body towards the leg that is behind your buttocks.	Standing Rotational Hip Stretch Stand beside a table and raise your lower leg out to the side and up onto the table. Then slowly lower your body.	Sitting Knee-to-chest Buttocks Stretch Sit with one leg straight and the other leg crossed over your knee. Pull the raised knee towards your opposite shoulder while keeping your back straight and your shoulders facing forward.	Sitting Foot-to-chest Buttocks Stretch Sit with one leg straight and hold onto your other ankle. Pull it directly towards your chest.
Lying Quad Stretch Lie face down and pull one foot up behind your buttocks.	Lying Side Quad Stretch Lie on your side and pull your top leg behind your buttocks. Keep your knees together and push your hips forward.	Lying Straight Knee Hamstring Stretch Lie on your back and bend one leg. Raise your straight leg and pull it towards your chest.	Standing Leg-up Bent Knee Hamstring Stretch Stand with one foot raised onto a chair or an object. Keep your leg slightly bent and let your heel drop off the edge of the object. Keep your back straight and move your chest towards your thigh.
Sitting Feet-together Adductor Stretch Sit with the soles of your feet together and bring your feet towards your groin. Hold onto your ankles and push your knee towards the ground with your elbows. Keep your back straight and upright.	Standing Wide Knees Adductor Stretch Stand with your feet wide apart and your toes pointing diagonally outwards. Bend at the knees, lean forward and use your hands to push your knees outwards.	Standing Leg-up Adductor Stretch Stand upright and place one leg out to the side and your foot up on a raised object. Keep your toes facing forward and slowly move your other leg away from the object.	Kneeling Leg-out Adductor Stretch Kneel on one knee and place your other leg out to the side with your toes facing forward. Rest your hands on the ground and slowly move your foot further out to the side.
Squatting Leg-out Adductor Stretch Stand with your feet wide apart. Keep one leg straight and toes facing forward while bending the other leg and turning your toes out to the side. Lower your groin towards the ground and rest your hands on the bent knee or the ground.	Kneeling Face-down Adductor Stretch Kneel face down with your knees and toes facing out. Lean forward and let your knees move outwards.	Sitting Wide-leg Adductor Stretch Sit with your legs straight and wide apart. Keep your back straight and lean forward.	Standing Wide-leg Adductor Stretch Stand with your feet wide apart and your toes facing forward. Lean forward and reach towards the ground.
Standing Hip-out Abductor Stretch Stand upright beside a chair or table with both feet together. Lean your upper body towards the chair while pushing your hips away from the chair. Keep your outside leg straight and your inside leg slightly bent.	Standing Leg-cross Abductor Stretch Stand upright and cross one foot behind the other. Lean towards the foot that is behind the other.	Leaning Abductor Stretch While standing next to a pole, or door jam hold onto the pole with one hand. Keep your feet together, and lean your hips away from the pole. Keep your outside leg straight and bend your inside leg slightly.	Standing Leg-under Abductor Stretch While standing lean forward and hold onto a chair or bench to help with balance. Cross one foot behind the other and slide that foot to the side. Keep your leg straight and slowly bend your front leg to lower your body.
Lying Abductor Stretch Lean on your side on the ground and bring your top leg up to your other knee. Push your body up with your arm and keep your hip on the ground.	Standing Toe-up Calf Stretch Stand upright and place your toes on a step or raised object. Keep your leg straight and lean towards your toes.	Standing Toe-up Calf Stretch Stand with one knee bent and the other leg straight out in front. Point your toes towards your body and lean forward. Keep your back straight and rest your hands on your bent knee.	Standing Heel-back Calf Stand upright and then take one big step backwards. Keep your back leg straight and push your heel to the ground.
Leaning Heel-back Calf Stretch Stand upright and lean against a wall. Place one foot as far from the wall as is comfortable and make sure that both toes are facing forward and your heel is on the ground. Keep your back leg straight and lean towards the wall.	Crouching Heel-back Achilles Stretch Stand upright and place one foot in front of the other. Bend your front leg and your back leg and then push your back heel towards the ground. Lean forward placing your hands on the ground in front of you.	Kneeling Heel-down Achilles Stretch Kneel on one foot and place your body weight over your knee. Keep your heel on the ground and lean forward.	Foot Behind Shin Stretch Stand upright and place the top of your toes on the ground behind you. Push your ankle to the ground.
Raised Foot Shin Stretch Stand with your back to a chair. Place the top of your toes onto the chair and then push your ankle downwards.	Squatting Toe Stretch Kneel on one foot with your hands on the ground. Place your body weight over your knee and slowly move your knee forward. Keep your toes on the ground and arch your foot.