Stretch For Life


Cervical Spine

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Cervical Spine 1



  •  

Stand straight

  • Slowly tip your head to the right
  • Right ear to right shoulder, don't lift shoulder
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Release back to center
  • Repeat to left side
  • Repeat step 1




Right Lateral

Flexion



Left Lateral

Flexion


Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Cervical Spine 2


  •  

Stand straight

  • Slowly tip your head to the right
  • Right ear to right shoulder, don't lift shoulder
  • Rotate your chin toward right shoulder
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Repeat to left side
  • Repeat



Lateral Flexion Head Rotation


Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Cervical Spine 3


  •  

Stand straight

  • Push chin outward away from neck
  • Flex neck forward toward chest
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Release to neutral
  • Repeat



Step 1

Neutral


Step 2

Chin Out


Step 3

Chin Out Neck Down


Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Cervical Spine 4



  •  

Stand straight

  • Slowly push chin toward neck
  • Flex neck forward toward chest
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Release to neutral
  • Repeat


Step 1

Neutral


Step 2

Chin In


Step 3

Chin In Neck Down

Thoracic Spine

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Thoracic Spine 1


  •  

Stand straight

  • Slowly tip your upper back to right side keeping head 90 degrees to shoulders
  • Maintain right arm next to right side
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Release to back to center
  • Repeat three times per side




Front View of Upper Back Right Lateral Bending



Back View of Upper Back Left Lateral Bending

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Thoracic Spine 2


  •  

Stand straight

  • Maintain left arm next to left side
  • Extend right arm straight forward
  • Maintain left shoulder position in space
  • Stretch forward as far as possible
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Repeat to opposite side
  • Repeat three times per side




Front View

Lateral Tip Right Shoulder, Arm Extended Forward


Oblique View

Lateral Tip, High Shoulder, Arm Extended Forward

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Thoracic Spine 3



  •  

Stand straight

  • Move hands above head
  • Keep upper arms parrallel to floor
  • Extend fingers upward
  • Pull shoulders and wing bones (scapula) slowly backward
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Repeat three times




Front View

Elbow 90º

Pull Scapula Together


Back View

Approximation of Scapula with Spine

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Thoracic Spine 4



  •  

Stand straight

  • Maintain arm position to side
  • Raise shoulders upward
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Relax
  • Lower shoulders downward
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Relax
  • Repeat three times




Shoulders Elevated Hands Down Head Straight


Side View Shoulders Up

Lumbar Spine

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Lumbar Spine 1


  •  

Stand straight

  • Arms to the front
  • Feet shoulder width apart, 6" from wall or door
  • Head, Back, Buttocks against wall or door
  • Test lumar spine space with hand
  • Rotate hip backward and down
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Relax
  • Repeat three times




Hip Rotation


Side View Hip Rotation

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Lumbar Spine 2


  •  

Stand straight

  • Bend lower back to right side
  • Maintain arm to right side of body
  • Don't bend hips
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Release back to center
  • Repeat to left side
  • Repeat three times




Front View of

Right Arm

Down Right Leg

Head Perpendicular to shoulders


Opposite Side View

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Lumbar Spine 3


  •  

Stand straight

  • Bend forward at waist-knees straight
  • Reach hands toward toes
  • Don't bounce
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Repeat three times




Side View of Flexion Position

Wrist & Hand

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Wrist and Hand 1



  •  

Bend one wrist into flexion, use the other hand

  • Hold position at end range of motion for count of 12
  • Repeat step 1 with extension
  • Separate fingers as far as possible
  • Close fingers to each other, squeeze
  • Repeat three times




Hand Flex


Hand Extension


Fingers Out



 

Fingers In


Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Wrist and Hand 2


  •  

Use right hand to pull fingers for traction

  • Use one finger at a time
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Do each finger
  • Switch hands
  • Repeat three times




Axial Finger Stretch

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Wrist and Hand 3


  •  

Use left hand and right

  • Pull on right fingers with a smooth steady traction motion
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Switch hands
  • Repeat three times




Hand Traction

Shoulder

Spinal Biomechanical

Therapeutic Maneuvers®

Shoulder


  •  

Stand straight

  • Hands down to sides
  • Rotate arm outward
  • Hold position for count of 12
  • Repeat three times each arm


Starting Position

Holding Position