When Was the Last Time You Reached Your Arms in the Air?

And Why Does it Matter?

Have you ever taken the time to notice what your movement looks like throughout the day? Are your movements varied or repetitive? How much time are you spending in any one fixed position like sitting, for example?

The Forgotten Movement

One move we might not do much of is lifting our arms overhead. Our modern lives seem to demand a lot of typing or scrolling, or even if we don’t use screens much, reading books or writing by hand requires our arms to be in front of us and held in a shortened position.

The Problem

What happens if we have repetitive shortened arm positions and fail to regularly reach our arms above our heads? Our muscles will shorten and tighten and then lifting our arms up will become more difficult.

The crazy thing is, we might not actually notice the movement becoming more difficult at first because our bodies are amazing and they will adapt and compensate by lifting up the rib cage.

Take a moment to test yourself. When you raise our arms above your head, what is happening to your rib cage? Does it stay relaxed or is it lifting up?

If your rib cage is lifting, it is a sign that your shoulder mobility may be restricted.

This is going to have a knock on effect. Restricted shoulder mobility can cause the rib cage to lift. If the rib cage is lifted, our core strength is compromised, this could result in lower back pain or altered breathing patterns. Our posture may also be effected, causing our shoulders and upper back to become more rounded, forcing the neck to be carried out in front. Our whole body is connected and an issue in one area is going to affect other areas too.

The Solution

Our body needs a lot of variety in the movement it does every day. If you have noticed that you are not often lifting your arms above your head, try to add more of that movement into your daily life.

Think about the way things are arranged in your home. Can you position things you use every day on higher shelves? It will feel like harder work to have to reach for things, but it will enable you to get your daily movement in without having to take time to ‘work out’. If you are working at a desk, take regular stretch breaks and reach your arms in the air. A great challenge is to reach up to the top of the door frame every time you walk through a doorway in your home.

If your shoulders are tight, focus on reaching up while keeping the rib cage relaxed. To start with, you might not be able to lift the arms so high, but with regular practice you should see mobility increase and the movement become more free.

Inside the Aligned and Active Membership for the month of march, we are working on building core strength. A strong doesn’t come from doing crunches and sit ups - a strong core begins with good alignment and mobile shoulders are an important part of enabling that good alignment.

My challenge for you this week is to build a new habit of reaching your arms up high, remembering to keep the ribs down.

Disclaimer

The information provided through Aligned and Active is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition.

The content shared does not replace professional medical advice, assessment, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP or another qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns, injuries, or health conditions.

Before beginning any new exercise, movement, or wellbeing programme, you should consult your GP or healthcare provider to ensure it is appropriate for your individual circumstances.