Latissimus Dorsi Stretch

Osteopath Nicholas Bisetto shows us a great stretch for the Latissimus Dorsi muscle.

The Lats are a mighty big muscle that span from our shoulders to our pelvis, as shown below.

They offer a lot of trunk stability in rotation as well extension, internal rotation and adduction at the shoulder.

For those of us sitting down all day, this stretch is a must! We tend to hunch after a little while when sitting which shortens our thoracic spine. Getting length back in the Lats can often help to open up the rib cage and decompress the thoracic spine in the process, meaning that upper back, shoulder and neck pain can often be avoided.

For those athletes that find themselves up on their feet a lot of the time, or for those of us standing for long periods, the lats often do a lot of work to help keep us upright and can become fatigued and shortened. You'll find that your basic movements get a lot easier after stretching through the lats, and strength exercises like your Squat will feel much more stable.

If you want more specific advice for you, book an appointment with one of our Osteo's here