5 Morning Stretching Exercises

Morning Stretch for Lumbar Flexion

To gently stretch your low back, perform the seated lumbar flexion exercise. This is a perfect stretch if you have spinal stenosis.

1. Sit on the edge of your bed with your feet on the floor.
2. Bend over, reaching your hands toward your feet.
3. Arch your back.
4. Hold for a count of 10.
5. Repeat 5 more times.

Morning Stretch for Neck Mobility

A simple way to get your neck moving is with the neck rotation stretch. Here is how you do it:

1. Remain seated on the edge of your bed with your feet on the floor.
2. Rotate your neck in a circle, touching your ears to your shoulders.
3. Rotate slowly in a clockwise direction 5 times.
4. Rotate slowly in a counterclockwise direction 5 times.

Shoulder Shrugs

Get your shoulders loose with the seated shoulder shrug, like this:

1. Remain seated on the edge of your bed with your feet on the floor.
2. Shrug your shoulders up to your ears.
3. Repeat 10 more times.

Morning Shoulder Stretches

Keep your rotator cuff and shoulders healthy with the overhead shoulder stretch. Here's how:

1. Stand next to your bed.
2. Lace your fingers together.
3. Raise your hands above your head, palms upward.
4. Lift up stretching your rib cage.
5. Hold for a count of 10.
6. Repeat 5 more times.

Be sure to watch for any pinching or painful sensations in your shoulders as you do this. If you feel shoulder pain while stretching, stop the exercise immediately.

Standing Quad Stretch

To stretch your quadriceps muscles in the front of your thighs:

1. Stand up and hold onto something stable.
2. Bend one knee up and grab your ankle with one hand.
3. Hold your leg up for 15 seconds.
4. Repeat 3 times.

Now you should be all stretched out and ready to start your day.