The Standing YTWL exercise is often prescribed in our office for patients experiencing neck pain, upper to midback pain, and shoulder pain. The exercise can be initially performed in a standing position and eventually transitioned to performing on the floor face down to make it more challenging. The exercise strengthens the trapezius, rhomboids, lats, and rotator cuff muscles.
How to perform:
- Begin in a standing position in an area where your arms have enough room to reach behind and above your shoulders
- Rotate both of your shoulders backwards so that your thumbs are facing behind away
- Start by elevating both arms backwards at an approximately 135 degree angle to form a Y shape and squeeze the end position for 1 second
- Next move your arms down to a 90 degree angle to form a lower case T and squeeze your shoulder blades together for 1 second
- Now bring your elbows downwards, backwards and towards each other at an angle to form a W shape and again squeeze the end position 1 for 1 second
- Finally, place your palms facing upwards and rotate your arms outwards while keeping your elbows fixed to your torso to make two uppercase L shapes
- Repeat for 10-15 reps or until your muscles are fatigued
- Perform 2-3 sets per session
Neck pain is a common condition that presents to our office, and the standing YTWL exercise can be helpful for symptom relief.
We always recommend making an appointment for any new onset neck pain as well as for re-aggravations of previous symptoms to properly diagnose the underlying cause and to determine the most appropriate treatment.
To make an appointment, click on the following link: https://ledermanchiropractic.janeapp.com/
Yours in health,
