Torso Stretch - Trunk Rotation

by Lavon Watson, LMP, Life Changes Massage in Redmond, WA

Without getting lost in the various muscles involved in the process of rotating your trunk let's speak here about the various movements associated with your trunk or torso. Although these movements can and usually are a complicated combination of flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation, here we are simply addressing one aspect of trunk movement, rotation.

Most trunk rotation occurs in the thoracic and cervical spine (chest and neck region), although there is some limited movement potential in the lumbar region. Because rotation is commonly one of the least used movements as we get older, it is also one that can give you great benefit from regular stretching.

In fact, with this stretch I usually tell clients not to think of it as so much a stretch as a movement. I believe this one works best if you stay in motion, but think in terms of slow motion.

Torso Stretch

1. Lie on the floor on your back as shown with your knees bent at about 45 degrees.
2. While dropping your knees together down to the floor to the left, slowly rotate your head to the right and raise your right arm above your head so you end up looking at your upper arm.
3. Then, in a slow rhythmic manner rotate your knees to the right while dropping your right arm to your side and raising your left arm over your head and rotating your head to the left.
4. Simply repeat this movement twelve to fifteen times to each side while taking full slow breaths.

In a sense what you are doing with this movement is wringing your spine, rotating one end clockwise and the other counterclockwise then reversing the process.