Tight Lats - The connection between your arms, shoulders and spine.
Do you have a tight Latissimus Dorsi?
Latissiumus what?!
‘Lats’ for short.
They are one of the largest muscles in your back and helps protect and stabilize the spine while giving your back and shoulder strength.
Because they attached to the shoulder, the shoulder blades, the arm, the ribs and the spine, tight lats can affect our posture, our back and our shoulders causing back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain.
https://movestrongphysicaltherapy.com/new-blog/2019/11/18/tight-lats-do-this
What causes tight lats?
Tight lats and lat pain is often caused by overuse in exercises such as
Tennis.
Swimming.
Chip-ups and pullups.
Reaching forward and overhead repeatedly.
Poor posture and slouching can also cause tight lats and lat pain.
Photo by AndreyPopov/iStock / Getty Images
What happens if tight you have tight lats?
Tight or injured lats may feel like:
Lower or upper pain.
Pain that gets worse then you reach forward or extend your arms.
Pain in the lower arms.
Do I have tight lats?
Lie on the floor or a table and raise your hands above your head.
Keep your lower back on the floor.
If your hands aren’t able to touch the ground above you, you may have tight lats.
Watch the video to see how to rule out other muscle tightness.
What to do if you have tight lats?
Firstly if you are suffering lat pain, there are many medical causes, so please consult your health professional for advice. Additionally, here are some things you can do about tight lats.
Mobility
Bench T-Spine Mobilisation
Sit on your knees and put your elbows on the bench.
Lower your butt down so that your elbow and arms extend above your head.
You can also do this on a chair or a fitball
https://www.healthline.com/health/lat-stretches#wall-press
https://www.healthline.com/health/lat-stretches#wall-press
Active Floor Stretch
Kneel and sink your hips back and place your right forarm along the floor.
Lean your weight onto a right arm and stretch out your left arm, reaching out through your fingertips.
Hold this position for a few seconds.
Return to your starting position.
Repeat 10 times.
Repeat on the opposite side.
Self-Myofascial Release
Lat Roll
Lie on your side.
Put the rolling in your arm pit area.
Roll forward and backward.
Use the height of your butt to adjust the pressure (the higher your butt, the more pressure).
https://youtu.be/fmY0e2fiACM
Yoga
Upward Salute
Lift both arms up toward the ceiling.
Engage your core and tuck in your tailbone slightly, keeping your spine in alignment.
Child’s pose
Start on your knees with your knees slightly wider than your hips and your hips on your heels.
Rest your head on the mat.
Reach your hands out in front of you.
https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/child-s-pose?jwsource=cl
Give this a go and see if you can loosen up your lats.
You can also get your FREE 2 week Recharge trial and we’ll go through these techniques with you.
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