October Restorative Pose of The Month

Many thanks to Diana Ross of Breast Cancer Yoga for this guest blog!

Diana Ross, E-RYT500  -  

www.breastcanceryoga.com

"This simple yet effect restorative yoga pose can heal scarred muscles from surgeries. Overall tightness and tenderness in the shoulder and chest can be gently relieved especially if you draw the extended arm up, and then overhead. It is a pose which isolates a very distinct area that tends to become wounded by breast cancer."

Arm Under Chest

Instructions

1. Begin on your back with knees bent in PARTIAL RECLINE. A neck roll or pillow can be used for added    comfort.

2. Lift hips up, slide right arm, palm down underneath lower back so you can see finger tips on left side. 

STOP IF YOU FEEL PAIN. Lower hips down and extend legs.

3. Relax - breathe into the right side of upper chest until you feel a release in shoulder muscles.  

4. Once the shoulder relaxes experiment sliding hand up your back towards shoulder blades.

5. INHALE, left arm up and overhead for bigger additional stretch to breast region.

Flow arm back up and down. 

6. When ready hold pose for 3/5 breaths.

7. EXHALE lower arm back down, lift hips up and release arm from underneath.

8. Repeat on other arm.

Benefits

• Promote lymph circulation around axilla

• Helps heal scarring muscles and added tightness

• Increases internal rotation and shoulder mobility

• Strengthens scapula stabilizing muscle

• Opens and lift chest

• Increases ROM of shoulder joints - frozen shoulder

• Increases internal rotation and shoulder mobility.

• Releases shoulder tension that rounds your shoulders and binds your upper arm