5 Yoga Poses For Relieving Shoulder Pain While Trekking With A Heavy Backpack

While preparing for a hike, many travellers work on strengthening their legs, which in most cases is understandable, but at the same time neglects the strain heavy backpacks can put on one's shoulders. Indeed, strong legs will go a long way with regard to actually trekking, but it is your upper body that has to hold up under camping gear, food, and water.

According to India Hikes, when one carries a heavy pack, several muscle groups get engaged. These include the rhomboids and trapezius in the upper back, pectoralis or pecs muscles in the chest, and latissimus dorsi, or lats, that wrap around the sides. Shoulders feel tight and sore, and such discomfort may cause hiking to be draggy and potentially problematic if something is not done to alleviate it.

5 Yoga Poses for Shoulder Relief

Thread the Needle

Start on hands and knees, then slide one arm under your body, reaching across to the opposite side. This creates tension in the muscles of your shoulder blades that include the rhomboids, trapezius, and upper lats.

Puppy Stretch

Start off on your hands and knees. From there, walk your hands forward, but keep your hips aligned with your knees. Lower the chest down towards the ground. It is great for opening the chest and tractioning the upper spine.

Starfish

Lie on your belly, extending one arm out to the side, then roll onto the opposite side. This provides a really deep stretch for the pectoralis muscles.

Don't Miss: 5 Tips By Celebrity Nutritionist To Boost Immunity In The Monsoon Season

Modified Cow Face

Reach one arm up and bend the elbow. Place your hand between your shoulder blades. With your free hand gently pull the elbow towards the centre. This pose targets the pecs and lats where they are inserted under your arm.

Chest Expander

Stand up with your interlaced fingers behind you, extending your hands out of your hips as you stretch your chest. You can stand up upright or fold forward to deepen the stretch. This pose helps open your chest after hours of rounding forward with a backpack on.

Don't Miss: Side Effects Of Sleeping On Your Stomach: Expert Tips And Advice

The following poses should be held for 30-60 seconds, with deep, relaxing breaths to obtain the full benefit.

As hiking becomes still more popular, all areas of physical preparation need to be in consideration. Anything that's simple and effective for taking care of your upper body can't be overlooked; hence, this collection works as wonderful yoga asanas to make outdoor adventure fun and aching-free.

For more such stories, stay tuned to HerZindagi

Herzindagi.com is Jagran New Media's gender and lifestyle vertical, catering to women of all age groups, helping them remain updated, on-trend and aware. To improve our performance and understand our readers' interests better, we have created this poll. This will take 2 minutes of your time, do help us out with this link.

Image Courtesy: Freepik