The Bent Over Lat Stretch is a Stretching technique for the Pull muscle s, in particular the Latissimus Dorsi .
Starting Position:
Patient is hinged at The Hips roughly 90º of Hip - Flexion with ipsilateral arm straight, overhead and hand grasping a pole in front of them. Knees are slightly flexed as needed
The stretch is then performed by shifting bodyweight backwards, pulling the arm straight.
Perpendicular/ Horizontal- a similar stretch can be acheived with the patient facing perpendicularly. Reaching their arm across the body (Horizontal GH Joint - Adduction ) to grasp the pole. This variation is then felt by leaning the body away from the pole and is more relevant for Thoracic - Rotation rather than Thoracic - Extension
As the Bent Over Lat Stretch is quite rudimentary, there are few simpler/ more accessible exercises:
Forward Elevation Stretch - rudimentary passive stretch with moderate GH Joint - Flexion range
Genie Stretch - rudimentary horizontal adduction stretch
Seated Thoracic Rotation with Breathing - large lateral flexion and rotation range coupled with breathing
The following Stretching techniques may be used as a progression to the Bent Over Lat Stretch:
Swimmers Oblique Extensions - exercise that may be used to lengthen entire Lateral Line through large body-wide lateral-flexion range
Dead Hangs - whole body traction for Pull and Push muscles with large overhead range
Jefferson Curl - maximal stretch for posterior chain with emphasis on intersegmental movment of the Vertebral Column and capacity to add load
Bretzel 1.0 - wholebody technical stretch that incorporates anterior shoulder
Bretzel 2.0 - variation with greater hip extension range
DB Pullover - moderate isotonic movement with large overhead and Thoracic - Extension range
Prone Lat Pulldown - Lat Pulldown variation that emphasises Thoracic - Extension