Thread The Needle - Foam Roller

Is this for yourself or for a patient?

HOW: Get set-up on the ground on your hands and knees with a foam roller to the side you. Sit your butt back towards your heels as far as you can that you feel comfortable with. With your arm that is further away from the foam roller, reach through and under your other arm and place your hand and wrist on the roller with your thumb facing up towards the sky. Take a breath in followed by breathing out as you roll the foam roller away from you. You can rotate your head and follow your hand with your eyes, or for a sport like golf you can keep your head and eyes facing the ground. Slowly return and repeat.

FEEL: You should feel motion occurring in your mid back and around your shoulder blades. Towards the end of the motion, you may feel a stretch in this area.

COMPENSATION: Try to limit motion to your mid back and shoulder blades. Do not move excessively from your hips, pelvis, or low back. This is why sitting your butt back towards your heels is beneficial.

Turn this exercise into a full plan

Get this exercise inside a fully guided PT program built for you, with tutorial-style video, reps, and progressions.

Pull this exercise straight into a patient's HEP in Prehab Professional, with cueing notes built in.