3 Remarkably Easy Stretches That Improve Your Posture And Prevent Compression Fractures - Save Our Bones

It’s no secret that regular exercise, including weight-bearing activities and targeted moves that apply pressure on bones, is crucial for optimal bone health.

But you may not have thought about the importance of stretching for preventing vertebral fractures.

Stretching actually helps improve posture and keeps your spine aligned, thus preventing painful collapsed vertebrae. And stretching your spine throughout the day gives you an amazing ‘pick-me-up’, helping you breathe better and feel more energetic.

As you can see, stretching your spine and upper body is an excellent and necessary enhancement to your regular bone density exercise regimen.

So today I’m going to show you three super-fast but very effective upper body stretches that will do just that. They’ll also relieve back pain. And the best part is, you can do them right in your home or office.

1. Back Pump

This stretch is especially beneficial if you’re feeling tense in your upper back and shoulders. You can do it while seated.

  1. Make a fist with your right hand.
  2. Place your fist in your left hand, elbows pointing out and palms facing you.
  3. Sitting up straight, press your hands together and roll your shoulders back and down.
  4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, press the hands against each other, and hold for 5 seconds, then release. Repeat 3 to 5 times.

The Back Pump stretches and relaxes your traps, releasing their hold on your vertebrae and scapulae.

2. Shoulder Straightener

For this stretch, you’ll need to stand in a doorway.

  1. Hold one arm out from your body in an L shape.
  2. Place your forearm against the door frame.
  3. Keeping your forearm against the frame, lean forward until you feel a stretch in your chest.
  4. Lean back to your starting position, and repeat 3 to 5 times.
  5. Switch sides and repeat.

The Shoulder Straightener is excellent for stretching the pectoralis minor and correcting rounded shoulders.

3. Spinal Hump Stretch

This stretch is perfect for someone who spends a lot of time hunched over a desk or if you’re trying to correct and/or prevent the Dowager’s Hump. You can do it standing or sitting, but if your chair has a back, you’ll need to sit sideways so you can get your arms behind you.

  1. Clasp your hands behind your back.
  2. Straighten your arms and slowly raise them up toward the ceiling.
  3. When you can’t lift your arms anymore, you’ll feel a stretch across your chest.
  4. Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat 3 to 5 times.

This is called the Spinal Hump Stretch because it counteracts the humped, rounded posture characteristic of Dowager’s Hump (kyphosis).

You can do these stretches as often as you like throughout the day. They’re the perfect addition to the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System, which only takes 15 minutes, three times a week. The exercises in Densercise™ are specifically designed to increase bone density in targeted areas, emphasizing fracture-prone places like the hips, wrists, and ankles.

Additionally, the moves in Densercise™ strengthen, relax, and tone the muscles that keep your skeleton aligned, and the stretches described here are a great way to see faster results when you practice the exercises.

Please click here to learn more about Densercise™, and remember, feel free to share your experiences and thoughts by leaving a comment below!

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Comments on this article are closed.

  1. joyce

    A DVD of the full exercise program would be such an important addition to your offerings. Are you considering offering one??

  2. Sarah Lee

    My torso is horribly deformed from multiple compression fractures of spine esp. T12 &L1. My stomach is pooched out (extended) to accommodate organs. Also hump in upper back. So this has made me crippled, unable to function normally and miserable.
    I’ve just started doing some exercise shown in Save MyBones website, but wonder if I’m too far gone.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Sarah Lee, please don’t be discouraged! The Osteoporosis Reversal Program is all about whole-body, whole-person health, and it’s never too late to adopt a lifestyle that promotes the best optimal health for your body and bones. 🙂 Hang in there, and please keep participating in the community for encouragement and inspiration!

  3. Sarah Lee

    My torso is horribly deformed from multiple compression fractures of spine esp. T12 &L1. My stomach is pooched out (extended) to accommodate organs. Also hump in upper back. So this has made me crippled, unable to function normally and miserable.
    I’ve just started doing some exercise shown in Save MyBones website, but wonder if I’m too far gone.

  4. Pat

    I have a question regarding the densercise program. Is the video in the program in a DVD format? If only on the computer, the location of my desk top computer would not allow me to follow along at the same time. I tend to learn best if I can follow along at the same time. I use many exercise videos and would definitely get the program if it were available. Please let me know. Thanks!

  5. Edna

    Vivian, Thank you for sharing this great information. I didn’t understand the 2nd Shoulder Straightener excercise. Is there a way you can explain it.

    Thanks

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      I am sorry the stretch isn’t clear to you, Edna! Basically, you are stretching your arm back while it’s held in the L-shape. Leaning forward with your hand on a door frame brings the arm back.

      I hope this helps!

  6. monica forster

    Dear Vivian,
    I am so impressed with your correspondence which helps me feel less isolated, although wouldn’t it be wonderful if you were here in the UK?!
    You are so enlightened in the States. Here we do have a support network through our osteoporosis society, but the advice from them is way behind, just giving info about NHS medication here which is still about Fosamax and its group of phosphonates.
    Thank you so much for the suggested exercises, too. I’m happy to see that Yoga and Pilates have very similar exercises and postures, as I have regular classes in these.
    Do you have any contacts in the UK who I could get in touch with, please?
    Thank you,
    Monica

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Thank you for your kind words, Monica! One of the main purposes of the Save Our Bones blog is to bring the community together for support! No one likes to feel isolated in their health choices, and when you’re going against the mainstream, it’s easy to feel like you’re alone. I am glad to hear that this site has helped you feel connected! This is the best place to find fellow Savers in the UK. 🙂

  7. Linda

    I was reviewing the program book today since all of a sudden I am having trouble with my acid level. I have done 2 things differently which surely isnt the culprit! However, I hope you can answer this. I have added Chia seeds to my morning smoothie.(sure miss my toast and jelly! lol) and have joined a womens exercise club called “curves”.First question…Are Chia seeds alkalizing or acid forming?? I had hoped that resistance training would be good for me but I read in the book that free weights are best. I dont want to waist my time strengthening muscles if I am not also building bone. Second question…Am I waisting my time with resisitance training???? I am such a klutz that I thought it would be safer rather than doing the free weights wrong.
    Please advise and thanks!

    • EsterH

      Hi, Linda!

      Strengthening and building muscle actually helps with balance which helps minimize risk of falls and fractures. Resistance exercises puts stress on the joints and bones, which encourages their regrowth and rejuvenation alongside a ph-balanced diet. I believe most of us are incorporating resistance exercises in our workouts… . It looks like you’re on the right track to better bone health! Good luck!

    • Bernadine

      Linda, don’t give up on your resistance training. Resistance training is weight bearing and therefore serves to help your bones. As with weights, just try to do more reps and increase resistance as you get stronger.

      • Linda

        Thank you Bernadine,
        I have read so many conflicting reports. It seems like resistance would be like lifting weight on the bone but who am I to know? Thank you for your info and your answering. Sometimes you get no response at all to a question so it is so nice to have your knowledge

  8. Vee

    Hi Vivian,
    Thank-you so much for the info on Stretching. I also ordered the Densercise Training System and I wanted to order the TrueOsteo Calcium supplement as well, but I noticed that one of their ingredients is (silica), a product that’s normally considered to be a type of sand and used to make glass. Additionally, I have read that kidney stones may form with consumption of massive amounts of silica over a long period of time. Is there a different type of silica for this particular product, or is it being use as a flow agent for this one? Please explain, I’m somewhat confused on this one. Thanks

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Hi Vee,
      Silica is actually very important for bone health! It’s found in foods like cucumbers. You can read more about it in this post if you like:

      https://saveourbones.com/the-incredible-cucumber/

      Hopefully, that will help clarify things for you. 🙂

  9. Leslie (Ms. L. Carmel)

    Good Evening Vivian,

    These Stretch Exercises Are Great. I Liked Them So Well That I’m Going To Share Them With Some Of The People That Live At The Senior Home, That I Do Volunteer Work At, And Others Come There, Just For The (Day Care) Program They Have There. I Think They’ll Love Them Too.

    Well Got To Go Now. Take Good Care Of Yourself, And Stay Well.

    LOVE, LESLIE (MS. L. CARMEL)

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      What a lovely idea, Leslie! Please share with as many people as you like. 🙂

  10. grace ratliff

    I would like to order the book in paper back form, not too good on computer

  11. grace ratliff

    I would like the exercises in book form , that I can hold in my hand. I am not too good on compute

  12. Christine Farrell

    Those 3 stretches are excellent – were you reading my mind, perhaps.
    Yes, I’ll be doing these, till the creaks are out of my system, and then some more!

  13. Nicole

    Is it true that air conditioning is bad for your bones?

  14. Jackie Waite

    Vivian: I look forward to your very helpful exercises to use. Thanks so much for caring about us.

  15. carol coleman

    Dear Vivian – one and half years ago my mother who is 97 fell over, I tried to pick her up, and my back went really bad (Mother did not hurt herself) After seeing cyropractor, physio, ex rays, hospital appointmenst, mri scan, I was told I have degenerative lumber sponsidosis. After one and half years I am still in agony, and the worse is when the pain goes down my left leg on the Sciatic nerve. I rarely cry, but this certainly does make my cry at times. I am never rally free of pain. I take pain killers, etc, nothing much helps.

    Have you any views or advice on my problem please.

    Best regards

    Carol Coleman
    Diss, Norfolk, England.

  16. Marlene Villar

    Good morning Vivian,
    Excellent ! Thank you very much for sharing this info. It is a reminder for me. Have a wonderful day Vivian !
    Take care always, Marlene

  17. Helen

    I don’t have lower back problems but I do with the upper back. I get pain right in the middle between my shoulders. What would you recommend?

  18. L.D.

    Good Morning All, What a wonderful way to start off the week!!!! I’ve done them already and will a couple of more times throughout the day… Thanks very much Vivian, you always seem to come up with just what I need…

  19. Joan

    Thank you so much for the simple & effective exercises & stretches. I really appreciate your generosity in sharing them.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      You are welcome, Joan! I’d love to hear how the exercises are going for you. 🙂

  20. Rachel

    Hi Vivian
    I am keen to buy the Densercise book but wondered if it was available in a paper copy rather than as an e book.
    With thanks
    Rachel

    • Customer Support

      At this time, the Densercise eBook System is only available digitally. 🙂

      • Jan Kahler

        I would buy a DVD if it became available. I don’t want to boot up my computer every time I use it.

  21. Rita

    Is there a supplement that you recommend?

  22. Harriet

    Are all the weekly exercises in one spot for later reference? Love getting them!

    • Customer Support

      Harriet, this is where the Search feature can come in really handy! Just type “weekend challenge” into the Search box, and thumbnails of all the Weekend Challenge posts will come up. 🙂

  23. Pearl

    Thankyou Vivian, that felt great, it’s just what i needed to know.

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