Stretching exercises to help release stored body tension?

January 31, 2024 4:03 PM

I have an anxiety disorder that presents with a lot of arm and leg tremors. My therapist today asked me if I could touch my toes and I have never been able to touch my toes and he suggested that maybe I could find release from some of the tension I'm carrying in my body if I can find good stretching exercises. He offered no recommendations so I'm coming to you, dear hive mind! Do you know of stretching/flexibility exercises for someone with zero ability to do any of this that might release stored PTSD tension? Videos, classes/programs, reading... I'll take anything!
posted by hippybear to Health & Fitness (31 answers total)

I look forward to hearing about good programs and videos and the like, but my contribution will be to recommend that Bob Anderson's Stretching be on your bookshelf. If you're as clueless as me about this sort of stuff, this is a great reference for stretches to try or positions to put your body in. There's a ton of stretches for normal people of all abilities in there.

I will say to myself, "man, x muscle or place feels weird and tight" then use the body map index thing in there to go to the correct section and play around with the stretches that seem relevant. It's low commitment, and a nice reminder to get on the floor and do something out of the ordinary with your body. At least for me, anyway....
posted by AbelMelveny at 4:28 PM on January 31 [2 favorites]

If iit's feasible for you to see a physiotherapist, they can be excellent for designing a program that will address your particular pattern of tensions with low risk of injury.
posted by heatherlogan at 4:36 PM on January 31 [2 favorites]

I’ll take a cue from breathwork: lie down on a mat, relax and let your body indicate where the tension is. Just feel around inside and notice what sensations are there naturally. Then, instead of trying to stretch it out (in order to get rid of it) you instead give yourself permission to act out the tension (make it bigger). What does it want to do? Punch? Kick? Squeeze a pillow? Dance and holler? Let the body lead with what it needs to express and keep going. Suspend self judgment.

As for classes… if you’re really willing to experiment, there are breath work workshops. not quite for the faint of heart…
posted by St. Peepsburg at 4:44 PM on January 31 [5 favorites]

Yoga really helps with exactly this kind of thing! If there's no beginner yoga class near you that you feel comfortable going to, try Yoga With Adriene, a popular youtube yoga channel. She has all kinds of videos, including ones targeted to beginners.

The key is just to not overdo it. If something in the video seems impossible, it's totally ok to sit it out or just do the closest approximation that still feels comfortable.
posted by maggiemaggie at 4:55 PM on January 31 [12 favorites]

I like Fitness Blender videos. I have hurt myself trying to do Yoga with Adriene--I'm not very flexible and I'm not super tuned into my body's capabilities re: stretching, so if that sounds like you, please be gentle and careful when you try any of these.
If you're super tight, you might also benefit from massage or foam rolling (basically self massage). I would start with a soft foam roller if you're tight. I like this brand.
I have only found benefit from this little set of stretches: https://cupofjo.com/2014/11/05/six-stretches-for-people-who-sit-at-desks/. Maybe if you're concerned like me about your abilities, it would be safest to start with seated stretches or stretching targeted at seniors? (I might do this tbh.)
I second the suggestion to see a PT if you can, but don't let that stop you from trying things! After you stretch/roll, try to drink a bit more water. I really think it can release stuff from your muscles and drinking water helps your body process it faster.
posted by purple_bird at 5:27 PM on January 31 [6 favorites]

(Also want to add that I suggested stretches for seniors because I feel like it can be really hard to find things that are "beginner enough" in the fitness space. I wish I knew of a resource that showed you a stretch and then like 4 modifications to make it work for different bodies. IIRC, Fitness Blender does a bit of that.)
posted by purple_bird at 5:30 PM on January 31 [4 favorites]

I've found the Gokhale method of stretchlying to be a really helpful (for tension and anxiety) way to close out my day in bed and it just requires a spare bed pillow.

Recently I've been using an acupressure mat which seems to ease my body into slowly releasing tension. Granted, my husband calls it a medieval torture device but as long as I'm wearing a light layer of clothing when I do it, it's not so bad.
posted by icaicaer at 5:35 PM on January 31 [1 favorite]

Not stretches, but I find the somatic method exercises from this site to be extremely effective for releasing muscle tension.

Here is a video of very gentle exercise called the arch and flatten that I find extremely helpful for releasing my low back muscles.

This instructor has two levels of classes on her website - her classes are not free, but they are a one-time fee and I return to them regularly.
posted by hilaryjade at 5:58 PM on January 31

+1 for yoga to support body awareness and ease. i recommend searching for yin yoga videos on youtube. yoga with adriene does have a lot of advanced and intermediate stuff, but also chill videos— here’s a list of some chill ones. i like yoga with kassandra, and find she has plenty of chill and yin videos— here’s one for bedtime. i am not coming to this from similar ground (PTSD or tremors), but fwiw i am coming to yoga for calm and compassionate body awareness, and zero interest in a “workout”. best wishes to you, hippybear :)
posted by tamarack at 5:58 PM on January 31 [1 favorite]

She focuses on pelvic tension and associated issues, but I think many of Dr. Bri's videos are useful for relaxing the whole body and mind. Here is one on progressive relaxation and another with more hip and pelvic release stretches. If any movements aren't comfortable, you can skip them and just do what feels good.
posted by fies at 6:50 PM on January 31 [2 favorites]

Small note - stretches releasing tension are great, but not being able to touch your toes isn't necessarily a sign something is wrong. Some people just can't. According to my physio.
posted by Zumbador at 7:28 PM on January 31 [4 favorites]

When I need to start from scratch (and I've had several years of various joint injuries that mean some part of me is basically starting over at any given time), I pick out mobility exercises from the Bob & Brad or Ask Dr Jo youtube channels. I also really like, and you might be specifically interested in, Feldenkrais with Taro Iwamoto, who's been doing a bunch of nervous system retraining videos lately (I discovered him from my PT's recommendation to watch and follow his "get up from the floor" videos, as there was a point I could not do that without furniture nearby).
posted by Lyn Never at 7:31 PM on January 31 [3 favorites]

Depending on where you live, I highly recommend tai chi—specifically the Taoist Tai Chi Society, if they have classes in your area. It is, in my opinion, the best stretching exercise.
posted by Scout405 at 7:33 PM on January 31 [3 favorites]

I never do them, but I bought a bunch of Just Move video workouts years ago. They have a set of 5 minute "Start Moving" workouts, which I keep the bookmark for on my bar in the hope that one day maybe I'll feel up to it.
posted by ob1quixote at 8:14 PM on January 31 [3 favorites]

Depending on where your tension is, 1-2 tennis balls (putting them in a sock can help provide some traction to reduce them rolling around on you) can really help with tension release. In the first place, some self-massage beforehand can help you stretch more easily, and in the second, sometimes stretching really only help so much with tension and you really need gentle pressure on the tissue to encourage it to relax.

A stretch that I often forget about but can be very helpful for general loosening up is gentle torso twisting. Here's a lying down variation that's similar to a version my favorite massage therapist suggested for my hip and upper leg tightness. Depending on the surface you're lying on, the back and forth movement may provide some light self-massage in addition to the stretch.

I agree that if PT is an option that's available to you, working with a physical therapist could help you out quite a bit, even with a few sessions. If your tension is causing you persistent pain or limiting your mobility, that's absolutely grounds to ask your doctor about a referral to PT. Touching your toes may or may not be a realistic goal for you, but there's plenty of space before that point for PT get your body moving more easily, with less tension.
posted by EvaDestruction at 8:29 PM on January 31

I had very similar issues. I started out with Adriene's Breath series three years ago, then went on to in-person classes, and at the age of 40+ I'm able to not only touch my toes but put most of my palms on the ground for the first time in my life, as well as grab my wrists and put my connected arms so far back over my head that I don't see them. Occasional massages have gone from "how the hell did you get so many knots in your muscles???" to an actually relaxing experience. It did take about six months of working on it three times per week to see the first real progress, but it's very much doable. And yes, my therapist approves very much of how it helped my anxiety and tension - both learning the good stretches and just spending time listening to my body.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 9:27 PM on January 31 [2 favorites]

I love Yoga with Joelle for this.
posted by spacebologna at 9:29 PM on January 31 [1 favorite]

Seconding Bob and Brad and also Dr Jo. I've been on a deep dive about wrist and thumb pain and this has helped.

Also, try some beginner belly dance exercise routines, available on YouTube. Concentrate on moves that target the neck and shoulders, hands and wrists, and the waist and hips.
If it moves, it can be bent and rotated.
Some moves can be done or adapted for sitting down or lying down.
Aim for flexibility, strength, endurance and range of motion.
If it hurts, stop. Avoid overuse injuries.
Find some gentle music (it doesn't have to be Middle Eastern although the steady repetitive beat helps) and dance the stress out.
posted by TrishaU at 10:38 PM on January 31 [1 favorite]

Big +1 to self message with a foam roller. While it's not a professional massage, it is a great way to to listen to your body and tell it you care. I like to pair it with several minutes in each side of a lunge, and other hip openers.

The other big thing is to do some sort of warm-up or stretch every morning, or genuinely as close to every morning as you can. Just a couple minutes makes a huge difference. The content matters less than the process.
posted by daveliepmann at 11:28 PM on January 31

I think you should look for Trauma Releasing Exercises - TREs - as they are designed specifically to release that deep tension that comes from anxiety, rather than the usual tension that comes from physically tiring the muscles. That's not to say any of the above suggestions won't be useful but I have not been able to increase my bendiness after 20 years of diligent yoga until I actually started releasing the trauma tension.
posted by london explorer girl at 3:27 AM on February 1 [6 favorites]

The best class is one you can get to. For me yoga at the local community centre, just a simple class, did it. I needed it to be a class because unlike at home, I’d stay for the whole thing. At home at that time I wouldn’t be able to sit with my feelings for long. With a class I had that little edge of “I made it here, I’m not going home.” Also the teacher (s) could see me and offer modifications or ways to do things.

For the first probably 6 months, I couldn’t manage several poses and definitely wasn’t anywhere near where people who practiced regularly were. I also occasionally leaked tears. No one cared (in a good way.) the fact that it was a cheap community centre class also meant there were a ton of body types and abilities and ages, which helped me feel not-stupid. I walked home after, which helped me spend a bit of the energy that came up.

My therapist had recommended it, and over time it was life-altering - I also had a big leap when I started martial arts. But yoga and stretching came first. Good luck!
posted by warriorqueen at 3:40 AM on February 1 [6 favorites]

I've been doing yoga with the help of DoYogaWithMe.com which I learned about here on askme for over a year and it's very emotionally regulating for me. You can search for the free videos that are beginner level.
posted by latkes at 4:41 AM on February 1 [1 favorite]

Nthing yoga. I spent my pre-yoga life doing stretching exercises associated with various sports, martial arts, fitness activities, and PT. Out of all of those, tai chi provided probably the best overall health benefit (circulatory stuff, breathing, etc.), but as far as I know, it was only yoga that enabled me to release bodily tension that I wasn't even aware could be stored in the way that it was. The first time* I did yoga, I also experienced an entirely unexpected release of emotions that was unlike anything I've experienced before or since.

* I once did an Ashtanga one-off class that was far too intense for me, and that didn't have the planned effect. I currently do Iyengar, or various easy/light yoga routines on YouTube or Apple Fitness.
posted by cupcakeninja at 4:55 AM on February 1

You have tons of options here but if you're open to another one, I'd also look into traditional Thai massage!
posted by potrzebie at 7:29 AM on February 1 [1 favorite]

Sending you a MeMail!
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 12:41 PM on February 1

I agree that releasing deep long-term tension and stretching for flexibility / suppleness are quite different things. I'd second the advice on self massage, foam rollers and tennis balls (or a good physical therapist).

I'd also really emphasise that as well as (maybe even before) actively pushing and pulling muscles in various ways, it's well worth working on slow abdominal breathing and improving static (lying, sitting, standing) posture. The (Esther) Gokhale method mentioned above by icaicaer is excellent for this, her book "8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back" is an excellent primer and you by no means need to work through all "8 Steps" - you can see benefit by just changing a few little details of how you habitually position your body.

A really simple exercise to try is to lie on a relatively firm surface, put one pillow under your knees and one under your neck, but much further down towards your shoulders than you would normally for sleeping on your back - far enough that your head gently flexes back under its own weight. Put your hands flat on the floor to your sides somewhat away from your body. Lie like that and let your body settle, then breathe from your abdomen - you can help this along by breathing in and out for a count of 4, with a count of 4 held breath between each inhale / exhale (i.e. 4 in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold). Try 5-10 minutes of that if possible.

YMMV but I've several times had muscles deep in my neck / shoulder, pelvis / glutes and calves / feet spontaneously release to the point of making my limbs change position just while lying still like this.
posted by protorp at 2:17 PM on February 1

I’ve had some worthwhile experiences exploring TRE (tension/trauma releasing exercises), which is actually designed to induce tremoring in the body to release tension. Yoga teachers are sometimes certified to teach this, but it can be quite an emotional experience so I recommend finding a teacher that seems trustworthy to you—and all the better if you’re concurrently in therapy. I did a series of about 5 classes and then could practice it on my own at home.

Along these same lines is myofascial release/myofascial unwinding, developed by John Barnes. Here’s a pretty good description of it. Some massage therapists are trained in this, which is how I experienced it for the first time (a friend of a friend was training in it and needed people to practice on). Once I experienced it I did try to recreate the experiences on my own, with some luck.

While both of these inspire a sort of skepticism in me, they have both helped me with deep emotional processing on an intuitive, somatic level. Wishing you the best in your emotional well-being and processing. Uncomfortable but transformative stuff.
posted by inkytea at 4:12 PM on February 1 [3 favorites]

Just wanted to say I'm reading and favorite-ing madly for my own similar reasons. It may not be the same for you but I have low body awareness and struggle to remember to move/not to sit for hours and hours

It's only when I go to bed and try to relax that I notice my shoulders are around my ears, etc.

I'm trying to get back into movement now, but in the past what has worked best for me is any sort of movement that was strenuous enough to give mild muscle soreness for a day or 3 - baby levels of lactic acid buildup.

That (very mild!) soreness reminds me I have a body and I pay more attention to it and find myself standing or walking weirdly or doing a lunge while alone in a grocery isle trying to find a gluten free soy sauce for example :) just because it feels interesting, which reinforces the movement habit. I don't mean to overdo it - please don't!

My (repeated) experience going from sedentary to a new hobby is to stay the hell away from doing anything with your hamstrings until way later. Whenever I go back to yoga or lifting or whatever, it feels so good to stretch them in t the moment - but mine stay angry and painful for way longer than anything else so I treat them with kid gloves.

Like if you're yoga-ing for the first month or 3 put zero effort into deepening hamstring stretches or down dogs. I find that pain demotivating and just painful, no pleasant reminder.

My personal theory is I need to build up other supporting leg muscles and get more regular blood flow to that area before I ask -anything- of it. I don't know why.

I mention that because hamstrings are common proxy for "flexibility" ir fitness, but it's only one part of your body and for me is exceptionally painful until it gets "warmed up" (but a timeline closer to months than days).
posted by esoteric things at 11:45 PM on February 1

If you want a simple but deep exercise you can try right now, with no risk or pressure, and you have 30 minutes spare, I would recommend listening to Stretch and Breath Meditation by Mark Williams and following the instructions (it's on Spotify as well).
posted by rollick at 2:35 PM on February 2

Keep in mind that not everyone will every be able to touch their toes - people with long arms and short legs have an advantage here, where as some one with short arms and long legs and a gut that prevents them from bending forward, may not every be able to get much past their knees without bending. But everyone can stretch - just remember you are aiming to stretch to your own healthy range of motion, not to the ultimate range of motion of someone with a different body.

You're not doing it wrong if the person in the video can stretch three feet farther than you can.
posted by Jane the Brown at 3:19 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]

It depends a LOT on your body. Yoga often felt really good but my general level of hyperflexibility meant I injured myself repeatedly. And in ways it felt good to stretch. What actually worked for increasing my actual mobility was seeing a personal trainer who deeply understands PTSD and recovery from significant injury/chronic injury. Increasing my core strength, along with everything else, focusing very narrowly on precise movements vs getting to a specific position, all of it reduced the overall PTSD/anxiety body issues.

(I had an ongoing thing with what seemed like restless legs but my lumbar region and would be unable to sleep without repeated and significant stretches - I have scoliosis and that are doesn't need stretching indiscriminately it needs strength - that has reduced to once a week or two, or longer, vs every single night repeatedly)

I have stretches to do but they aren't based on 'normal' bodies. It's targeted to my specific s curve in my spine, complicated by the various other injuries and the way I can compensate with other joints to reach a position without stretching.

The brain side of PTSD has been helped too - I work individually and reasonably closely with a man who will occasionally touch me to correct or assist. I'm more used to heart rate fluctuations. I can breathe better. I've added in martial arts so the current trigger going haywire is working close to people for sparring/pattern work, eye contact, and just being around more men I don't know. The foundation of the work I've done individually means it's much easier than it would have been even six months ago. I'm present in my body in an entirely new way.

Mostly, the exhaustion of strength work or cardio activates my muscles in a way that stretching doesn't, and I've found that far more useful for the physical effects of PTSD and anxiety. Even the delayed muscle ache etc are better than the loose feeling of yin yoga. The meditative and quiet parts are good though.

(It's SO important to have the right person though - my trainer has PTSD, has recovered from REALLY significant global injury, and understands the process while also having all the physiological training etc.)
posted by geek anachronism at 2:33 PM on February 3 [1 favorite]