Advanced Manual Therapy with a Focus on Function
The latissimus dorsi is a huge muscle that basically attaches at the back of the pelvis and runs all the way up to the armpit where it attaches to the humerus, or upper arm bone. Its job is to extend, adduct and internally rotate the shoulder. So to stretch this muscle we're flexing and externally rotating the shoulder. We're also getting a little thoracic extension without going into lumbar extension.
When the lats get tight it can be very difficult to get into shoulder flexion (bringing your arms over your head), which can lead to compensatory patterns in the body and eventually injury. This is a great stretch for anyone who participates in what we call "overhead sports" such as Olympic weightlifting, tennis, swimming, gymnastics, baseball, softball, etc.
