Any effective exercises/stretches for chest tightness??

[NattyOne]

Hi! I often get chest, and right shoulder, tightness when I get bouts of ectopics. I'm told by the cardio clinic it's muscular, not my heart... But the tightness and sometimes pain is really worrying all the same...

I have tried pulling my shoulder blades together, stretching my arms back, etc. But has anyone out there got a really effective exercise/s or stretch/es??

I find being active helps a lot, but it is not a cure-all...
Many thanks,
NattyOne.

[xtremx]

Hello, I get chest tightness and its muscular and one thing i have found helps stretch my chest out is ,
Sorry about this hard to explain is to were a tee-shirt or old top but stretch it over the back for a 30mins - 1 hour aday ie put a top on as normal then lift the front up over your head and onto you back. Sounds strange but help stretch the muscles in the chest and correct posture

Hope this is explained well

[teez]

i get a lot of pain due to my posture as well as muscular,,what i do is reach my arms up in the air like your stretching after a sleep,,doesnt always work but its pretty good

[Jmac]

Yoga or "ha" breathing helps for me as well as belly breathing with long audible sighs from high to low pitch.

Also, while standing, rotate your arms backwards as if you're doing the back stroke. Helps enormously for me.

Shrugging your shoulders to release them works, as do gentle neck rotations and stretches. It's likely not just your chest but neck and shoulders that are holding the tension. Progressive muscle relaxation will help too.

And always, always always breathe from your diaphragm and not your chest.

JK

[NattyOne]

Thank you all for the advice! I'm trying out your various techniques. Seem to help! I suspect, as did 'Jmac', that I have ALOT of tension in my neck and shoulders as well... A while ago I had some sports massage by a sports physio. It was brilliant! My shoulders, neck, back and chest were re-born so to speak, but the effect only lasted a day - sadly. And at £40-£50 per 30 min session it's too expensive in the (and my) current economic climate. I've also done several months of Pilates (cheaper at £6 per 1hr session!), but that often brings on the ectopics - hum, not a great help there. Perhaps yoga would be better?? I've never really liked the (funny) breathing technique you do with Pilates.

Any more tips and/or techniques out there??
Many thanks,
NattyOne.