Body & Balance Studio
Posture scan

PIR for the Pectoralis Major

stretchshoulder

A video demonstration is coming soon. Follow the step-by-step instructions below.

How to do it

  1. Lie supine near the edge of the table; let the arm fall into abduction/external rotation to the barrier of pectoral tightness.
  2. Barely contract the pec (press the arm gently up/inward) and hold 20 to 30 s.
  3. Relax completely; let gravity/clinician ease the arm into the new range.
  4. Repeat 3 to 4 times from each new barrier.
  5. Use inhale-on-contract, exhale-on-relax to deepen the release.

Form cues

  • Open the chest by letting the arm settle back, not by pushing through pain.
  • Tight pectorals drive rounded shoulders and thoracic kyphosis in UCS.
  • Keep the low back from arching - ribs stay down.

Dosage

20-30 s contraction then relax; 3-4 repetitions.

Muscles worked

pectoralis major — anatomical illustration
pectoralis majorAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.
pectoralis minor — anatomical illustration
pectoralis minorAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

Stretches: pectoralis major, pectoralis minor

Target muscles

Pectoralis MajorPectoralis Minor

Helps with

Forward Head PostureRounded Shoulders
Posterior Neck Stretch (Chin Tuck, Supine)Shoulder Adductor / Lat Stretch (Supine Overhead Reach)Lateral Neck Flexor Stretch (Side Tilt)Neck Extensor Stretch (Seated/Supine Flatten Neck)Pectoralis Minor Stretch (Supine Assisted)One-Joint Hip Flexor Stretch (Supine, Knee to Chest)

Reference: Muscle Imbalance (Janda) p.149, Fig 10.12