In our tech-driven world of desk jobs and smartphone scrolling, maintaining good posture can feel like an uphill battle. Enter the wall angel — a simple exercise that could be the missing link in your quest for better alignment and health.
Reminiscent of making snow angels as a child, wall angels involve standing against a wall and moving your arms up and down in a controlled manner. This exercise targets key postural muscles in your upper back, shoulders and core while simultaneously stretching tight chest muscles often affected by prolonged sitting and device use.
“They’re a very powerful exercise,” physical therapist Karena Wu told Well and Good. “Your buttocks, your middle back, and the back of your head should be in contact with the wall, as well as, ideally, your elbows and the back of your hands.”
The benefits of good posture extend beyond just looking more confident. Proper alignment can improve breathing, reduce headaches, and support overall spine and neck health.
Here’s how to perform a proper wall angel, according to Wu.
- Stand with your back against a wall, feet slightly out.
- Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, forming a “W” shape with your arms.
- Brace your core and maintain a neutral spine.
- Slide your arms up the wall “until they’re above your shoulders and your hands reach up and toward each other.”
- Aim for three sets of 10 repetitions.
If you’re struggling with the full movement, Hannah Solomon, a physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery, told the publication, “just do what you can in a comfortable range without forcing it. It shouldn’t hurt.”
Although wall angels won’t solve all of life’s problems, they offer another tool for posture correction and body awareness. Solomon noted: “Just standing against the wall sometimes for people, especially if they’re very rounded forward, it’s a reminder of, ‘Oh, this is where I need to be.’”
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