The rolled towel chest opener is a resting stretch for the front of the chest and a stiff upper back. You lie on your back with a rolled towel running along your upper spine, rest your arms out to the sides with the palms up, and let the weight of your arms open the chest. A foam roller makes it firmer. There is nothing to push or pull. You lie still and let your arms grow heavy.

How to do the rolled towel chest opener

Place a rolled towel lengthwise on a mat, as in the video, or a foam roller for a firmer stretch. Sit just in front of one end with your knees bent.
Lie back slowly, using your hands for support, so the roll runs along your spine under your upper back. Your head rests on the mat, or on a folded towel if it tips back.
Straighten your legs along the mat, as in the video, or keep the knees bent if your lower back prefers it.
Take your arms out to the sides, at or a little below shoulder height, palms facing up, and let them rest on the floor.
Relax and breathe slowly for the hold. To get up, bring your arms in, bend your knees and roll onto your side off the roll.

What you should feel

A gentle opening across the front of the chest and shoulders, and light pressure along the upper back where the roll sits.

Common mistakes

Using a roll so thick that your head drops back and your neck strains.
Arching the lower back off the mat to feel more stretch.
Lifting the arms above shoulder height.
Sitting straight up at the end instead of rolling to your side.

How often

Many programs use one hold of 1 to 3 minutes, or 2 to 3 shorter holds of about 30 seconds, once or twice a day. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Sharp pain in your spine, ribs or chest.
Tingling, numbness or heaviness comes on in your hands or arms while they rest out to the sides.
Pins and needles in your arm or hand that do not go away after you stop, or part of your arm or hand goes numb. Get medical advice the same day. If one side of your face or body suddenly goes numb or weak, or your speech becomes slurred or muddled, call emergency services, even if it goes away.
The shoulder feels as if it has slipped out of place, looks a different shape or suddenly locks so you cannot move the arm, or your hand turns cold, pale or blue. Go to an emergency department straight away, without driving yourself, and do not try to put the shoulder back in yourself.

From the clinic

Start with a rolled towel, as the video shows. A thicker or firmer roll gives more stretch, and a full foam roller is the strongest version and takes more balance to stay on. If the stretch feels too strong, bring the arms closer to your sides. The foam roller thoracic extension places a roller across the upper back instead of along it, and the pectoral stretch uses the same arm position lying flat with no roll.

If you have low bone density (osteoporosis), ask your physio whether this suits you, as a firm roll presses on the spine. If you have had a fracture in your spine, check with your physio before you begin. If you have had surgery on your spine, chest or heart in recent months, get the go-ahead from your surgical team or physio first. If you are pregnant and past the first three months, check with your physio before exercising flat on your back.

With the arms out wide and the palms turned up, the shoulder rests near its most common dislocation position. If your shoulder has dislocated before or feels loose, ask your physio before you try this. After shoulder surgery, including a rotator cuff repair, or after a shoulder fracture or dislocation, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and do only the movements and range they have cleared. Many plans allow only passive movement at first, where the arm is moved for you and its muscles stay relaxed.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Rolled towel chest opener