How to Use Wall Angels to Reset Your Posture and Boost Mobility
Apr 10, 2025
We’ve all felt the irritating stiffness of sitting at a desk all day. Sure, we can stretch a bit and move around, but it only takes a few minutes before we start to feel that familiar tightness creeping back in again. This discomfort often stems from poor posture, especially if we’re slouched over our computers like cave dwellers. Wall angels are an excellent exercise for correcting posture and relieving the stiffness from sitting. This article will look closer at wall angles to help you achieve better posture, improved shoulder mobility, and long-term relief from discomfort of rib flare and other posture related issues.
Posture AI’s posture correction app is a valuable tool for achieving these goals. With its simple and accessible approach to posture correction, you can improve your posture and shoulder mobility and achieve lasting relief from stiffness caused by sitting, especially when working at a desk, all while using wall angels and other corrective exercises.
Table of Contents
What are Wall Angels and What are They Good for?
Wall angels are a simple yet effective mobility and posture exercise performed against a wall. They help improve shoulder mobility, thoracic spine extension, and posture by promoting proper alignment and engaging the upper back muscles. Wall angels have also been called a “V” to “W” stretch, named so for the beginning and ending arm positions. They’re typically performed with your back against a wall. The wall provides feedback, keeping your spine neutral and your arms in position. Wall angles can be beneficial if you spend a lot of time sitting, working at a computer, or caring for and carrying small children.
What Makes Wall Angels So Beneficial?
Wall angels strengthen several muscles, but primarily target muscles in your upper back and shoulders:
Rhomboids
The muscles are located between your shoulder blades. They help you pull your shoulder blades together, which is essential for activities like opening a door, lifting objects, driving, or doing chores around the home.
Trapezius
A large muscle in your upper back that looks like a trapezoid. It starts at the base of your neck, extends across your shoulders, and then goes down to the middle of your back. The trapezius helps you move your shoulders.
Deltoids
The front, side, and back portions of your outer shoulder muscles are called the deltoids. They help with lifting and carrying, swimming, and reaching for something on a high shelf.
Serratus anterior
This muscle is located on the side of your chest and helps you rotate and move your shoulder blades.
Rotator cuff muscles
These include four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis) that stabilize your shoulder joint. They help with everything from throwing a ball and reaching for something on a high shelf to getting dressed and brushing your teeth.
What are The Benefits of Wall Angels?
Here are some of the key ways wall angels help your muscles and joints:
Shoulder mobility and stability
This can be particularly helpful if you have shoulder stiffness or are recovering from a shoulder injury.
Upper back strengthening
Strengthening muscle groups such as the trapezius, rhomboids, and deltoids can help counteract the effects of prolonged sitting or activities that cause shoulders to hunch.
Reduced neck and shoulder pain
Changing positions throughout the day helps reduce and prevent pain. Strengthening your upper back and shoulders lets you sit up straight and find different comfortable positions.
Better scapular movement
Moving your shoulder blades (scapulae) is essential for healthy shoulder function. It can help prevent issues such as shoulder impingement.
Flexibility
Wall angels help increase flexibility in your chest and shoulders. They stretch out muscles that may become tight from staying in the same position.
How Do Wall Angels Improve Posture?
All that time spent hunched over emails and texts can damage your neck and spine. Wall angels help train your shoulders to stay back, align your spine, and strengthen your core. Good posture means much more than looking like Audrey Hepburn when walking. Poor posture can negatively impact:
Mood
Memory
Digestion
Breathing
Headaches
Sleep
Fatigue
Jaw alignment
Related Reading
• Pain Around Ribs And Back Symptoms
• Flared Rib Cage
• How To Fix Rib Flare
• Precordial Pain
How to Perform the Wall Angels Correctly
Wall angels are an effective exercise for correcting rib posture by mobilizing the upper back, improving shoulder function, and promoting proper alignment.
Here’s how to do them correctly:
Stand with your feet approximately 6–8 inches (about 15–20 cm) away from the wall. Rest your butt, back, shoulders, and head against the wall.
Attempt to begin with a neutral spine by drawing your belly button toward your spine. Draw your ribs in and down, feeling the back of your ribcage connect to the wall, while your lower back remains slightly away from the wall.
Tuck your chin slightly, attempting to get the back of your head to touch the wall. If getting your head on the wall is challenging, try placing a small pillow behind it.
Reach your arms straight up and put them on the wall overhead, aiming to get the back of your hands to touch the wall in a “V” position. If you have difficulty with any part of this alignment, step your feet further away from the wall and see if that corrects the issue.
Then, bend your elbows as you slide down the wall until your hands are above your shoulders. Meanwhile, keep your head, trunk, and butt against the wall.
Lower only as much as you can while maintaining good posture without pain (it’s OK to feel a stretch). Hold for a count of 5 at the lowest point before returning to the “V” starting position while maintaining alignment.
Repeat 5–10 reps, stopping if your muscles can no longer hold the postural alignment without pain.
Wall Angel Modifications: How to Make Them Easier or More Challenging
If it’s challenging to hold your spine against a wall without strain, another option is to perform this exercise while standing in a doorway instead of having your back against a wall. To perform the modification:
Place your hands on the edges of a doorway above your head in the “V” position.
Slowly step through with one foot until you feel a stretch at your chest.
When performing the standard wall angle, draw your belly button to bring your spine to a neutral position.
Slightly tuck your chin to keep your head aligned with your torso.
Then slide your hands down into the “W” position.
Return to the starting position and repeat.
After 5-10 repetitions, step back and switch your lead foot.
This modification will gradually improve your posture, eventually making it more comfortable to do angles against the wall.
Wall Angel Variations: Three Alternatives to Try
The wall angel isn’t the only celestial exercise on the block. Here are three tried-and-true variations.
1. Floor Angels
Not much of a wall person? You can do the same move from the comfort of your floor and reap the same benefits. Simply lie on the floor with your knees bent and your spine straight. Move your arms just like on the wall:
With the backs of your hands against the floor, stretch arms straight above your head.
Squeeze your mid-back muscles as you slide elbows just below shoulders.
Hold for a sec.
Slide your arms back to the starting position and repeat.
2. Forward Wall Angel
Tight shoulders might protest when you first try a traditional wall angel, making it hard to keep them pressed against the wall. There is no need to push yourself to the point of pain; instead, try a forward wall angle. Do the move with your arms and elbows just slightly off the wall. You can work up to traditional flight as you get stronger and more flexible. In the meantime, you’ll still be getting a solid workout.
3. Narrow Your “Wings”
If your muscles and flexibility level allow you to take things up a notch, work on narrowing the Y shape you make with your arms and bringing your heels closer to the wall. This way, you’ll definitely feel more of a stretch and a burn.
Related Reading
• Flat Back Syndrome
• How To Sleep With Intercostal Muscle Strain
• Middle Back Pain Around Rib Cage
• Flared Ribs Vs Normal
• Back Rib Pain Left Side
Common Mistakes and Form Tips for Wall Angels
Wall angels are a great exercise to improve shoulder mobility and rib posture. However, there are multiple ways your body may compensate to reach overhead and lower your arms during this exercise, leading to mistakes in form. The most common is bringing your buttocks off the wall when sliding your arms overhead. This is typically due to stiffness in the back, chest, and shoulder muscles, but it can also be due to stiffness in the hip flexors. Decreasing the range of motion and not reaching as high until your flexibility improves can combat this.
Arching Your Back
Another mistake is arching your back, usually during the lowering phase. This can be due to weak core stabilization muscles or stiffness in the shoulders. To counteract this, decrease the range of motion and do not lower your arms as much. Assuming a forward-head posture during the movement is also a common compensation. This may occur when raising or lowering your arms, or throughout the entire movement. It’s usually due to stiffness in the cervical and chest muscles.
The Importance of Wall Contact for Proper Shoulder Mobility
The final common mistake is not maintaining hand and elbow contact with the wall. This is most commonly due to the:
Shoulders
Chest
Back
Trunk
Compensation can also occur when raising or lowering your arms or throughout the entire movement.
Related Reading
• Kyphosis Self-Care
• Kyphosis Exercises
• Straightening Of Lumbar Lordosis
• Can Bad Posture Cause Chest Pain
Improve Your Posture with Our Posture Correction App
Posture AI’s posture correction app transforms your posture and well-being using advanced AI technology and your smartphone camera. Simply take front and side photos, and the AI generates detailed reports with tailored improvement plans. The app provides personalized:
Posture analysis
Expert-guided exercises
Progress tracking
Instant posture scanning
Whether looking to prevent long-term issues, reduce daily discomfort, or boost confidence, Posture AI offers an affordable, at-home solution for better alignment.
How Posture A.I. Will Help You
No one wants to have bad posture, and it can be more than just an embarrassing physical trait. Poor posture can lead to various health problems, including back pain, neck pain, headaches, and more. Posture A.I. can help you correct your posture to avoid these issues and improve your symptoms if you already have them. The app is handy for people who sit at desks and work on computers all day. The personalized recommendations will help you improve your posture to feel better and get back to doing the things you love.