Ligaments Intercostal Internal

Hand folding is a type of yogic breathing. It's called the Lotus Fold and helps improve the elasticity of the ligaments and muscles that are found between the ribs, collarbones and shoulder blades. The purpose of this exercise is to achieve deep breathing and balance in the body.

1. Rotate your right hand upward so that your fingers point toward the sky. With your left hand, place your right elbow on your left thigh. 2. Raise your palms up to the sky and place them the same height above your ribs. Point the fingers of your left hand perpendicular to your ribs. Then clasp your thumbs together and place your index fingers next to each other. 3. Slowly raise your arms above your head and bend them at right angles. Palms should be facing down. You should now be in a "T" position. 4. Move your upper arms down the sides of your body until your hands touch your lower ribs. Grasp the left rib with your right hand, and the right with your left. 5. Move your arms under your body, reaching to the bottom of your lower back. Your arms should slide toward the front of your body. Then slowly straighten your arms to return them to their starting position above the top of your head. Repeat the exercise for 1 minute for each arm. 6. To complete the exercise, relax and switch to a side pose.

The internal intercostal ligaments refer to the musculotendinous and fascial formations that surround the internal structures of the chest. They connect the ribs to each other, as well as to the chest, forming the interspinous, or thoracolumbar, and interarch ligaments, which keep the ribs in the correct position.