5 Stretches For Upper Back Pain

In the event you’re like most individuals, you almost certainly don’t spend much time desirous about your upper back. On a very good day, you might be at best only marginally aware of the obligatory role your upper back plays within the range of motions, movements, and non-movements you perform on a regular basis—like steering your automotive, sitting up at your desk, or holding up your phone to see into its endlessly beguiling depths. 

But on a nasty day, the slightest pain or discomfort can force the awesome centrality of your upper back into stark, even searing, focus. Previously innocuous actions like putting in your coat or opening a door change into agonizing reminders of how easy every little thing was before your back decided to betray you. 

So is stretching good for you and your upper back pain? Fortunately, when your upper back has you feeling down, a number of quick, easy, and low-strain stretches could possibly be all it takes to alleviate the pain, soothe your sore muscles, and hasten your trip down the road to recovery. 

How Stretches Can Profit Your Upper Back

The very first thing it is best to learn about your upper back is that it’s a marvel of natural engineering. It’s a fancy and interconnected network of bones, muscles, discs, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. Without these, you’d be unable to shrug, raise a toast, and even hold your head up (to say nothing of absolutely killing arm day thrice per week, like you mostly do).

For clarity’s sake, we will define the “upper back” because the region of the body’s posterior that starts on the neck and ends on the lumbar (or the world north of your hips just under your ribcage). This region includes your neck, shoulders, and arms, along with your back’s uppermost quadrant, known scientifically because the thoracic spine.1 

But not far beneath the skin, dozens of muscles are busy flexing and relaxing, contracting and increasing, time and again and again, ad infinitum—all in service of posture, mobility, and prime movements like pulling. 

The upper back is home to several essential muscles, including:2

• The 4 muscle sets you activate when you need to move your head.
• The seven muscle pairs you utilize to maneuver your shoulders.
• The five muscle pairs that control your arms. 

The upper back can also be home to a number of fugitives and dual residents from the center and lower back, plus one or two key muscles that contribute to your spinal movement. But in the case of knowing the best way to stretch your upper back to alleviate pain, the 4 most significant muscles are:3 

• The trapezius – You and your entire body have the “traps” muscle to thank in your ability to maneuver. If you may have good posture or enjoy doing The Wave at baseball games, you’re much more indebted.  
• The latissimus dorsi – Also known by its nickname, “Lats,” you depend on this muscle every time you raise or rotate your arms or shoulders. 
• The levator scapulae – You’re enlisting the assistance of this muscle every time you perform an motion that lifts your shoulder blades. 
• The rhomboids – The rhomboids, major and minor, are just like the dynamic duo of upper back muscles. Their mission? To drag the scapula or shoulder blades toward the spine. 

In other words, your upper back carries a bevy of all-important tasks on its literal shoulders. So whether you’re aching from an injury, suffering a case of post-workout DOMS, or sore from poor posture, listed here are five stretches for upper back pain relief you’ll be able to try at once.

#1 Work Out Your Rhomboids

In case your upper back pain is localized to the center of your upper back region, it could possibly be the results of muscle tension and tightness between your shoulder blades. Fortunately, this super easy stretch targets middle back pain and should give you the chance to take the tenacity out of that built-up tension.4 

Here’s the best way to stretch your shoulder blades properly: 

• Step 1 – Along with your arms at chest level in front of you, link your elbows together, starting with right over left.
• Step 2 – Next, bring your left hand over your right arm so that they’re interlinked and apply pressure. 
• Step 3 – Hold or apply incrementally greater amounts of pressure for 20-30 seconds, then switch arms and repeat. 

#2 Loosen Up Your Latissimus Dorsi

In the event you’re someone who keeps energetic with exercise or athletics, it’s a very good idea to decide on a snug stretch for upper back pain that’s focused in your lats. 

Why?

Because not only is the latissimus dorsi the largest muscle in your back, nevertheless it’s also one which can routinely suffer strain from a variety of physical activities, from playing tennis to shoveling snow.5 

That said, a number of reps of classic side stretches could help loosen your lats and ease your pain. 

Here’s the best way to perform latissimus dorsi side stretches: 

• Stand along with your arms above your head.
• Using your right hand, grab your left arm on the wrist.
• Gently pull your left arm toward the fitting side of your body for 20–30 seconds.
• Switch sides, repeating two or thrice.

#3 Goal Your Upper Trapezius 

A decreased range of motion in your arms, tenderness in your shoulders, and stiffness in your neck can all signal a sore trapezius.6 This might result from incidents like overexerting yourself on the gym, pinching a nerve, or having bad posture. But not to fret: this upper back stretch goals straight in your drained traps—and will offer an escape from the pain. 

You’ll be able to goal your trapezius by standing or sitting and bringing one hand over your head to understand the alternative side. Place your free arm behind you and slowly pull your neck and head down toward the shoulder of the arm you’re pulling with. In the event you desire a more intense stretch, be at liberty to use more pressure.

After about 30 seconds, switch to the alternative side and repeat. 

#4 Goal Your Lower Trapezius

The trapezius is certainly one of those wily “don’t-fence-me-in” type muscles that refuse to be contained to just one a part of your back. As an alternative, it stretches from the underside of your neck to some extent on the very middle of your back. For that reason, doing stretches for back pain that concentrate on your upper and lower traps may help expedite your healing. 

To stretch your lower trapezius, arise along with your arms above your head as if in homage to the letter W. Then, squeeze your shoulder blades together while slowly lowering your elbows to about stomach level. 

Hold that position for 2 or three seconds, then progressively lift your arms past your starting position—this time, it is best to aim to honor the letter “Y,” holding for an additional two or three seconds. Repeat the upper back stretch as much as 10 times depending on the extent of your soreness. 

#5 Liberate Your Levator Scapulae

Any variety of rigorous workouts could potentially strain the levator scapulae. But when you may have upper back pain, especially within the neck and shoulder blades, it doesn’t necessarily mean your exercise routine is guilty. The wrongdoer could even be your smartphone. 

In studies, levator scapulae pain has been linked to sustained craniovertebral angles—the downward-facing, bent-neck posture most of us assume every time we’re absorbed in our cell phones.7 So it could possibly be price it to reconsider your posture once you’re scrolling away, along with adding a very good levator scapulae stretch to your routine.

Here’s a wonderful technique to stretch your levator scapulae:

• When seated, use your left hand to grab the underside of your chair. 
• Step by step turn your head toward the fitting while bringing your chin toward your chest.
• Along with your right hand, fastidiously force your head down and to the left.
• Hold for about 20 seconds.

While you’ve finished, be sure you repeat the stretch for the opposite side. 

Bonus Stretches for Upper Back Pain

While you’re doing stretches for upper back pain, never underestimate the ability of yoga. In the event you are questioning, “Is yoga good for you?” it will be significant to know that a number of standard yoga poses can open things up and mollify an aching upper back. Yogis far and wide recommend the next easy poses as time-tested answers for the best way to stretch your upper back:8

• Balasana (Child’s Pose) to flex the spine and stretch the shoulder blades
• Marjaryasana (Cat Pose) to loosen tight muscle trigger spots
• Bitilasana (Cow Pose) to re-energize worn-out muscles 
• Ustrasana (Camel Pose), a back-bend style pose to open the shoulders 

Latest to yoga? No worries. Yoga is certainly one of many incredible fitness classes available at Chuze, each led by certainly one of our friendly and provoking instructors. Signing up is as easy as looking for “Chuze gyms near me” and joining the fun. 

Chuze Fitness: For a Different Gym Experience

At Chuze Fitness,  we realize it doesn’t take much for upper back pain to get in the way in which of your fitness goals. But sore, achy muscles aren’t all the time a reason to skip the gym—especially not when your gym is Chuze, the friendliest, biggest gym around. 

Enter any Chuze location and also you’ll find state-of-the-art exercise machines, workout equipment, and first-rate amenities you’d expect from the world’s fanciest gyms, like pools, hot tubs, and our exclusive iChuze app. Plus, our approachable, knowledgeable staff and supportive community of members from all fitness levels are here to make you’re feeling like a part of the family. 

At Chuze, we’re all rooting for you. Isn’t it time we met? 

 

Reviewed By:

Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the group fitness and team training departments. She’s had a 25+ 12 months profession in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Ani lives together with her husband and son in San Diego, CA and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.

 

 

Sources:

1. Cleveland Clinic. Upper Back Pain. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/22866-upper-back-pain 
2. Good Path. The Muscles of the Back. https://www.goodpath.com/learn/muscles-back#
3. Cleveland Clinic. Back Muscles. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21632-back-muscles 
4. Back Intelligence. 7 Specific Upper Back Stretches For Back Pain Relief. https://backintelligence.com/upper-back-stretches/ 
5. Healthline. Latissimus Dorsi Pain. https://www.healthline.com/health/latissimus-dorsi-pain#causes 
6. Cleveland Clinic. Trapezius Muscle. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21563-trapezius-muscle 
7. PubMed Central. Correlation amongst smartphone addiction, craniovertebral angle, scapular dyskinesis, and chosen anthropometric variables in physiotherapy undergraduates. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6695020/ 
8. Yoga Journal. 7 Yoga Poses to Relieve Your Upper Back Pain. https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/yoga-by-benefit/back-pain/yoga-for-upper-back-pain/