If you’re like most people, you probably don’t spend much time thinking about your upper back. On a good day, you can barely realize at best the necessary role that the upper back plays in the series of sports, sports and non-sports that you have been doing, such as driving a car, sitting at your desk, or holding up your phone and gazing into its endlessly fascinating depths.
But on a bad day, the slightest pain or discomfort can force the center of your upper back to become noticeable and even burning. Previously innocuous actions, such as putting on a coat or opening a door, can be a painful reminder of how easy it was before your back decided to betray you.
So are stretching good for you and your upper back pain? Luckily, when your upper back feels low, a few quick, easy, low-tension stretches can reduce pain, soothe sore muscles, and speed up your path to recovery.
How Stretching Exercises Can Benefit Your Upper Back
The first thing you should know about the upper back is that it is a miracle of natural engineering. It is a complex and interconnected network of bones, muscles, discs, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. Without these, you won’t be able to shrug your shoulders, raise your glass, or even lift your head (let alone completely kill your arm three times a week, as you always do).
For the sake of clarity, we can define the “upper back” as the area at the back of the body, starting at the neck and ending at the waist (or the area north of the hips just below the ribcage). This area includes your neck, shoulders, and arms, as well as the uppermost quadrant of your back (scientifically known as the thoracic spine).
But not far under the skin, dozens of muscles are busy flexing and relaxing, contracting and stretching, again and again, endlessly—all for the main movements of posture, mobility, and pulling.
The upper back is home to several important muscles, including:
- When you want to move your head, you activate four sets of muscles.
- Seven pairs of muscles for moving the shoulders.
- Control the five pairs of muscles in the arm.
The upper back is also home to some fugitives and dual citizens in the middle and lower back, plus one or two key muscles that help with spinal movement. But when it comes to how to stretch your upper back for pain relief, the four most important muscles are:
- Trapezius – You and your entire body have “trapezius muscles” thanks to your athletic ability. If you have good posture or enjoy doing “The Wave” at a baseball game, you’ll appreciate it even more.
- The latissimus dorsi – also known as the “latissimus dorsi” muscle, is a muscle you rely on whenever you lift or rotate your arm or shoulder.
- levator scapulae – You’ll get the help of this muscle every time you perform a motion to lift your shoulder blades.
- Rhomboid muscles – The large rhomboid and small rhomboid are like a dynamic combination of upper back muscles. Their mission? Pull the shoulder blade or shoulder blade toward the spine.
In other words, your upper back has a very important set of tasks on its shoulders. So, whether you’re sore from an injury, have DOMS after a workout, or are sore from poor posture, here are five stretches you can try right now to relieve your upper back pain.
#1 Work Your Rhomboids
If your upper back pain is concentrated in the middle of the upper back area, it may be due to muscle tension and tension between the shoulder blades. Luckily, this super simple stretch can treat mid-back pain and can eliminate the tension that has built up.
Here’s how to stretch your shoulder blades correctly:
- Place your arms in front of your chest and join your elbows together, from right to left.
- Next, place your left hand on your right arm so that they are connected to each other and apply pressure.
- Hold or gradually apply more pressure for 20-30 seconds, then repeat with another arm.
#2 Relax Your Latissimus Dorsi
If you regularly exercise or play sports, then it’s best to choose a comfortable stretch to relieve upper back pain, with a focus on the latissimus dorsi.
Why? Because the latissimus dorsi is not only the largest muscle in the back, but it is often strained by a series of sports activities such as playing tennis and shoveling snow. That said, performing a few classic lateral stretches can help relax the latissimus dorsi muscle and relieve pain.
Here’s how to perform a latissimus dorsi lateral stretch:
- Stand with your arms raised above your head.
- Grab the wrist of your left arm with your right hand.
- Gently pull your left arm toward the right side of your body for 20-30 seconds.
- Switch sides and repeat two to three times.
#3 Aim for Your Upper Trapezius
Reduced range of motion in the arm, sore shoulders and stiff neck can all be signs of trapezius muscle soreness. 6 This can be caused by events such as overexertion in the gym, pinching nerves, or poor posture. But don’t worry: this upper back stretch directly targets your tired trapezius muscles and can help you get rid of the pain.
You can aim your trapezius muscles by standing or sitting and holding one hand above your head and grabbing the other. With your free arm behind you, slowly pull your neck and head down towards the shoulders of the arm you’re pulling. If you want a more intense stretch, feel free to apply more pressure.
After about 30 seconds, switch to the other side and repeat.
#4 Aim for Your Lower Trapezius Muscles
The trapezius muscle is a cunning “don’t mob me” type muscle that refuses to be confined to a certain part of the back. Instead, it extends from the base of the neck to a point in the middle of the back. Therefore, back pain stretching exercises targeting the upper and lower trapezius muscles may help speed recovery.
To stretch your lower trapezius, stand up with your arms raised above your head as if in a salute to the letter W. Then, squeeze the shoulder blades together while slowly lowering the elbows to about the level of the stomach.
Hold that position for two to three seconds, then gradually lift your arms above the starting position – this time, you should aim for the letter “Y” and hold it for another two to three seconds. Depending on your soreness, repeat the upper back stretch up to 10 times.
#5 Free Your Levator Scapulae
Any number of rigorous exercises can strain the levator scapulae. But if you have upper back pain, especially neck and shoulder blade pain, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your exercise routine is to blame. The culprit could even be your smartphone.
Studies have shown that levator scapularis pain is associated with persistent cranial angles, the face-down, neck-bending posture that most of us adopt when intently playing with our phones. Therefore, in addition to adding a good levator scapulae stretch to your routine, it is worthwhile to reconsider your posture when rolling.
Here’s an excellent way to stretch the levator scapulae:
- Once seated, grasp the bottom of the chair with your left hand.
- Gradually turn your head to the right while bringing your chin close to your chest.
- With your right hand, carefully tilt your head down and to the left.
- Hold for about 20 seconds.
When you’re done, be sure to repeat the stretch on the other side.
Additional Stretching Exercises for Upper Back Pain
When you’re stretching for upper back pain, never underestimate the power of yoga. If you are in doubt:”Is yoga good for you?” It’s important to know that some standard yoga poses can open up everything and relieve aching upper back. Yogis around the world recommend the following simple poses as a time-tested answer to how to stretch your upper back:
- Balasana (Child’s Pose) flexes the spine and stretches the shoulder blades
- Marjaryasana (Cat Pose) relaxes tight muscle trigger points
- Bitilasana (Cow Pose) rejuvenates tired muscles
- Ustrasana (Camel Pose), a backward bend pose with the shoulders open
