BEST EXERCISES: 5 EASY HOME EXERCISES FOR MANAGING UPPER BACK PAIN
Upper back pain can be a persistent nuisance, affecting your daily activities and overall quality of life. Whether it stems from poor posture, muscle strain, or other underlying issues, finding relief can sometimes be challenging. However, there's good news—you can effectively manage upper back pain from the comfort of your own home through targeted exercises:
Thoracic Extension Stretch
One of the leading causes of upper back pain is poor posture, often exacerbated by spending long hours sitting at a desk or hunching over electronic devices. The thoracic extension stretch is an excellent exercise for counteracting this by improving mobility in the upper back and opening up the chest.
How to do it:
- Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
- Place your hands behind your head, elbows pointing out to the sides.
- Gently arch your upper back and lean backward, stretching through the chest and upper back.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then return to the starting position.
- Repeat 3-5 times.
Cat-Cow Stretch
The cat-cow stretch is a yoga-inspired movement that helps to mobilise and stretch the spine, relieving tension in the upper back muscles.
How to do it:
- Start on your hands and knees, with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Inhale as you arch your back, dropping your belly towards the floor and lifting your head and tailbone towards the ceiling (cow position).
- Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your chin to your chest and drawing your belly button towards your spine (cat position).
- Continue flowing between cat and cow positions for 1-2 minutes, focusing on the movement of your spine.
Shoulder Blade Squeeze
This simple exercise helps to strengthen the muscles between your shoulder blades, promoting better posture and reducing upper back pain.
How to do it:
- Stand or sit up straight with your arms by your sides.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together as if you're trying to hold a pencil between them.
- Hold the squeeze for 5-10 seconds, then relax.
- Repeat for 10-15 repetitions, focusing on the quality of the movement rather than speed.
Doorway Pec Stretch
Tight chest muscles can contribute to upper back pain by pulling your shoulders forward and rounding your upper back. The doorway pec stretch is an effective way to release tension in the chest muscles and improve posture.
How to do it:
- Stand in a doorway with your arms bent at a 90-degree angle and your elbows resting on the door frame.
- Lean forward slightly, feeling a stretch across the front of your shoulders and chest.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then relax.
- Repeat 3-5 times, gradually increasing the intensity of the stretch as your muscles loosen.
Wall Angels
Wall angels are a challenging yet highly effective exercise for improving upper back mobility and posture.
How to do it:
- Stand with your back against a wall and your feet hip-width apart.
- Bring your arms up so that your elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle, with your upper arms parallel to the floor and your forearms against the wall.
- Keeping your back and arms against the wall, slide your arms up overhead as far as you can without allowing your elbows to leave the wall.
- Hold for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your arms back down.
- Aim for 10-15 repetitions, focusing on maintaining contact between your arms and the wall throughout the movement.