Top 5 Exercises In 2022 For Upper Back Pain!

Posture Pole

This exercise is the most common type of exercise for both posture and upper back pain. This is because it is simplistic and is very easy to set yourself up in this position. It also exerts very little energy to complete and has amazing benefits such as decreasing muscle tension, increasing joint and ligament flexibility and relaxing the areas of concern.

To perform this exercise: 

• Put down a foam roller or rolled up towel on a flat surface.
• Position yourself on your back in the middle of the pole
• Your head should be on top like in the image above
• Ensure your knees are bent for comfort
• Try to get your low back as flat as possible to the pole
• Position arms outwards in a position you feel the stretch most

Recommended Tasks:

• Hold the position for atleast 2-5 minutes
• Holding for more than 10 minutes can improve flexibility
• Complete this stretch twice per day.
  Special Instructions:
  • Take the muscle to a point of gentle and comfortable pulling
  • If you feel increasing tightness, discomfort or pain, ease off the stretch until you find a point your muscle can relax
  • Breathe normally throughout, focusing on relaxation

Cat-cow

The exercise above is great for releasing tension within the upper and lower back. The main goal is to stretch and remobilise areas of restriction whilst also relaxing the body.

To perform this exercise:

• Position yourself on all 4’s
• The Goal is to arch your back hold the position up to 5 secs with a deep long breath in
• Once completed bring your stomach towards the ground out of the arched position and slowly breath out

Recommended Tasks:

• Repeat 10 – 15 times
• Perform the exercise 3 times.
• Rest for 15-30 seconds between exercises.
• Complete this exercise twice per day.
  Special Instructions:
  • Take the muscle to a point of gentle and comfortable pulling
  • If you feel increasing tightness, discomfort or pain, ease off the stretch until you find a point your muscle can relax
  • Breathe normally throughout, focusing on relaxation

Brugger’s relief position

This is a great exercise for desk workers as it helps to open up the shoulders and alleviate tension throughout the shoulders! 

To perform this exercise:

• Sitting on the edge of your chair
• Bring your chest upwards toward the roof.
• Pull your shoulder blades together.
• Bring your arms out straight and ensure your hands are facig outwards like in the diagram above!

Recommended Tasks:

• Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
• Perform the stretch 3 times.
• Rest for 15-30 seconds between stretches.
• Complete this stretch twice per day.
  Special Instructions:
  • Take the muscle to a point of gentle and comfortable pulling
  • If you feel increasing tightness, discomfort or pain, ease off the stretch until you find a point your muscle can relax
  • Breathe normally throughout, focusing on relaxation

Cobra Pose

This exercise is going to help in several ways, including increasing the strength of your postural muscles, stretch the chest, shoulders and abdomen, decrease stress, help improve breathing and lastly, decrease tension in the mid and lower back.

To perform this exercise:

• Prop Yourself using your elbows or arms depending on your capabilities.

Recommended Tasks:

• Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
• Perform the stretch 3 times.
• Rest for 15-30 seconds between stretches.
• Complete this stretch twice per day.
  Special Instructions:
  • Take the muscle to a point of gentle and comfortable pulling
  • If you feel increasing tightness, discomfort or pain, ease off the stretch until you find a point your muscle can relax
  • Breathe normally throughout, focusing on relaxation

Child pose with thoracic rotation

This exercise is great for increasing thoracic mobility while also strengthening the core muscles and simultaneously stretching the chest, shoulders, and thoracic back muscles. 

To perform this exercise:

• Thread your arm under your torso and out the other side. 

Recommended Tasks:

• Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
• Perform the stretch 3 times.
• Rest for 15-30 seconds between stretches.
• Complete this stretch twice per day.
  Special Instructions:
  • Take the muscle to a point of gentle and comfortable pulling
  • If you feel increasing tightness, discomfort or pain, ease off the stretch until you find a point your muscle can relax
  • Breathe normally throughout, focusing on relaxation

Still Worried and need more Help?

Depending on the severity of the injury or area of concern our practitioners in our Broadmeadows, Westmeadows and Fawkner Clinics will treat accordingly to your complaint. Treatments that may be provided but are not limited to include:

• Spinal manipulation, Activator Methods, Drop Piece, SOT and other adjustive techniques can help alleviate joints that have restriction such as spinal segments and joints (LeFebvre, Peterson & Haas, 2012)
• PNF/PIR/prescribed stretching – Stretching has shown to reduce pain, improve functionality of the wrist and hand also maintains strength and improves patients in both long and short-term outcomes.
• Remedial Massage, Trigger point therapy or use of handheld massager – Have shown to decrease pain/tenderness, enhance both range of motion and quality of life and influence flexibility (Shah et al., 2015) (Imtiyaz, Veqar & Shareef, 2014)
• Advice on daily living activities/diet – This enables advice on how to change to make healthy        actions into habits and may offer a valuable alternative with potential for long-term   impact. (Gardner, Lally & Wardle, 2012)
• Prescribed exercises – produce more beneficial outcomes in terms of increased strength, improved function and reduced pain scores. (Fernandes, Pedrinelli & Hernandez, 2015)
• Dry Needling or Cupping to the surrounding musculature to help decrease tension and inflammation around the area of the hand and forearm.