A tensed upper back can cause so much pain and loosening of the muscles that tension can prove to be extremely difficult. But the good news is that physical health educators have developed certain exercises that can remedy this situation. In this article today, I will be explaining to you some of the exercises that you can engage in to relieve yourself of any form of tension in your upper back.
1. Pectoralis Stretch
This particular exercise will focus on the pectoralis region of your body while it concurrently relieves tension from your upper back. To do this exercise you will need to stand in an open doorway and lift both hands a few inches above your head, placing your hands on the frame of the door. Then lean forward as far as you can go – to create a stretch in front of your shoulders and maintain that position for about 30 seconds.
2. Chair Twist
This is also another effective exercise to loosen and relax a tensed upper back. Start by sitting down on a comfortable armless chair or bench, let your feet be about with apart, then bend down and twist causing your right hand to touch the back of your left foot. Engaging in this exercise is said to stretch your rhomboid muscles as well as increase your thoracic rotation.
3. Scapular Twist
This exercise is extremely easy to perform, all you need do is to stand upright or sit down upright, place your hands by your sides and attempt to squeeze your shoulder blades together; hold this position for about 10 seconds.
4. Mid-trap exercise
For this exercise, find a flat surface and lie down flat on your stomach while you place a pillow under your chest. Once you have done this, extend your hands straight out to your sides and ensure that your elbows are in a straight position. Once you have achieved this position: gently lift your (extended) arms towards the ceiling while you squeeze your shoulder blades together.
5. Thoracic Stretch
This final exercise is very easy to perform, start by sitting down on the floor while your stretch your legs in front of you, then hold your thighs with your hands; once this is done, twist your head and neck inwards, towards your belly button. Hold this position for about 15 seconds then return to start position and repeat.
image courtesy of: newhealthadvisor.com, bodiempowerment.com, s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com, thesaladgirl.com, fitness.stackexchange.com.
