Health & Wellbeing

These Remedies Will Relieve Tension in Your Upper Back

Krista M.

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The area between the shoulder blades tends to get pretty tight and tense, particularly when your work involves sitting for a large portion of the day. Yet, while this area can be a minefield for knots, stress and tension, these moves and techniques can help dissipate the tension, helping you feel calm and more relaxed.

Method 1: Remedies to Stretch and Release Tension in the Upper Back

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1. Use your hands: Place your hands behind your back, one on top of the other. Press your hands into your spine as far up as they will go. Stretch backwards, while doing so, leave your hands pressing into your spine. You should hear some satisfying cracks.

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2. Sit in a chair with a short back: Sit in the chair and slide toward the edge of the seat until the back of the chair touches the area of the back you feel most tense. Cover your forehead with your palms. Exhale slowly. As you do so, allow your head and shoulders to sink down behind the chair. Offering your upper back a satisfying deep stretch and a couple of cracks.

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3. Stand up against a corner of a wall: Take your arms behind you, squeezing your shoulder blades. This stretch will help release tension in your back, with a few, gentle cracks.

Method 2: Use a Medicine Ball

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1. Release tension in your middle back: Sit on an exercise ball and slowly walk your feet out. Lower yourself on the ball, with your back resting over it. Completely relax. Then slowly move yourself forward and back allowing the ball to rest on different parts of your back.

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2. Release tension in your upper back: Kneel in front of the exercise ball and slowly roll the ball forward, until you're feel as though you have stretched out your entire spine. With the ball in front of you, allow your upper and middle back to relax and sag for a bit.

These Remedies Will Relieve Tension in Your Upper Back

Source: Creative Commons, Wikivisual
3. Release tension in your lower back: Lay your chest and abdomen on top of the exercise ball. Slowly roll forward. Your toes should touch the ground, but keep your knees high. Allow your arms to hang loosely around the ball and relax the muscles in your back.

Method 3: Get Assistance from Someone Else

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1. Lay on a firm surface with your arms at your sides. Keep your elbows bent and hands on either side of your head. Keep your head to one side.

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2. Get a quick rub down to help you relax.

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3. Their hands should be at either side of your spine, their fingers pointed toward the sides of the body.

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4. As they gently push down and forward, exhale

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5. They should start in the middle of the back and move upward little by little. They should find a spot that will produce a few, good cracks.

Method 4: Deep Stretches to Release Tension

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1. Spinal twist: Sit down on a mat, keep your spine straight and your legs flat on the ground. Bend your right knee and take your foot to the outside of your left knee. Keep your left leg extended on the ground. Take your left elbow to the outside of your right knee and your right arm behind you. Hold for a couple of breaths and slowly release, repeating on the other side.

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2. Full body stretch on the bed: Lie down on your bed. Allow your shoulders, neck head and arms to hang off the edge of the bed. Relax and slowly let your upper back and arms sink towards the floor. Hold, sliding your shoulder blades farther and farther off the edge of the bed. When you feel comfortably stretched round your spine, in a forward fold, take your hands to your feet.

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3. Rocking stretch: This stretch helps loosen the muscles in the spinal column. Lie down on a mat, bringing both knees to your chest, hugging them with your hands. Rock forward and backward on the mat, building momentum as you go. Feel each piece of your spine on the mat as you rock back and forth.

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4. The floor crack: Lay down on your spine on hard flooring. Keep your arms stretched out and your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Your lower spine should be against the floor. Interlock your fingers at the back of your head and push your head forward till your chin reaches your chest. Press firmly into your chest. Note that this posture should not hurt, if it does, apply less pressure.

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