Thoracic Spine aka Upper Back Pain
This is an area that tends to be forgotten…the thoracic spine aka your upper back. This area needs to be able to move well AND be strong! Often times one or both of these things are occurring which leads to that annoying upper back pain!
What you’ll learn today:
Common causes of upper back pain
How to relieve the pain
How to stop aggravating the area
Long term relief
*Disclaimer: All of this content is for educational and informational purposes only. None of which constitutes as medical advice and does not establish any kind of patient-provider relationship by your use of this information. Please consult your doctor or qualified medial professional if you have a genuine concern.
This is a GENERAL GUIDE with GENERL INFORMATION. Everyone’s pain and circumstances are different. Ideally, you should have an individualized treatment plan based on your unique needs (I can help with this). Let me share a few things to help you get started…
Common Causes of Upper Back Pain
During Pregnancy:
Your center of gravity changes as your baby grows and increased breast tissue can lead to…
Your shoulders rounding forward and pec (chest muscle) tightness
Upper back rounds and can become stiff
Limited movement through the upper back can cause pain
During Postpartum:
Caring for the baby - holding, rocking, feeding, etc can lead to…
Your shoulders rounding forward and pec tightness
Upper back rounds and can become stiff
Lack of rotation (twisting) and extension through the upper back can cause pain
Weak and/or tight muscles that don’t work efficiently or effectively can also lead to pain
Muscle imbalance: weakness or tightness
Our bodies crave balance and when one area is too tight or another area is weak, this can lead to aches/pains
Weakness in the muscles of the upper back
Tightness in the pecs
Pain Relieving Techniques
Moist heat to relax those muscles
A warm compress or heating pad on the back muscles for 10 -15 minutes (20 minutes MAX) can do wonders!
THEN, after relaxing those muscles, try to get your upper back moving in all directions
Twisting left to right
Rounding and arching your upper back
Tilting side to side
10 times each motion
Trigger point release of upper back muscles
Stand up against a wall
Using a massage ball, lacrosse ball, golf ball, find those tight muscles or “knots” around your shoulder blades
Roll the ball over those muscles using the pressure from the wall
Start with gentle pressure and work your way up in intensity always making sure it’s not painful
Roll for 2-5 minutes
Daily Modifications
Modify the activities throughout your day that are aggravating your pain
If we can optimize our alignment/position as well as movement patterns it will put less stress/strain on our back, and then less aches and pains
Remind yourself to think tall (like someone pulling you up by your ponytail) to improve your posture
Shoulder blade squeeze (check out this blog for more details) when using your arms
Long Term Solutions
Strength/stability
Upper back strengthening
Shoulder matrix (see this post)
Bent over rows
Reverse flys
Mobility/flexibility
Thoracic Spine mobility
Open Book (see this post)
Thread the Needle
Cat-Cow
Stretching pec muscles (see this post)
Let’s Review
Relieve your pain with heat, gentle movements, and trigger point release
Modify your daily activities to prevent aggravation (upright posture and shoulder blade squeeze)
Movement component: mobility and stability for long term relief
Remember, this is a GENERAL GUIDE. If you want an individualized plan, schedule a 1:1 Virtual Consult. Let’s get you thriving!
*Disclaimer: All of the content is for educational and informational purposes only. None of which constitutes as medical advice and does not establish any kind of patient-provider relationship by your use of this website. Please consult your doctor or qualified medial professional if you have a genuine concern regarding your health or the health of your baby