Mid back pain can make it difficult to perform everyday activities. Here are some of my favorite mid back stretches and exercises to help relieve the pain.
Rhomboid stretch, thoracic side bend, and thoracic rotation are all simple stretches to get started. These should help loosen up tight mid back muscles and relieve pain in the mid back area.
Seated Ts, seated rows, and bear hugs are all simple exercises to help strengthen the muscles. These should help loosen up tight mid back muscles and relieve pain in the mid back area as well.
For a herniated disc, to relieve the back pain, you want to do extension exercises and stretches to help push the disc back into the space in your spine.
The lower back can be a hard area to stretch depending on what is causing the pain. My favorite exercise for this area is a pelvic tilt. It’s a great exercise as well as a stretch for the low back, hips, and pelvis.
A rhomboid stretch is great for the rhomboid muscles because they tend to get overworked and tight easily. Many rhomboid stretches require someone to get in an uncomfortable position or down on the floor. This simple modified rhomboid stretch can be done sitting in a chair or on the couch.
Therapeutic Yoga can help relieve back pain by incorporating physical therapy & yoga. Trudy, a fellow PT & registered yoga teacher, stops by to show me stretches & exercises for back pain relief.
Got back pain? These back pain relief stretches can be done on the floor, a bed, or a couch. These back stretches are great for general back pain relief.
Lower back pain can often be relieved, and even prevented, by strengthening the core. So here are progression exercises to help strength the core in the front, side, and back.
Spinal Stenosis can cause pain, numbness, muscle weakness, and other issues. Here are some seated stretches and exercises that can help relieve the pain caused by Spinal Stenosis.
The upper back can be a hard area to stretch. Tight rhomboid muscles and other muscles around the shoulder and neck can cause upper back pain. My favorite stretch for the upper back area is a seated rhomboid stretch.
The biggest myth about back arthritis pain relief is that exercise makes the condition worse. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. One of the most beneficial exercises for back arthritis is bridging. Bridge exercises are great to do every day, but make sure to progress slowly so it doesn’t get inflamed.