Upper Back Stretch

Description

How to Do Upper Back Stretch

1. 1
   Setup

   Begin standing or seated with your feet hip-width apart and a neutral spine. Interlace your fingers together, turning your palms to face away from your body.

2. 2
   Setup

   Extend your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height, ensuring your elbows are not locked.

3. 3

   Slowly round your upper back, allowing your shoulder blades to protract and spread apart. Simultaneously push your interlaced hands further away from your chest.

4. 4

   Allow your head to gently drop between your arms, tucking your chin slightly towards your chest. You should feel a deep stretch across your upper back and between your shoulder blades.

5. 5

   Hold this position, breathing deeply and slowly, trying to relax further into the stretch with each exhale. Maintain the stretch for the prescribed duration before slowly returning to the starting position.

Tips

• Focus on actively pushing your palms forward as if trying to touch a wall in front of you; this enhances the stretch across your trapezius and rhomboids.
• Deep, diaphragmatic breathing helps to relax the muscles and allows for a deeper stretch. Inhale slowly through your nose and exhale fully through your mouth.
• Avoid shrugging your shoulders towards your ears; keep them relaxed and down, focusing the stretch on the upper back rather than the neck.
• To increase the stretch, gently pull your abdominal muscles in and up, which can help round the thoracic spine more effectively.

Common Mistakes

• ×Not fully protracting the shoulder blades diminishes the stretch; actively push your hands away and round your upper back as much as possible.
• ×Holding your breath or tensing up during the stretch prevents muscle relaxation; consciously breathe deeply and focus on relaxing into the movement.
• ×Overarching the lower back instead of rounding the upper back can strain the lumbar spine; maintain a slight engagement in your core to keep your lower back stable.