Whole Body Revolution

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upper back and neck pain

Back Pain

Why Does My Mid Back Hurt When I Look Down?

Do you have middle back pain when you look down toward your toes?  Do you feel tension and strain between your shoulder blades?

Pain in the mid back between the shoulder blades is quite common. But massaging your aching muscles won’t get rid of your middle back pain.

It’s logical to want to rub the part of your body that hurts because it seems like that’s where the problem is. But to really get an understanding of what’s going on in your mid back, we need to take a more holistic view.

Related:

Why Does My Mid Back Hurt? Common Causes

First of all, we need to understand the two kinds of tight muscles: those that are locked short and those that are locked long.

Muscles that are locked short are just that – muscles that have contracted and won’t let go.  Locked long muscles, on the other hand, are being stretched, usually by the muscles that are locked short. They’re hanging on for dear life to keep you in some semblance of balance.

This is usually what’s going on in cases of middle back pain. The muscles on the front of your shoulders and chest are super tight, pulling your shoulders and back forward and stretching the muscles along your spine.

Those muscles in your mid back and along your neck are already being pulled to the greatest length they can manage. Rubbing them won’t help because they’re being stretched and literally can’t let go.

4 Keys to Fixing Middle Back Pain for Good

Your mid back pain is a result of tight shoulder and chest muscles — NOT tight back muscles. Usually people who suffer from middle back pain actually have weak back muscles, so back strengthening exercises can help.

In many cases, weak core muscles and tight hip flexors are also pulling your rib cage down, causing your shoulders to round into the classic computer hunch.

To get relief for your middle back pain, work on opening up the front of your body. Stretch your hip flexors and your chest muscles. Work on strengthening your core.

Pain Free At Any Age

 

Posture

Got any upper back and neck pain stretches?

Upper back and neck pain are the worst. Not being able to turn your head and look over your shoulder plus feeling like your shoulders are permanently attached to your ears has a very confining, straight-jacket-like feeling.

Most upper back and neck pain happens not because the neck is tense but because the shoulders are. Your shoulders “hang” from your neck in a sling of muscles; when you get stressed out or sit in front of a computer too long, these muscles get really tight and pull your neck out of alignment.

Fortunately, freeing up the scapula (shoulder blade) is pretty easy. This stretch will get you well on your way to increased shoulder flexibility and also give you upper back and neck pain relief.

Here’s what you do:

Stand arm’s length away from the wall. Put your palms flat against the wall and spread your fingers wide.

Step back away from the wall and stretch out so your hands are directly overhead, like Superman. Pull the belly button in toward your spine to protect your low back.

Once you’ve achieved optimal form, press your palms into the wall with a slight downward pressure, like you’re trying to slide the heels of your hands down the wall. Engage all the muscles of your arms and shoulders, using 100% of your strength to press into the wall. Remember to keep your belly button engaged.

Hold this isometric contraction for 15-20 seconds and then relax, deepening the stretch (but be careful not to let go of your belly button and let your low back hyperextend when you relax).

Repeat this 2-3 times, deepening the stretch a little more with each repetition.

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