Exercises and stretches for mid back pain relief

The thoracic spine can be effectively targeted by a variety of exercises, stretches and yoga poses.

When it comes to Yoga, some beneficial poses and stretches that effectively target the middle back include:

1. The cobra pose – to perform this pose lay on your stomach on a mat on the floor, place your hands with the palms down and push yourself up, lifting only your upper body and rounding your back.
2. The cat cow pose – while on your hands and knees, simply arch your back upward while turning your head down, towards your stomach, then arch your back in a downward direction with your stomach arched towards the floor, while bringing your head back up and pressing it towards your back or neck. Repeat this series of motions a few times to stretch your mid back.
3. The child’s pose – requires that you start on your hands and knees just like with the cat-cow pose and bring your buttocks to lay onto your feet as you are sitting on them, while your palms remain still in the initial position, and your arms are outstretched in front of your body.

Other stretches to try include:

1. The passive backbend – where you place a rolled mat or rolled tower underneath your spine, while lying on the floor or on another mat, with your legs stretched and your arms reaching above your head.
2. A seated twist – this stretch can be performed either by sitting on the floor or on a chair. For either version, sit down (either on the floor or on a chair), have your back sit tall and upright and your legs stretched in front of you if you are sitting on a mat, or in a neutral position if sitting on a chair. The next step requires that you twist your back to either the left or the right side and have one arm hold the opposite knee. For example, if your twist your core to the left, use the right arm to grab the left knee and pull your upper body more towards your left leg, until you feel stretch in your middle back. Repeat a few times

3. To get the most benefits out of any stretches or exercises that target the back, you can use an orthopaedic device, such as the Spinal Backrack, which provides long-term pain relief, regardless of the area of your spine where your pain, stiffness or other symptoms occur.