Middle back pain, also referred to as thoracic pain, spans from the middle of the back and can extent to the upper back and in-between one’s shoulder blades.
It can occur due to poor posture, or spinal disorders in the spine, as well as issues with the soft tissues in that region, such as muscle strains or sprains.
To counter pain in this region, one of the best solutions to take is to perform back stretches.
Why Stretching Helps
Because in a large number of cases of middle back pain the symptoms are due to issues with the muscles, engaging in exercises and stretches for the back helps relieve any muscle tension. Additionally, and depending on the type of exercise, physical activity can also help strengthen the muscles of the back overall, improve mobility and reduce back pain as well as soreness.
Exercises And Stretches To Try For Middle Back Pain
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
Backrack Spinal Decompression for Complete Back Pain Relief
Backrack Exercises For Maximum Pain Relief
It is a device that is easy to use, yet it is highly powerful at relieving pain in the back, neck, hips, and other parts of the body.
There are a number of exercises that have been curated to be used in conjunction with the Backrack to target either very specific or very broad sections of the spine. In this case, some exercises that may help with thoracic pain include:
- Crunch – To get started, lay on the Backrack in the neutral position, with your back placed into their corresponding sections on the device, and your legs bent at the knees. Then, place each hand on the opposite shoulder, as your arms cross each other. To perform the crunch, just gently lift your upper back ever so slightly, and return to the initial position.
- Lean back and crunch – If you want a more advanced version of the exercise above, lay down on the Backrack with your hips placed into the middle section of the device that is curved downward, bring your hands together behind your head as you do while performing a regular crunch, then lower your head and neck slightly, to the point where your back is now arched, and your stomach is pointing upward and then perform a gentle crunch. The aim is to feel the nodules on the rack massage your middle back, rather than tensing up the muscles in your abdomen. Repeat the exercise a few times.
You can find additional exercises for thoracic pain relief on our YouTube page, which is linked here.
Additional Treatment Options
If middle back pain persists, doesn’t respond to home treatments, or even gets worse, it is recommended that you seek medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional who will take your history and conduct a physical examination to determine the exact cause of your symptoms and provide adequate care as well as pain relief.
Author: Spinal Backrack
