How to release and relieve middle back pain

20 February 2022

Release and Relieve Your Mid Back

Do you spend a great deal of time hunched over your laptop, your iPhone, driving in the car, or stooping over the daily tasks? As a physiotherapist and yoga and Pilates teacher, I consult a lot of clients with mid back pain and stiffness often related to the above. These reoccurring activities can create muscle imbalance, spinal stiffness and postural problems..

Movements that elongate the spine, stretch the front and back of the body, and build muscle to improve your posture are like self therapy to soothe the stiffness, aches and pains. You’ll also feel longer and more aligned!

I have designed a 6 step exercise regime that can be done in 5 minutes. This has had my patients and yogalates feeling vibrant, strong , supple and painfree…

Be mindful of your body’s limits and don’t push your body to do too much. Listen to your body and do what feels best for you in each moment

Some of these exercises can be done anywhere. You might even take short breaks during the day to stretch the back and dissolve tension as it builds. Simply move away from your desk and get moving!

Child’s Pose

This traditional yoga pose gently stretches your gluteus maximus, thigh muscles, and spinal extensors. It helps relieve pain and tension all along your spine, neck, and shoulders……

promoting flexibility and blood circulation along the spine.

To do Child’s Pose, follow these steps:

With your hands and knees on the ground, sink back through your hips to rest them on your heels.
Hinge at your hips as you fold forward, walking your hands out in front of you.
Rest your belly on your thighs.
Extend your arms in front of or alongside your body with your palms facing up.
Focus on breathing deeply and relaxing any areas of tension or tightness.
Hold this pose for up to 1 minute.
You can do this pose several times during your stretching routine. Feel free to do it between each of the other stretches you do.

Cat-Cow movements

These gentle spinal movements are an excellent way to warm the body up for more difficult postures, while releasing stiffness in the mid back

Start on all fours with your wrists directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Feel free to rest your knees on a blanket if you feel discomfort.
Spread your fingers wide and distribute weight evenly throughout your hand. Press your palms and finger pads into the ground to avoid dumping weight into the wrist.
Inhale, gently sending your pelvis upward and your heart forward, dipping your belly down and your face up.
Exhale. Arch your back like a cat, rounding your spine, tucking in your pelvis, and letting your head hang loose.
Repeat 5-7 times, feeling your spine begin to open, allowing the stretch to deepen as you warm up.

Passive back extension

After a long day at work, a passive backbend can help improve posture and relieve stiffness. Hold this pose for as long as you like, start by holding for 10 long slow deep breaths. Inludung this stretch into your daily routine will dramatically increase back flexibility, reduce tension, and improve your posture.

Roll up a blanket, towel, or yoga mat. Place the roll on the floor. If using a yoga mat, you may want to roll only part of it, depending on your back flexibility and the mat’s thickness. A bigger roll requires more flexibility while a smaller one offers a more gentle release.
Lie on the roll so it rests against the bottom of your shoulder blades, close to the middle of your back. If you’d like to use yoga blocks for a deeper version of this backbend, place one block under your shoulders and a second under your head. Elevate your head as much as necessary so your neck feels supported.
Relax into the posture, placing a second blanket under your head as a pillow if necessary. Keep your breath long and deep.

Supine spine twist

Lying on your back, bring your arms out to the sides with the palms facing down in a T position. Bend the right knee and place the right foot on the left knee.Exhale drop the right knee over to the left side of your body, twisting the spine and low back. Look at the right finger tips.
Keep the shoulders flat to the floor, close the eyes, and relax into the posture. Let gravity pull the knee down, so you do not have to use any effort in this posture.
Breathe and hold for 6-10 breaths.
To release: inhale and roll the hips back to the floor, and exhale the leg back down to the floor.
Repeat on other side.

Side Lying Thoracic Windmill

The side lying windmill is a great exercise to improve thoracic extension and rotation. Lying on your side, start with your hip flexed at 90 degrees, resting your knee on a foam roller. Glide your top hand around your head with the goal being to get your arm to reach to floor on the opposite side. We recommend starting with 6-8 reps each side for multiple sets.

Baby Cobra

This gentle backbend both stretches and strengthens the back.

It can be tempting to use the arm muscles to access a deeper backbend, but focusing on engaging the back muscles is a more effective way to release back tension and build muscle to improve posture.

Lie on your stomach, body long, chin on the mat or face down. Place your hands underneath your shoulders.
Inhale and curl your chest off the ground, engaging your back muscles. You might even lift your hands up off the ground for a moment to test how much you’re engaging through the back.
Press lightly into your hands to deepen the stretch. About 95 percent of the bend should come from the back, with just a little extra push coming from the hands.
Hold for 2 breaths and release. Repeat 3-4 more times.

Seated twist

Twists are a wonderful way to release the mid back and improve flexibility. In yoga philosophy, twists help to wring out the internal organs and encourage detoxification.

During the twist, keep the spine long by sitting up straight. Twists are designed to elongate the spine, but the turning action can compress the vertebrae if the back is rounded. Many students try to access a deeper twist by hunching over, but to access the true benefits of the posture, keep the spine long.

Sit cross-legged if possible or in a chair.
Inhale, sit up tall, and place your right hand behind you, bringing your left hand to your right knee.
Exhale and gently twist your heart to the right. Lengthen through the spine, feeling the twist wring out tension in the middle of your back. Bring attention to the heart area and feel the back open. Do not over-twist by pulling on your knee or twisting too aggressively.
Gaze over your right shoulder only as far as your neck will allow. Hold for 3-5 breaths and release to center, staying at center for one breath cycle.
Repeat on the other side for the same amount of time. Repeat both sides if desired.

Bridge Pose

Bridge Pose not only strengthens the butt, it also gently opens the front body. This pose places slight pressure on the neck. Be sure to keep your gaze up to a single point on the ceiling, refraining from turning your head.

Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor a few inches away from your tailbone. Your fingers should be able to touch your heels.
Press your shoulders into the floor and gently tuck them further to your back, so that your chest puffs out slightly forward.
Press into your feet and send your hips up to the sky.
Clasp your hands underneath you, pressing into your arms and feet to lift your hips gently toward the ceiling.
Bring awareness to your upper back, behind your heart area, and consciously send your chest toward the wall behind you. This helps bring the backbend out of the lower back and more toward the middle and upper back.
Stay for 5-7 breaths before gently lowering down, unclasping the hands, and bringing them to rest at your side.
Repeat 3 more times, moving slowly and mindfully as you enter and exit the posture.

The above exercise are just a few simple options to assist us in maintaining a healthy, pain free spine, good posture and ability to remain flexible, agile and enjoy life.

See you on the mat,

Lisa x