Guide to Upper Back Stretches: How to Stretch the Upper Back

An upper back stretch is a body movement that expands and contracts the muscles in the top and mid-back of the torso, collectively called the upper back muscles. The upper back muscles consist of several interrelated parts: the splenius and trapezius muscles, the rhomboid muscles, the deltoid muscles, the teres muscles, and the large latissimus dorsi muscles that connect the neck, shoulders, shoulder blades, and underarms. The upper body muscles are a central muscle group that aid in good posture, shoulder-joint movement, neck movement, and pushing or pulling heavy objects.

Tight upper back muscles can lead to shoulder pain, neck pain, chest pain, and difficulty lifting heavy objects. Stretching your upper back activates the muscles, stimulates blood flow, and can increase your short-term range of motion and flexibility, helping to prevent injury. Some people perform upper back stretches as a warm-up before or cool down after an upper body workout routine, yoga exercise, cardio session, or other wellness activity. This strengthening exercise can help improve posture, alleviate upper back pain, and increase lifting capacity.

There are many causes of upper back pain, including:

1. 1. Extended poor posture: If you spend a lot of time hunched over a computer desk or table with rounded shoulders, your back muscles may start to feel tight or cramped because they spend too much time overextended and may be misaligned. To avoid back pain from bad posture, try to sit with your back straight, bending your arms at a 90-degree angle.
2. 2. Heavy lifting with misaligned form: If you lift a heavy object from the floor without keeping your back straight and aligning your thoracic spine—the central part of the spine—you run the risk of injuring a muscle and triggering upper or lower back pain.
3. 3. Overuse: Often, chronic pain in your upper back can come from overusing the muscles—for instance, lifting heavy boxes on moving day, training too hard at the gym, or painting a house.
4. 4. Accident: People involved in auto collisions or other accidents may experience upper back pain or neck pain afterward due to the high-impact or rapid movement of the muscles during the event.

Here’s a formula for a routine of basic upper back stretches:

1. 1. Start with a warm-up. Avoid stretching “cold,” or from a completely sedentary or resting state. A cold, tight upper back stretch can shock your muscles and lead to undue strain or injury. Instead, warm up before you stretch by taking a quick walk, jogging in place, or performing another brief cardio workout to increase your heart rate and encourage blood flow to your muscles.
2. 2. Begin with your latissimus dorsi. Your latissimus dorsi, commonly called the lat muscles or lats, are the largest muscles in your upper body, so it’s a good idea to begin your routine with stretches that target these muscles. A common gentle stretch for your lats is child’s pose, a beginner’s yoga pose. To perform the child’s pose, kneel on your yoga mat, rest your buttocks against your heels, and place your palms on your thighs with your feet close together. Then, lower your upper body onto your thighs on an exhale. Extend your arms out in front of you with your palms face down on the mat, spreading your knees wide enough for your torso to lower between your thighs. Rest your forehead on your yoga mat, relax your neck, and hold for several deep breaths. Other common lat stretches include the overhead arm reach and unweighted bent-over rows.
3. 3. Add in a trap stretch. The trapezius muscle is a major muscle in your upper back that supports your neck. A common trap stretch is the neck roll, which loosens your neck muscles down through your traps. To perform a neck roll, stand upright with your shoulders back and your feet about hip-distance apart. Slowly lower your head forward and begin rolling it in a counterclockwise motion, moving it over your left shoulder, stretching it to look upward, moving it over your right shoulder, and returning it to the forward-tilted position. Repeat this several times, and then perform the roll for the opposite side in a clockwise rotation. Other traps stretches include the assisted head tilt, shoulder rolls, thoracic extensions, and the W & Y stretch.
4. 4. Stretch your rhomboids. The rhomboid muscles connect to your shoulder blades and help support your spine. A common rhomboid stretch is a modified eagle pose, a dynamic yoga pose. To perform a modified eagle pose, stand upright in your starting position, with your shoulders back and feet about hip-distance apart. Bring your right arm under your left, and wrap your arms until your palms touch or simply grab your left-hand fingers with your right hand. Press into the stretch to feel your upper back opening. Hold for several breaths, then repeat with the left arm under your right. Another rhomboid stretch is the cat-cow stretch.
5. 5. Increase the difficulty. If you consistently perform a gentle stretching routine and feel comfortable moving to a higher level of difficulty, add a resistance band or foam roller to your routine for added bodyweight, or turn stretches into resistance-based back exercises.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

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