Relieve Upper Back Pain: Improve Your Posture & Your Swing

Simple Standing Side Stretch

This easy, effective stretch is great for almost everyone.

But if you love golf, hockey, baseball, tennis, or pickleball, you especially need this stretch in your life. Releasing tension through the upper back and rib cage improves rotation and mobility, which may even improve your swing.

How to Do the Stretch

Stand with your left shoulder about a foot and a half away from a wall.

Lift your right arm up and over your head, bending your torso sideways until your fingertips touch the wall. Adjust the distance of your feet if needed.

Cross your right foot over your left so you feel a gentle stretch along the entire right side of your body.

Hold this stretch for up to five minutes, relaxing gradually into the position. Gently roll the right shoulder back and square the hips.

Pay attention to your breathing and the sensations in your body.

Inhale deeply, filling the chest and allowing the breath to expand the rib cage. Each breath may help you settle a little deeper into the stretch.

Keep the neck relaxed. You can experiment with looking down, straight ahead, or up toward the right shoulder.

Flowing, never forcing.

If it feels comfortable, flatten your hand against the wall and gently press into the wall while allowing the hips to move slightly away from it.

Relax. Breathe. Adjust.

After several minutes, slowly come out of the stretch. Turn around and repeat on the other side.

Need Something More Intense?

Experiencing pain between the shoulder blades?

You may need to focus on releasing the rib cage.

This deeper self-therapy stretch requires only a foam roller and a yoga block (or a stack of books or pillows).

When the rib cage becomes tight, it can create tension through the upper back, shoulders, and neck. Releasing this area can help reduce muscle tightness, improve breathing, and restore mobility.

I personally prefer a foam roller with a 4-inch diameter and 12-inch length:
https://amzn.to/3NAW85Y

You may want to try this stretch if:

• your upper back feels locked up
• massages provide only temporary relief
• you experience nerve pain traveling into the neck or head
• you feel nerve pain radiating down the arms
• deep breathing feels restricted
• it feels like a rib is “stuck” or pressing into the chest (the sensation, not the reality)
• tight lats are contributing to chronic headaches or migraines