Middle back pain & lower mid back pain respond well to techniques that mobilise the spine. Thoracic rotation loosens mid back spinal joints very efficiently. And extension opens tight middle back joints to give you quick mid back pain relief. You may feel tightness in the muscles, but chronically stiff mid back muscles wont relax until you address any restricted spinal joints. So here’s some physical therapy exercises to loosen joints up, and some ideas on how you can then get those muscles to settle down quickly.


0:00 Intro
0:25 Exercise 1.
0:57 Exercise 2.
1:45 Exercise 3.
2:29 Two ways to relax the mid back muscles
3:10 For stubborn, stiff middle backs
3:34 Avoid the main CAUSE of mid back pain

VIDEOS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:
Tennis ball release of the mid back muscles...
https://youtu.be/PyeReUbqg6Y

Bird Dog exercise to strengthen thoracic muscles (also used for Multifidus muscles of the lower back), is exercise 3 in this video...
https://youtu.be/n7WLP5WrhR8

Towel exercise for very stiff mid back (at the two & a half minute mark)...
https://youtu.be/T8vKCXP7OSc

------------
EXERCISE 1. Bretzel Mid Back Stretch
Rotation on the mid back mobilises both spinal joints and rib joints and Bretzel stretches are the best way to target the lower part of the mid back.

EXERCISE 2. Puppy Pose Thoracic Spinal Stretch

Most cases of pain in the lower mid back region come from slumped sitting so we need something to extend the spine in the other direction to loosen the back. Any variation of Downward Facing Dog is the best exercises I’ve seen to achieve this. The Puppy Pose position is easier for most people

EXERCISE 3. Modified (active/moving) Mini Cobra
A nice way of combining both rotation and extension at the same time is by starting off in a Mini Cobra position from Yoga, but then moving the legs in a way that creates some rotation in the lower mid back.
--------------
RELAX THE MID BACK MUSCLES: Rolling a tennis ball along the bands of muscles on each side of the spine against a wall is a great way to relax the muscles in the area.

And Bird Dog exercises can be very handy to, to both strengthen the mid back muscles (more of a physiotherapy approach) and get some blood flushing through the Erector Spinae muscles to help relax them.

FOR STUBBORN STIFF BACKS: If your spine feels really stiff, and you think you need something a bit stronger to mobilise it, exercises that stretch the spine over a rolled-up towel can help enormously. This uses gravity to help.

AVOID THE CAUSE OF MIDDLE BACK PAIN: In the vast majority of cases, a slumped seating position is the cause of mid-back tightness & soreness. So, to avoid it coming back, always sit right back in any chair to straighten the spine. And don’t sit in bed.
----------------------------------------
#bodyfixexercises #midbackpain #midback