Mid-back stiffness is something that’s incredibly common in today’s day and age and is most likely due to how sedentary many of us are for a large part of our day.
Most of us work desk jobs where we’re not moving around or changing positions all that much, and aside from the time that we spend in the gym, most of us don’t spend a lot of time simply moving each day.
And guess what happens when you don’t move an area…
It feels stiff! (big shocker, I know)
In fact, mid-back stiffness is something that a lot of our clients experience, especially if they have been dealing with long-standing shoulder pain.
So today, we’re going to cover a few of our favorite movements that we use to help our clients solve their nagging mid-back stiffness (and often help solve their shoulder pain at the same time)!
For this drill, you’re going to set yourself up near a wall with your hips and knees bent and feet flat on the wall, and a foam roller just below your shoulder blades.
From here, you’re going to bend backward over the foam roller, trying to exhale fully at the bottom and hold this position for 5-10 seconds, performing 3 sets of 5 reps.
You can even increase the intensity of this drill by holding a small weight behind your head/neck!
Half-Kneeling Band Rotation:
Get yourself set up in a half-kneeling position, with your inside leg up, and your outside knee on the floor.
Grab a band with a shoulder-width grip, and then rotate your outside hand backward, like you’re trying to touch the wall behind you.
Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps/side.
Quadruped Band Thoracic Rotation:
Attach a thicker band to a squat rack (or something else that won’t move, we don’t want the band to fly off and smack you after all) and then get in an “all fours” position with tension on the band, holding the band in the outside hand.
Let the band pull you towards the anchor point, holding for 5-10 seconds before returning to the starting position. Perform 3 sets of 5 reps/side.
We have our clients perform one or more of these drills daily, or use these drills as a little movement break from prolonged sitting while working!
If you’re looking for help solving your mid-back stiffness (or another injury that’s been holding you back), fill out the form below and we’ll schedule a free consultation call!
