Pilates Exercises to Ease Upper Back Pain
Sitting down for long periods of time can cause upper back pain. Whether you're sitting down at a desk, hunched over a device or maybe travelling in uncomfortable seats for extended periods of time - all of this can contribute to upper back pain.
Fortunately, Pilates can ease upper back pain as well as prevent it.
Below we’ll explore more about upper back pain and give you 10 exercises to ease upper back pain.
Sitting for prolonged periods of time can cause increased stress on the back, neck, arms and legs. Reasons for this could be:
Reduced blood flow to muscles and joints
Reduced movement of the fluid in joints
Lack of activation of muscles
Fatigue of postural muscles
Try to move little and often. Even a few exercises can make a huge difference. The key to help you do this? Make them fun!
Keep moving:
Take a break: Set an alarm every hour to remind you to take a break and gently move your body. Even 5 minutes away from a desk can help alleviate aches and pains.
Keep breathing: Breathing is key with any form of exercise - try not to hold your breath. Inhale & exhale fully!
Little and often: Make room for a regular movement class into your weekly routine. If all fails, you know you will move your body during your class. After a few weeks, it will be something you look forward to.
Something different: Find a movement specialist online that you like and try their videos! Subscribe if you want to be notified when more videos are available for you to try.
Be a beginner: Let yourself try some new things! If you are an expert runner but a beginner cyclist or the other way around, try something new. A mixture of different types of exercise is beneficial as often different exercises target different muscles.
10 Pilates Exercises to alleviate upper back pain:
Pilates can have transformational effects on helping to ease upper back pain. A combination of strengthening & stretching exercises can be extremely beneficial to combating upper back pain and it’s knock-on effects.
Stretching Exercises
Cat-Cow
This exercise helps to mobilise the spine and stretch the back muscles.
Start Position: Kneel on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Movement:
Cat - Round your back towards the ceiling, tucking your chin to your chest and drawing your belly button towards your spine. Exhale.
Cow - Arch your back, letting your belly relax towards the floor and lifting your head and tailbone towards the ceiling. Inhale.
Repetitions: Repeat 10-15 times, moving smoothly between positions.
Hip Rolls
This exercise helps mobilise the spine and improve flexibility in the back and hips.
Start Position: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms resting by your sides.
Movement: Let both knees fall over to one side and the head fall to the opposite direction. Remain here for 2-3 breaths. Let both knees fall to the opposite side, turning the head to the opposite direction again.
Repetitions: Repeat 3-4 times
Threading the needle
This exercise stretches the shoulders and upper back, promoting spinal rotation.
Start Position: Kneel on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Movement: As you inhale, lift your right arm towards the ceiling, opening your chest. As you exhale, slide your right arm under your left arm, reaching across your body and allowing your right shoulder and ear to rest on the mat. Your left hand can stay in place or stretch out in front of you for a deeper stretch.
Hold for a few breaths, feeling the stretch in your upper back and shoulder.
Inhale to return to the starting position.
Repetitions: Repeat 3-5 times, then do the same thing on the other side.
Shoulder isolations
This exercise improves shoulder mobility and helps release tension in the upper back.
Start Position: Kneel on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Movement: Allow your chest to sink closer to the ground, without letting the elbows bend. We are aiming to slide the shoulder blade around the rib cage towards one another. Now let the chest lift again, letting the shoulder blades slide around the rib cage away from one another. See how much you can isolate the shoulder blades without letting the spine get too involved in the movement. Try following along with the video!
Repetitions: 8-10 times, isolating the shoulders.
5. Standing Roll Down
This exercise stretches the spine and releases tension in the back and shoulders.
Start Position: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms relaxed by your sides.
Movement: As you exhale, slowly roll down through your spine, starting with your head, then your neck, and gradually allowing one vertebrae at a time to fold down towards the floor. Allow your arms to hang freely.
Inhale at the bottom, letting your head and neck relax completely.
As you exhale, slowly roll back up to standing, stacking each vertebra on top of the one below, with your head coming up last.
Repetitions: Repeat 6-8 times.
Join Michelle for a standing roll down:
Strengthening Exercises
6. Knee Floats
This exercise strengthens the core and helps stabilise the spine.
Start Position: Begin on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be in a neutral position.
Movement: Inhale, and draw your belly button in towards your spine, engaging your core muscles. Exhale: Lift your knees a few inches off the mat, hovering just above the ground. Take 2-3 breaths, keeping your back flat and core engaged. Inhale: Lower your knees back to the starting position.
Repetitions: 8-10 times.
7. Side Lying Leg Lift
This exercise targets the obliques and helps stabilise the shoulders and hips.
Start Position: Lie on your side with your leg straight stretched out away from you on the mat. Place the arm closest to the mat under your head and stretch it out long. Try and stack your hips one on top of the other.
Movement: Inhale and as you exhale let one leg lift up in line with your hip. Take a breath in and as you exhale, try and let your second leg join. We want to try and keep the hips stacked, the spine long and connect to your core muscles. You can then try and let both legs lift at the same time. Keep it smooth!
Repetitions: 8-10 times on each side.
8. Diamond Press & Salutes
This exercise strengthens the upper back and improves shoulder mobility.
Start Position: Lie face down with your legs together and your hands placed on the floor in front of you, elbows bent out to the sides, forming a diamond shape with your arms.
Movement: Connect to your centre by breathing out and drawing your belly button away from the floor. The next time you breathe out, let your head and chest start to lift away from the mat. Imagine your head lengthening away from your body.
Repetitions: 8-10 times.
Add in salutes! Repeat the same movement, but when your chest and head are lifted, let one hand & arm lift towards your forehead. Stay connected to your abdominals in the front of the body to keep the tension out of your lower back.
Repeat with both hands, 4-6 times.
9. Toe Taps
This exercise strengthens the lower abdominals and stabilises the pelvis.
Start Position: Lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, feet lifted off the mat, and shins parallel to the ceiling/sky. Place your arms by your sides.
Movement: As you exhale, lower one foot towards the mat, gently tapping your toes, keeping the bend in the leg the same. Inhale to bring the foot back to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg. We don’t want the connection of your spine to the mat to change, if it does, don’t bring the toe all the way to the floor - keep it small and precise!
Repetitions: Perform 10-12 taps on each side.
10. Super Man
This exercise strengthens the back extensors and helps improve overall posture.
Start Position: Begin on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your spine should be in a neutral position.
Movement: As you exhale, allow your arm to slide along the mat, reaching out in front of you. Inhale to bring it back to the starting position. Repeat using your other arm.
Now try the same with your leg: exhale and allow your leg to slide away from you along the mat. Slowly bring it back to the starting position and repeat using your other leg.
Try reaching opposite arm to leg out at the same time - like a Superman pose.
Repetitions: Repeat 8-10 times, alternating sides
Let Michelle teach you the Superman:
Incorporating these Pilates exercises into your routine can help alleviate upper back pain, improve flexibility, and strengthen your muscles, contributing to better posture and overall comfort.
If you want a regular movement class reduce aches and pains, check out our next beginner’s course:
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