A variety of things can cause upper back stiffness. Repetitive movements in sports such as tennis, golf, rowing, swimming and long-distance running can cause strain. Postural problems from sitting at a desk, driving for extended periods, or even riding a bike (if you maintain an aerodynamic position with your upper back) can also be to blame. Lifting heavy weights or doing large compound movements can take a toll, and carrying a baby or breastfeeding can also take a toll.
This list covers a batch of people, so how do we ease the stiffness that affects almost all of us?
“The book-opening exercise is great for opening up the chest and relieving stiffness in the upper back,” says Helen O’Leary, physiotherapist and founder of Complete Pilates. “It brings movement to the front, back and sides of the body with rotation and extension of the spine. You’ll have a lot more mobility. It’s a brilliant movement because it can be used by almost anyone, and most of all, it should feel good.”
Helen O’Leary is a qualified physiotherapist with a background in elite sports. She trained with Polestar Pilates and in 2015 founded Complete Pilates, a rehabilitation focused Pilates studio with three locations in central London.
How to make the opening section of the book
Representatives: 5 on each side
- Lie on your side with your hips and knees bent, your head supported by a block or pillow, and your arms extended together on the floor in front of you.
- Keeping your hips and knees together, stretch your upper arm up and behind you as far as is comfortable, turning your head to follow your hand with your gaze and letting your chest roll up.
- Press your knees together to resist the stretch of your rotating torso; this should prevent you from rolling onto your back and give you a greater stretch through your obliques.
- Gently reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
(Image credit: Helen O’Leary / Complete Pilates)
Movement tips
“It would allow the hips to roll back a little bit because then you get full spinal mobility, and by loosening up the lower back, you also get more of a stretch in the upper back,” says O’ Leary. “So it’s not like your hips end up facing the sky, but there’s a slight tilt back. Press your top leg down into your bottom leg and almost slide your knee forward slightly because that will keep your hips from spin too much.”
“At first, you can just go in and out of the stretch, so your body gets used to it,” says O’Leary. “Then as you start to get used to it, you can hold it for two or three breaths.”
Don’t worry if your arm doesn’t reach the floor behind you. How far you can go just depends on the natural mobility of your shoulders. Touching your arm to the floor is not the goal of this exercise, but you can try elevating your arm with pillows to relax during the stretch.
“If you’re fighting the stretch, your muscles will contract and try to pull you up and you’ll never fully relax,” says O’Leary. “By supporting yourself to let go in this position, you’ll be able to get a little deeper stretch.”
What is the opening exercise of the book?
This rotation and extension movement stretches almost every muscle in the torso.
“You will feel a release of the muscles around the spine from the base of the spine to the neck, the deep spine stabilizers and around the ribs where they join the mid back. Also in the around the shoulders, the chest, the obliques, the abs. You’ll also feel a lot of release in the hips and around the pelvis,” says O’Leary.
“Everything from the belly in the front, to the spine in the back, everything stretches and opens up, which is why it feels so good.”
Changes to the book opening exercise
There are many variations to the arm position – experiment and find one that feels right for you.
“You can slide your upper arm across your chest like you’re shooting a bow and arrow, and then extend your elbow, which will give you much more mobility and support. Or you can draw a circle over your head with your arm. To get out of the ‘stretch more gently, bend the elbow before bringing the arm back across the body.’
“If the stretch feels too intense, instead of extending your arm, bend your elbow and place your hand behind your head,” says O’Leary. This allows you to control the movement from the elbow.
It’s also common for this stretch to feel different on each side. “Most people are asymmetrical and that’s not a problem at all. It might just mean you need to spend a little more time on one side than the other, give yourself a little more support and do a few reps No more. Do the same number on each side until you feel you’ve given yourself enough and then it might be one or two on some days, and it might be different on each side.”
This stretch isn’t ideal when you’re pregnant, but there are modifications if you developed a tender spot before conceiving.
“As you go into the third trimester, that extension rotation can create a little more stretch across your linea alba, which will lead to diastasis, that slight separation of your abs,” says O’Leary. “Instead, you can do a seated version or a kneeling version with one foot on the floor in front of you.”
For more tips on how to wind down at the end of the day and increase your mobility, read our guide to the best hip stretches and try these hip strengthening exercises.
Need some support for your stretching routine? Check out our guide to the best yoga mats
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