The ache between your shoulder blades can make you want to stay very still, as though moving might make it worse. Maybe you sit carefully, avoid twisting or hold your upper back rigid through the day. It is a natural reaction, but for most people, the upper back actually feels better the more it moves.

Why the mid back stiffens

Your upper back is built to move. It turns when you look over your shoulder, arches gently when you reach up and moves a little with every breath. When it stays still for long periods, like during a long day at a desk or when you are guarding a sore spot, the joints and muscles can start to stiffen.

Stillness and stiffness tend to feed each other. The stiffer your upper back feels, the less you want to move it. The less you move it, the stiffer it gets. Breaking this cycle is one of the most helpful things you can do.

Why the ache is rarely a sign of damage

Mid back pain is very rarely caused by damage. It usually comes from stiff joints, tight or tired muscles and a nervous system that has become a little more sensitive. Long sitting, stress, shallow breathing and poor sleep can all play a part.

Pain is your body’s alarm system, and like an oversensitive alarm, it can go off even when nothing is wrong. Feeling some stiffness or ache when you move does not mean you are causing harm.

What movement does for your upper back

Gentle movement helps your upper back in several ways. It keeps the joints between your ribs and spine moving freely, eases tension in the muscles around your shoulder blades and helps calm the pain system. Many people find their stiffness eases within minutes of starting to move.

Small changes within your day

You do not need a long workout. Small, regular movements spread through your day tend to help most. Some ideas:

• Stand up and move every half hour or so.
• Take calls standing or walking.
• Reach both arms up towards the ceiling when you stand up.
• Let your arms swing naturally as you walk.

VIDA’s Pomodoro stretches, in the top right corner, can prompt you to pause and move during focused work.

Gentle upper back movements

Something to try a few times a day:

• Sit tall, cross your arms over your chest and slowly turn to each side.
• Sitting back in your chair, clasp your hands behind your head and gently lean back over the top of the chair.
• On your hands and knees on the floor, slowly round your back up, then let it gently dip down.
• Draw your shoulder blades gently back and down, hold for a few seconds, then relax.

Start small and let your back guide you. If a movement feels sharp, make it smaller. If you would like a guided stretch, VIDA has short videos you can follow at your own pace.

Breathing into your back

Your ribs attach to your mid back, so every breath moves it a little. When you are in pain or stressed, breathing often becomes shallow, which means your upper back moves less. A few slow, deep breaths, letting your ribs widen at the sides and back, can help it loosen.

Building strength

As your upper back feels easier, building strength helps it stay comfortable for longer. Something to try two or three times a week:

• Back lifts. Lie on your front on the floor with your arms by your sides, gently lift your head and chest a little way, then lower.
• Shoulder squeezes. Sit tall, draw your shoulder blades back and down, hold for five seconds, then relax.

If you would like to follow along, VIDA has short videos of back lifts and shoulder squeezes you can use at your own pace.

Using warmth

A warm shower or a heat pack between your shoulder blades can help stiff muscles relax, making it easier to start moving. Many people find this especially helpful first thing in the morning or at the end of a long day.

Your VIDA pain check-in can help you notice how your back changes as you move a little more each day.

What to take away

• Your upper back is built to move, and stillness tends to make it stiffer.
• Mid back pain is very rarely a sign of damage.
• Small, regular movements through the day help most.
• Turn, arch and breathe into your upper back a few times a day.
• Build strength with back lifts and shoulder squeezes.

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