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Upper Back
Pain Relief
This article
adapted
from Gary Kraftsow's Yoga For Wellness
manual explains the science and methodology behind using Viniyoga and
yoga therapy for relief of upper back pain. A double
blind study published in the December 2005 edtion of the
Annals Of Internal Medicine showed that 3 months of a specifically
designed yoga practice gave significant relief to subjects suffering
chronic back pain including relief from upper back pain.
Gary Kraftsow designed the Viniyoga
sequence in that study.
This is the second in a series of articles from Gary on the
science of using yoga therapy as a natural treatment for upper
and lower back pain...
Upper Back
Pain Relief - Part Two Of Yoga For Back Pain Series
By Gary Kraftsow
Adapted From Yoga For Wellness
© Gary Kraftsow 1999-2006
All rights reserved
Let's take some time now to consider
our upper backs.
When the curvature of your upper back increases your chest tends to
collapse over your belly. Over time, muscles in front of your
spine tighten and it becomes more and more difficult to lift and expand
your chest.
To flatten an exaggerated curvature in your upper back you strengthen
the muscles that run behind your spin and stretch the muscles that run
in front of your spine.
Taking this musculoskeletal approach gives you guidelines for
your movements when your inhale in your asana practice.
Expand your chest horizontally, while lifting your ribs vertically,
lengthen in the front of your torso and flatten your upper back.
This helps strengthen the muscles in your back and stretch the muscles
in the front of your spine.
Next let's look at when you exhale.
As your lungs deflate there is less pressure in your thoracic cavity
(the inside of your chest where your heart and lungs are.)
With this reduced pressure you can move effectively to isolate the
middle and upper areas of your back and displace them forward.
Back Exercise Stretching
If you combine this process with movements of your shoulder
girdle and your arms, you can deepen the effect.
For example if you pull your shoulder blades back towards each
other while your arms are opened wide your rip cage will expand and
your upper back will be pushed forward.
If you repeat this action muscles in the front and back of your spine
will be stretched then contracted increasing circulation, relaxing the
muscles and strengthening them.
If you also raise your arms up over your head - one arm or both -
you'll get a deeper stretch of the muscles in front of your spine.
This helps to relax your spine and allows your chest to lift
more freely.
In more advanced Yoga postures you use your arms as levers to help
expand your chest and flatten your upper back more intensely or to get
a deeper stretch to the muscles in front of your torso.
Using leverage increases the risk of injury to your joints and must be
done with careful preparation.
Back Pain And Stress
Your lower back and your neck and shoulders can
act as release valves for stress in your upper back.
When you work to flatten the curve of your upper back the tendency is
to simply increase the curve of your lower back.
But when you successfully block the curve of your lower back you must
be careful not to put too much stress on your neck and shoulders.
The following are simple exercises designed to show you the fundamental
principles of working with an increased thoracic curve.
These exercises isolate your upper back and are primarly useful for
their educational value.
In practice your upper back does not function in isolation.
It is dependant on the position of your lower back.
Also the muscles that run in the front and back of your spine connect
all the way down to your pelvis.
Back Pain Relief Exercise 1
The first principle in working with an increased curvature of the upper
back is simple movement coordinated with breathing.
Sitting in a chair, move forward so your back does not touch the back
of the chair.
Place the palms of your hands on thier corresponding knees.
As you inhale raise one arm forward and straight up over your head.
Take your arm back as far as is comfortable - behind your ear if
possible - feeling the stretch on that side of the front of your torso
and all the way down to your belly.
As you exhale return your palm to your knee.
Repeat this exercise on the same side a few times waiting to feel the
residual sensations in the front of your body.
Then repeat the same procedure on the other side.
Back Pain Relief Exercise 2
Next place your palms together in front of your
heart.
As
you inhale pull your shoulder blades towards each other.
Expand your chest horizontally and open your palms outward until they
move behind your shoulders.
At the same time lift your chest up slightly and away from your belly
feeling the stretch in the front of your torso.
As you exhale return to your starting position with your palms together
in front of your heart.
Repeat this several times.
Back Pain Relief Exercise 3
The next principle is to use your
arms as levers.
You accomplish this by using exhalation to push your mid-thoracic (the
middle of your chest) forward.
Sitting forward on a chair, place both palms on your knees.
As you inhale lift your chest upward, stretching the front of your
torso while pulling backwards gently on your knees with your
hands.
As you exhale pull a bit more strongly backwards with your arms while
pulling your shoulder blades towards each other and pushing your upper
back forward.
Repeat a few times and then relax.
Your arms can be used more effectively as levers when they are raised
over your head or when your hands are behind your back.
In the practice for kyphosis detailed on page 163 of Yoga For
Wellness you can experience
examples of this
action.
Click here to see Gary Kraftsow's Yoga for upper back DVD.
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