9 Yoga Poses for Upper Back Pain

The strain from sitting at a desk, driving in a car, or looking down at your cell phone can cause upper back pain. Try these yoga poses to stretch away the discomfort.

The upper back is prone to tightness. Our thoracic spine makes up the middle segment of the vertebral column and is attached to the ribs, making this section of the spine naturally less mobile than the cervical spine above and the lumbar spine below. Constant sitting and looking at devices means poor posture, leading to tightness in the shoulders, chest, and neck.

These nine yoga poses will help to reverse the effects of sitting and poor posture by releasing the tight muscles of the chest, shoulders, and the upper back muscles that surround the thoracic spine. To get started, all you need is a yoga mat and two yoga blocks.

Suffering from a sore neck, back and shoulders? Get our mobility guide to ease pain and soreness.
Get The FREE Mobility Guide To Fix Your Pain Today!

---

Cat-Cow | 8 breaths

These combined yoga poses help to warm the entire spine, while also stretching the rhomboids and the trapezius, loosening up tightness in the upper back.

1. Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Stack your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
2. On an inhale, tilt your tailbone towards the sky, lowering your belly towards the floor to come into cow pose. Squeeze your shoulders together and keep your neck long. Feel a stretch through your abdomen.
3. Exhale and round your spine up towards the sky to come into cat pose. Draw your navel up and in towards your spine while tucking your chin to your chest and gazing at your belly. Press the ground away and feel a stretch through your mid and upper back.
4. Continue flowing between your cow and cat pose for 8 rounds of breath.

---

Thread The Needle | 8 breaths per side

This pose helps to relieve tension in the rhomboids, trapezius, and shoulders.

1. Start in a tabletop position with your wrists stacked under your shoulders.
2. Inhale as you lift your right arm up off the mat and twist it towards the sky.
3. Exhale and thread your right arm under your left arm. Bring your right shoulder and temple to rest on the mat.
4. Walk your left fingers towards the top of your mat and feel a stretch on the inside of your right shoulder blade.
5. Hold for 8 slow breaths, then come back to your tabletop and switch sides.

---

Double V Pose | 8 breaths per side

This pose relieves tension in the rhomboids, trapezius, latissimus dorsi, shoulders, and neck.

1. Place a block at the top of your mat and lie down on your belly.
2. Prop yourself up onto your forearms and engage your abs.
3. Turn your right forearm across your mat so that your fingers point to the left side of your mat.
4. Turn your left forearm in front of your right forearm and point your left fingers towards the right side of your mat. Shift your chest so that it is directly above your forearms.
5. Walk your fingers towards the edges of your mat so that your arms are crossed directly underneath your chest.
6. Bring your forehead to rest down on the block and close your eyes. Hold for 8 breaths, then switch sides.

---

Child’s Pose with Side Stretch | 8 breaths per side

This pose stretches the muscles between the ribs and helps release tension in the lats.

1. Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
2. Bring your feet together and take your knees out wide towards the edges of your mat.
3. Sit your hips back onto your heels and then walk your hands towards the top of the mat, lowering your chest towards the floor. Let your forehead rest on the mat.
4. Walk your hands over to the right edge of your mat and gently press your hips towards the left to feel a stretch through your left side.
5. Hold for 8 breaths, then switch sides.

---

Eagle Arms | 8 breaths

This binding pose relieves tension in the space between the rhomboids, traps, and the rear delts.

1. Kneel on your mat with your legs together and your hips resting on your heels. Engage your abs.
2. Wrap your right arm under your left, then wrap your forearms to bring your palms to touch. If this isn’t possible, place each hand on the opposite shoulder.
3. Lift your elbows up in line with your shoulders and press your forearms forwards. You should feel a stretch through the upper back and shoulders.
4. Hold for 8 breaths.

---

Puppy Pose | 8 breaths

This pose releases tightness in the trapezius, lats, serratus anterior, chest, and shoulders.

1. Start in a tabletop position with your hips stacked over your knees.
2. Keeping your hips stacked, walk your hands towards the top of your mat to lower your chest towards the floor. Bring your forehead to rest on the mat.
3. Feel a stretch through your lats, shoulders, and chest. Hold for 8 breaths.

---

Rabbit Pose | 8 breaths

This pose relieves tension throughout the entire back and shoulders.

1. Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
2. Bring your legs all the way together and sit your hips back on your heels. Then, walk your hands towards the top of the mat, lowering your chest onto your thighs to come into embryo’s pose.
3. Reach your arms back towards your feet and turn your palms down to grab onto your heels. Draw your chin in towards your chest and bring the crown of your head to gently rest on your mat.
4. Keeping ahold of your heels, inhale to lift your hips up towards the sky. Make sure to keep your chin tucked and to avoid putting any weight on your head. You should feel a stretch along the entire spine.
5. Hold for 8 breaths, then gently release back to your embryo’s pose.

---

Supine Twist | 8 breaths per side

This pose relieves tension along the spine and in the chest and shoulders.

1. Lie down on your back and hug your right knee into your chest.
2. Reach your right arm out to the side with your palm facing down.
3. Use your left hand to guide your right leg across your body to come into your supine twist. Make sure to keep your right shoulder on the ground. Gaze to the right or straight up at the ceiling.
4. Hold for 8 breaths, then switch sides.

---

Supported Fish Pose | Relax 2-5 minutes

This restorative yoga pose is great for reversing the effects of driving, sitting, and looking at your phone by opening up the chest and shoulders.

1. Begin by placing a yoga block on the lowest or medium height across the top of your mat. Then place another block underneath it on the same height so that it is going vertically down your mat. The blocks should be a few inches apart.
2. Sit in front of the bottom block about a foot and a half. Then, use your hands to lower yourself down onto the blocks. The bottom block should rest between your shoulder blades, and the top block supports your head.
3. Bring your arms to rest down alongside your body with your palms facing up. Straighten your legs long down your mat. Close your eyes and relax for 2-5 minutes.

(Your Next Workout: 11 Ways To Use A Tennis Ball to Fix Back Pain)