Pec Stretches for Upper Back Pain Relief

Many people come into my Beverly Hills chiropractic office asking what they can do to stretch their upper backs.  Upper back pain and stiffness has become more common as the use of computers and laptops has increased.  I always say that the best stretch for the upper back is really a stretch for the chest, because when the chest muscles (pectorals major and minor) get tight, they can cause the the upper back muscles to become overactive.

As far as I'm concerned, pec stretches are fundamental, so EVERYONE should be doing them.  But especially people with neck pain, upper back stiffness or shoulder injuries should ultimately open up their chest areas.  Watch the video below to see the best pec stretch for flexibility and upper back pain relief.

West Hollywood Chiropractic: Exercises For Neck And Upper Back Pain Relief

I have been showing you exercises to strengthen your upper back, primarily the lower trapezius muscles.  The trapezius is a large diamond-shaped muscle that connects the neck to the shoulders (scapula or shoulder blades).  Although the trapezius is one muscle, we split it into regions based on the actions each does.  So the upper trapezius shrugs the shoulders, the middle trapezius retracts or pulls back the shoulders, and the lower trapezius stabilizes the scapula by anchoring them down so that the arms can do overhead movements.

When the lower trapezius gets weak, it disrupts shoulder biomechanics and can lead to an upper trap-heavy posture, including neck and upper back pain  One way to correct this is by doing wall slide exercises.  Wall slides are NOT lat pull downs; it is a separate and distinct movement, which requires no weights.  Watch the video below to get an idea of how to do proper wall slides.

West Hollywood Chiropractic: Chest Raise Exercise to Strengthen the Upper Back

Los Angeles Chiropractor: Home Stretches to Relieve Neck Pain

Last month, I posted twice on how to relieve neck pain.  Whereas the first post dealt with the anatomy of neck and upper back pain, and the second with techniques I do in my Los Angeles sports chiropractic office, this post describes things you can do on your own, at home, to take a proactive role in correcting your chronic neck problems.

In the video below I demonstrate two outstanding neck stretches that focus on the upper trapezius and levator scapulae muscles.  Although these two have similar attachment points and functions, they require slightly different movements.  It is important to follow the steps laid out in the video--miss one, and you won't get the proper stretch.  If you have trouble getting down the nuances of each stretch, just do the basic stretch I show first--believe me it'll do wonders.

If you have chronic neck pain, it would be wise to visit a chiropractor.  With chiropractic adjustments, massage and neck stretches, your neck problems should clear up nicely.  If you are in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills or West Hollywood, come get your neck pain relief at my sports chiropractic office--you'll be happy you did.

West Hollywood Chiropractor Treating Upper and Mid-Back Pain

Upper back pain is becoming more and more common as computers play a bigger part in our daily lives.  I recently showed you how chiropractic adjustments can help relieve upper back pain.  Another useful approach to use in combination with chiropractic care is physiotherapy, including electric muscle stimulation, heat and deep tissue massage.

Sports chiropractors will use various modalities to help reduce muscle spasm and soreness of the upper and mid-back.  Electric muscle stimulation, or e-stim as it is sometimes called, helps reduce spasm by puttin the muscles in a brief and alternating contracted state.  This contraction/relaxation cycle is actually necessary to break the neurological disruption that is preventing the muscles from relaxing on their own.  Some medical doctors attempt to do this with muscle relaxant drugs (albeit through a different mechanism), but electric muscle stimulation is a physical modality to address a physical problem.  Watch the video above to see e-stim in action.

Heat helps by bringing blood to the area, which also allows muscles to relax.  Once the e-stim and heat therapy is complete, a session of myofascial therapy, or deep-tissue massage does wonders at breaking up knots, trigger points, sore areas, and any adhesions in the muscle tissue.  Then, the pièce de résistance, of course, is the chiropractic adjustment, which opens the stuck joint and brings normal movement back to the spine.


Watch the video to get a taste of what you can expect in a sports chiropractic office where you might be getting treated for upper and mid-back pain.  If you find yourself in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills or West Hollywood, please come visit my chiropractic office to get relief for your upper back pain woes.

Los Angeles Chiropractic Upper Back Pain Relief

Upper back pain is one of the most common maladies entering chiropractic offices today. From sitting hours in front of a computer to your favorite reading book, many of our daily postures cause sore, aching upper backs. There is a quick and long-lasting solution: Chiropractic.

Through chiropractic adjustments, muscle stimulation and release, as well as rehabilitation stretches and exercises, a sports chiropractor can help you relieve acute or chronic upper back pain effectively. In my Beverly Hills, Los Angles and West Hollywood chiropractic office, we provide safe, and comfortable chiropractic adjustments to the spine, while treating the muscles to remove pain. A little heat or ice to relax the muscles and break inflammation and your upper back pain will be a thing of the past.

Don't suffer with that nagging upper or mid-back ache any longer. Visit a sports chiropractor for a long-term solution.