Self Care – Breathing exercise for upper back pain

This breathing exercise for relief from upper back pain can be very effective when done properly and regularly. It is relaxing and works well for clients that don’t want to use something like a yoga wheel. Also, some people like it who don’t want to “pop their back.”

I have given this technique to a lot of people with great results. Some have Forward-Head Posture. Some have that sharp stitch when they take a breath. Some have pain between the shoulder blades. Some just have tightness and discomfort. I have even given this to my ALS clients, and they find that it increases their vital capacity when they get tested if they do this regularly. Really.

It is simple and easy to do. It doesn’t require an expensive piece of equipment. The greatest stumbling block for people is the first process of wrapping a few magazines together with tape.

Creating the magazine rolls.

All that you need is a stack of magazines and some duct tape (or Duck Tape as they call it at Wal-Mart).

In this case, I used 4-5 Time magazines to create each roll. Other magazines work. 4-5

I rolled the magazines together pretty tightly. They loosen a bit over the first few months. These Time magazines are a pretty large roll, but I’m using them with my padded massage table.

Some of my clients that are not very muscular and prefer a smaller roll to use on a hardwood floor. Some of them place a towel over the rolls for a little padding.

I compared my second roll to my first roll before I taped them together. I had to use 4 magazines instead of 5 to get a similar size because one magazine was a thicker, special edition.

I taped the two rolls together pretty tightly. Again, they will loosen a bit over the first few months. I’ve had this roll for over 10 years and it has held up well.

You Might Try These Instead

Not Crafty?

You can also just buy this back stretcher from Amazon. It’s a little better than similar models that don’t come with the pad and ball.

There are several models that compare to this. If you choose another one, for some reason, make sure that it has some padding along the center to make it comfortable and more effective.

This three-pack of yoga wheels helps to mobilize and reshape your spine. I use a 3-pack like this regularly to loosen my back. I use them all but prefer the small wheel. It has more focused pressure.

I have a set of three and have loaned them to many clients for a week. They almost always order a set for themselves. With regular use, I can see a real difference in the curve of their spine. They have played with different models and, in general, prefer the ones with deeper padding.

You can find yoga wheels on Amazon. This one has an excellent rating, but you may want one that is a bit more narrow. Get the ones that work best for your body.

The Process

This is a simple process but requires patience and focus, at first.

Lay on the magazines so that the groove between the magazines lays under the center of your spine. Position the top of the magazines so that they come to the top of your shoulder. Breathe slowly for 8-10 minutes.

1. Breathe in until you feel the tension in your back.
2. Let it out until you reach the relaxed point.
3. Slowly force out a little more air until you feel tension in your back again.
4. Let the air back in.
5. Go back to step #1

Don’t do this quickly or aggressively. It will make it less effective if you do. Expect some joints to release and muscles to relax. Often, there are little clcks of relief. Your posture will straighten a little. You’ll breathe easier. When I refer to this post from other posts about a particular problem, I’ll talk about the effects in more detail.

Also, try to avoid pulling your collarbone and chest up toward your head as you breathe in. That uses your scalene muscles and creates some thoracic outlet tension. When done correctly, this exercise should reduce thoracic outlet tension. Instead, focus on breathing so that your abdomen fills and your ribs expand out on the sides. It will seem awkward a first, but you’ll get it.

The Video

Here’s a video of me as I instruct someone to do this breathing exercise for upper back pain with the magazines.

This is easy, safe and relaxing. Many of my clients make it a part of their regular routine.

Cranio Cradle Cup

This mug has classic, colorful illustrations of the craniosacral system and vault hold #3. It makes a great gift and conversation piece.

Tony Preston has a practice in Atlanta, Georgia, where he sees clients. He has written materials and instructed classes since the mid-90s. This includes anatomy, trigger points, cranial, and neuromuscular.

Question? Comment? Typo?
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