Tag Archives: cause of upper back pain

What’s The Most Common Cause Of Upper Back Pain?

What’s the most common cause of upper back pain?  Is it herniated disks?

Is it neck bones that are out of place?  Is it your neighbors or your job?

Not likely any of those.  It’s muscles!  (Well, maybe your job is contributing, too.)

A recent commenter said the knots in her upper back are caused by a herniated disk.  But that’s taking things out of sequence.  (And that‘s really, really common in the medical field.)

You see, disks cannot move on their own.  Neither can bones.  So how do they move?

You got it:  Muscles!  Muscles move bones and disks.  That’s their job.

So how do disks get herniated?  (We will assume there is not a whiplash or other serious tossing-around injury.)

When muscles get out of balance they don’t hold the bones in a neutral position anymore.  Instead the muscles pull or push the bones and disks out of alignment.  They can actually push a disk out of place!

“Out of balance” means muscles on one side of your neck or back are too short or tight.  On the other side they are too loose or weak.

This means pain in your upper back and neck.

What’s the solution?

In a nutshell, strengthen the muscles on the back side of your body.  Stretch and lengthen the muscles on the front side.

And don’t forget you also have muscles on the sides of your body.  They probably need lengthening and stretching, too!

Other things such as nutrition can also play a big part in how happy your muscles are.  If you eat healthy and exercise and get plenty of water into your body your muscles will be nicer to you in return.

And posture plays a huge role in upper back pain.  I created a self-help program for upper back pain and knots and in that program I actually have a video that will help you get straighter and stronger in a simple, easy way.

If you’d like to know more about the upper back pain relief program that addresses ALL of these, please click here:  www.KnotsInYourBack.com

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Does Driving Cause Back Pain?

Linda’s back and hip hurt.  Here’s what she told me:

“I drive for a living.  Drive up to 10 hrs a day, my hip & back hurt nearly all the time.  I am 51 years old.  My hip (I think it’s the iliopsoas, but my rehab guy says tight quadriceps)… anyway that little muscle will go into spasm and it’s quite miserable.”

Here is what I told Linda:

I’m thinking that your seat may be not quite close enough to the wheel.  That would cause you to strain the upper back muscles.

Additionally, it Continue reading Does Driving Cause Back Pain?

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Which Muscles Cause Upper Back Pain And How Can You Relax Them

Which muscles cause upper back pain?  You might guess it’s the muscles at the tops and back of your shoulders but here’s the deal:  Most often they are just complaining.

The muscles that are actually to blame for your upper back pain are most often in the front of your body!  When the muscles in your chest, arms and abdomen get “tight” and short, they can cause upper back pain.

It turns out that the muscles in the front of your body are actually stronger than in the back.  So when they tighten up (like they do just because of how we use our arms) they can really Continue reading Which Muscles Cause Upper Back Pain And How Can You Relax Them

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How Sitting Causes Pain In Your Upper Back

Can something as simple as sitting cause upper back pain?

Yes.  Here’s how:

Let’s say you are in your nice comfy recliner.  And let’s say you are reading.  Or doing hand work.  Or using your laptop.

Where is your head?

That’s right.  It is sticking out in front of your body.

When you sit like that often enough your muscles get used to it.  And then no matter Continue reading How Sitting Causes Pain In Your Upper Back

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