Causes of Stiff Upper Back
Your upper back is crucial to your daily activities. You need it when you twist, bend, and turn. Yet the upper back is an area that doesn’t get much attention when we think about staying fit. Most people don't even know how to stretch their upper backs. Unfortunately, this can cause stiffness, especially if you are sedentary.
This article explores the common causes of upper back stiffness and possible treatment for back pain in Towne Lake.
What Are The Causes of Upper Back Stiffness?
If your back is stiff, it could be due to several factors, including
Poor Posture
Poor posture in any position—standing, sitting, or sleeping—can lead to muscle imbalances that contribute to stiffness. For example, some people slouch or hunch over desks, which can cause weakness in the upper back muscles and stiffness. Poor sleep posture and bad pillows or mattresses can do the same thing.
Also, sitting or lying down for long stretches is a contributing factor, and a sedentary lifestyle doesn't help. Whether you are sedentary as part of your work or as leisure (playing video games or binge-watching TV), it can contribute to stiffness.
Improper Lifting Techniques
If you do not lift heavy objects properly, you can stress your upper back. Leaning to one side or the other while holding or lifting a heavy object over your head can cause upper back problems. You can also experience stiffness if you carry something too heavy.
When you lift, carry, or do a repetitive task with a heavy object, especially if you do not warm up first, you can strain or sprain the muscles in your upper back. Strains and sprains can be severe. They can take a long time to heal, and when they are healing, they can feel very uncomfortable.
Stress
Emotional stress and tension manifest physically, with the upper back often taking the brunt of the body's reaction to heavy emotional demands. When you're under a lot of pressure, unconsciously tensing the muscles in your upper back is a common way the body responds. That tension can lead to tightness, pain, and limited motion in the upper back.
Overuse
Stiffness may come from overusing your upper back muscles. It is easy to overuse your back muscles when you do something that requires a lot of upper body twisting or if you're using poor lifting form. If you repeatedly do anything that makes you twist your upper body or if you lift with poor form, you are likely to end up with overused muscles.
Injury
Injuries also can contribute to upper back stiffness. Traumatic injuries can occur from car accidents, slips, falls, work accidents, and the like. But you can also sustain an upper back injury from a workout that is too hard or from lifting weights with poor form.
Spinal Conditions
Herniated discs, osteoarthritis, and scoliosis are common conditions that can cause upper back stiffness.
A herniated disc occurs when the rubbery cushions between your spine slip out of place, putting pressure on your nerves and causing upper back stiffness. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in your spinal joint wears down, and your bones rub against each other, which can lead to stiffness.
Scoliosis also causes upper back stiffness. This condition is when the spine curves sideways instead of the usual front-to-back curve.
Spinal Infection
Spinal infection is a rare condition, but when it occurs, the germs and pus between the bones of the spine and the spinal cord can build up quite a bit. They can develop an abscess that can swell and grow and cause a stiff and painful back.
Myofascial Pain
Myofascial pain is another condition that can affect the upper back. Whether caused by an injury or overuse of the muscles, stiffness and soreness in the upper back can be a sign of myofascial pain syndrome.
Treatment of Stiff Upper Back
If you have upper back pain or stiffness, there are a few things you can try at home that have a decent chance of working.
Exercises
Regular exercise can improve flexibility and maintain strength in your upper back. Stretches and strengthening exercises that can help prevent back stiffness include shoulder blade squeezes and push-ups.
Stress Management
Stress management can also help relieve your upper back. Techniques like deep breathing or meditation can be used, but the best results may come when these are combined with yoga.
Physical Therapy for Stiff Upper Back
If you are experiencing persistent stiffness and back pain, you will want to visit FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers - Towne Lake. They will first evaluate your condition to create a customized treatment plan. The plan could incorporate, among other things,
Heat and Ice Therapy
This treatment is straightforward: you apply heat or cold (not both at the same time, of course) to your back. Either can provide relief and help you move better.
Manual Therapy
This is a hands-on treatment that can help give a patient relief from back pain. Physical therapists may use soft tissue mobilization techniques to help the upper back feel better and move better. More commonly, therapists use massage to loosen structures in the upper back to improve movement and relieve pain.
When using soft tissue mobilization techniques, the physical therapist will apply their hands to the upper back and the surrounding areas in a way that helps lessen tightness and increase blood flow.
Modalities
Physical therapy modalities like electrical stimulation and ultrasound can help loosen the tight muscles in your upper back. This treatment promotes tension and pain relief to help you move easily without wincing in pain. These modalities are safe: your physical therapist will administer them to the painful regions during your treatment sessions.
Conclusion
Knowing what makes the upper back stiff can help you better manage and relieve its discomfort. You should visit Towne Lake Physical Therapy if your upper back stiffness persists, especially after sleeping. Your physical therapist can create a care plan based on your diagnosis. This plan can help improve your symptoms if you also follow your therapist’s advice. They will monitor your progress and adjust your treatment plan when necessary.