It finally feels like Spring is on the way. As activity levels begin to rise again, now is the ideal time to introduce some upper back mobility exercises to prepare your shoulders and reduce the risk of discomfort.
The days are getting lighter and warmer, the garden is calling, and bikes, golf clubs and tennis rackets are quietly making their way out of cupboards again. It’s a positive shift — but it’s also the time of year when little aches and niggles start to creep in.
In particular, we tend to see more shoulder and upper-body problems at this time of year. Activity levels rise quite suddenly after a relatively quieter Winter, and the body isn’t always ready for that jump.
In this blog, we’re sharing some simple advice to help you stay ahead of shoulder discomfort as you get moving again.
Why Upper Back Mobility Matters More Than You Think
Your upper back — the thoracic spine — is designed to move. It should rotate. It should gently extend backwards. It should allow your arms to lift overhead without strain.
The problem is, modern life slowly takes that movement away from us.
Most of what we do is linear and in front of us — typing, driving, scrolling, sitting. We rarely rotate fully or extend through the upper back the way our bodies are designed to. Over time, that lack of movement creates stiffness. If that stiffness persists, discomfort often follows.
When the upper back isn’t moving well, the joints above and below it have to compensate. Usually that means the neck and shoulders end up working harder than they should.
That’s when overload problems develop — not because you’re “weak”, but because the movement foundation wasn’t there in the first place.
Very often, this shows up as neck tension, shoulder tightness or discomfort lifting the arm overhead.
The encouraging part? You can restore a surprising amount of mobility with a few simple, consistent exercises.
5 Mobility Exercises to Loosen Your Upper Back & Shoulders
1. Standing rotation
Stand tall with your arms folded across your chest. Slowly rotate your upper body to one side, keeping your hips facing forwards. Return to centre and repeat on the other side. Repeat 5-6 times.
Keep the movement controlled and smooth; no forcing.
2. Shoulder rolls
Lift your shoulders up towards your ears, roll them back, then gently lower them down. Reverse the direction after 5–6 repetitions.
Simple, but surprisingly effective when done slowly and deliberately.
3. Neck stretches
Slowly turn your head left and right, then tilt ear towards shoulder each side. These should feel like movements, not aggressive stretches.
Avoid pushing into pain.
4. Shoulder traction
Hold a light weight such as a 1-2kg dumbbell (no heavier) or a tin of beans. Circle the weight clockwise 5-6 times and then anti-clockwise. Let the momentum of the weight do the movement rather than the coming from your shoulder muscles.
5. Upper back extension
Propping your arms on a chair, let your chest relax towards the floor and your hips sink back towards your heels.
How Should You Do These?
These stretches should be done dynamically rather than holding the stretches. So go into the stretch, then relax off it and repeat this 5-6 times and least once but ideally twice per day.
Obviously, if these movements cause you any discomfort or pain, don’t carry on with those that are causing this. Instead contact us and we can discuss alternatives.
When Stretching Isn’t Enough
If you already have shoulder pain and discomfort and if you find that these stretches aren’t getting on top of things then you should book a full assessment and treatment with us. Shoulders are complicated joints and if yours is causing you pain, it’s important that we find out why and then give the appropriate treatment to get you back on track.
All of our practitioners – Osteopaths, Physiotherapists and Sports Massage therapists – can help assess and treat any shoulder issues that you might be experiencing.
If you want advice or guidance on who is best for your situation then take advantage of our free consultations. These are bookable here and take place either over the phone or face to face; the choice is yours.
