Stronger Upper Back, Fewer Headaches

Why Strength Matters

If you’ve ever experienced neck strain or tension headaches, your upper back muscles might be the culprit. As we age, poor posture, overuse of devices and prolonged sitting can lead to weakened upper back muscles. This imbalance can cause the wrong muscles in the neck to work harder than they should, leading to discomfort and headaches. The good news? Strengthening your upper back can help support your posture, reduce tension, and improve overall well-being.

Why the Upper Back Matters

Your upper back, including the muscles between your shoulder blades and along your spine, plays a crucial role in keeping your neck and shoulders properly aligned. Have a look at the image above; there is a marked difference between the upper and lower parts of the trapezius muscle. Many of us overuse the upper part of this muscle group at the expense of strengthening the lower part. When these lower traps are weakened, your shoulders tend to round forward, and your head naturally shifts ahead of your body. In addition, when the upper traps are over-used they become shortened and tight-feeling, exacerbating neck strain and often resulting in headaches and stiffness. Strengthening these lower traps can relieve pressure, improve upper back and chest alignment, and make everyday movements more comfortable.

The best part? You don’t need heavy weights or intense workouts to see improvements. Simple, targeted exercises can make a significant difference. Here are three gentle yet effective exercises to strengthen your upper back, helping you maintain better posture and reduce neck strain.

1. Penguin Arms

This simple movement activates the muscles in your upper back and shoulders, promoting strength and mobility.

How to do it:

• Sit tall or lie on your front with your arms relaxed at your sides.

• Extend your arms along your sides with your palms facing in.

• Maintaining a lengthened posture, 'flap' your arms at your sides

• Repeat for around 5-8 breaths.

Why it works: Penguin Arms help engage the muscles that stabilize your shoulder blades, promoting better posture and reducing neck strain. 

2. Diamond Press

This exercise strengthens the upper back and helps counteract forward head posture.

How to do it:

• Lie face down on a mat with your hands forming a diamond shape under your forehead.

• Engage your core and gently lift your chest and arms a few inches off the ground while squeezing your shoulder blades together.

• Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower back down.

• Repeat for 8-10 repetitions.

Why it works: The Diamond Press strengthens the postural muscles that support your neck and upper spine, helping to reduce tension-related headaches.

3. Standing Corkscrew

This dynamic movement improves upper back strength and mobility, reducing stiffness and tension.

How to do it:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides

• Sweep the arms wide and connect the fingers behind the head

• Shrug your shoulders high and let them drop heavily back down

• Return the hands by the sides

• Perform 5-8 repetitions

Why it works: The Standing Corkscrew promotes shoulder mobility and strengthens the muscles that support upright posture, reducing stress on the neck.

Final Thoughts

By incorporating these simple exercises into your routine, you can strengthen your upper back, support your neck, and reduce the frequency of tension headaches. Small changes can lead to big results when it comes to posture and muscle health. Give these movements a try and feel the difference in your daily comfort and well-being!

Want to learn more? Join one of our Pilates classes to explore more exercises tailored to keeping your body strong and pain-free!