Upper back & Neck pain / discomfort
Upper back and neck pain often stems from too much internal (medial) shoulder rotation. Think about how much time we spend sitting at a desk, driving, reading, or doing anything with your hands in front of you like painting, building, or cooking. It’s often the most everyday, innocent movements that set off a chain reaction of muscular tension.
Here’s what to do if it flares up:
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Apply ice quickly – A cold pack (or bag of peas!) can help calm the nerves sending pain signals to your brain. This “distraction therapy” helps desensitise the area and can ease things much faster than you'd think.
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Stretch your chest – Try a doorway stretch (elbow at shoulder height, arm against the frame). When the chest tightens, it pulls the shoulders forward, overstretching the mid-back and neck.
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Rest and reset – Give your body a chance to settle. That sudden tightening is your brain’s way of protecting you. Sometimes the best remedy is simply time and space to recover.
Clearly understanding the reason behind your discomfort is paramount. If it's muscular related, I'd be likely to identify the source of pain, trigger point (not too intense I promise) and strip round all surrounding tissues to help promote better mobility. I have some great RockTaping (kinesiology tape) methods up into neck and across upper back to help offset muscle 'soreness' to help give you a few days of comfort to aid a quicker recovery.
Stretch chest out as you’d be amazing how often tight pecs (chest muscles) are the catalyst to neck pain. Walking through a door frame 60 second chest stretch works well for most. I’ve got a great Rocktape (kinesiology) trick that does wonders to make you comfortable.
