An exercise for the middle and upper back
If you want to get rid of chronic tension headaches, you need to correct
poor posture. You do this by retraining your muscles to adapt.
to a proper posture.
How?
Through stretching and exercise. It is particularly important
strengthen your back. Strong back muscles will help support
by the shoulder girdle so that you can pull the shoulders back and
keep them in that position all day.
It is very important to remember that to maintain tension
ward off headaches, back, shoulder and chest muscles should
operate in the proper position whenever it is raised. For most of us,
that’s 16 to 18 hours a day.
Not only do you have to strengthen these muscles, you have to work
in its resistance as well. Obviously, they are going to need a lot
stamina to keep you upright all day.
Probably the best exercise to strengthen the muscles of your
the middle and upper back is a seated rowing exercise. You can do it
exercise in various ways.
If you have a rowing machine, use it. Emphasize backtracking and
really stretch your shoulders and chest as you pull and squeeze your
shoulder blades together.
If you don’t have access to a rowing machine, a simple and inexpensive
The alternative is to get an old inner tube or one of those therapeutic bands.
that are available at sporting goods stores (they are like giant rubber
bands). Or you can just get some old tubes, like the inner tube of
an old bicycle tire.
How to do the rowing exercise correctly
Sit on the floor, with your legs extended in front of you. Take your
tube, theraband or old bicycle tube, hook it over your feet and
duplicate a rowing motion. Pull back, making sure to keep your
shoulders, back and head up, and squeezes the shoulder blades
together as you pull the tube toward you. This is simply a
basic rowing exercise.
To keep things simple, do this exercise until the muscles in your
The back begins to burn slightly. That burning sensation indicates that
you have reached the point of fatigue of those muscles. It’s almost the
the same burning sensation you feel at noon or late afternoon at
work: the burning sensation that occurs just before your tension
headaches appear.
When your muscles start to burn, quit smoking and see how long you did.
the exercise.
If, for example, you did the exercise for two minutes
before your muscles start to burn, then your goal should be
increase that time by about 15-20 seconds. Every time you do the
exercise, try to improve your performance in that amount of time.
When you do this exercise, step back into an upright position.
position, then pull your arms back as far as you can. Make sure
you’re squeezing your shoulder blades. Do not do the exercise
quickly, but keep a good pace.
Your goal is the same as it would be for any other weight lifting or
aerobic activity – you want to gradually increase your performance
until you reach your goal. That goal is to be able to do this for 10
minutes three times a week.