How to Fix Upper Back and Neck Pain with a Foam Roll 

I do not usually write comments on youtube. But dear god, does this stretch change lives. I have been struggling from a lot of neck pain lately, because of my desk job and bad posture. I tried almost everything, but this thing, this particular stretch has just removed years and years of strain from my back and neck. I feel like a young flexible boy again. I will include this exercise in my arsenal of daily routines. Thanks a lot! Never underestimate the power of content you put for free on internet. Thanks a lot!!!!

As a runner who is training for a marathon, these foam rollers ru-vid.comUgkx9XSsjzA4f84VmhBCHlyhec7XILIxennL are really good for sore and tight muscles. This one is a good size (mine is the purple, 36 inches) not too big but big enough to work and roll both my legs at the same time - I took a photo holding the roller next to me just to provide a better representation of its size. I noticed some reviewers who complained that this is, “just a foam noodle”… and yes, that’s exactly what it is. It’s a high density foam roller. It is absolutely NOT the same consistency/strength/durability/ or texture as a ‘pool noodle’ thought and I disagree entirely with those that say so. As a former collegiate athlete and marathon runner, I’m comfortably giving this roller 5 stars. It’s lightweight and durable and does just what I need it to do at a budget-friendly price. Overall, I have no complaints and am happy with it!

I thought the roller wasn’t working on my upper back but when I put my hands behind my head and elbows up, HOLY. Found a huge knot. Feels way better now.

I don't know if it's just me, but I feel more air entering my lungs after these simple exercises. Thank you for sharing, mate!

I'm 83 and have major back issues. What do you think I can realistically do with a foam roller? I can get down on the floor but it's difficult adjusting my body weight once there.I'm in bad condition due to several illnesses but am not giving up.

omg I can't wait to try this! it seems like no matter what I do my mid back is always tight and I have limited mobility in my neck from hours spent at the computer each day. Thanks so much for posting =)

I have been trying for years to ease neck discomfort. You name it I tried: massages, chiropractic, special pillow, PostureMedic, cupping, physical therapy , Ice.... This video helped me tremendously, I can't believe this , my pain went from 10 to 2! Thank You so much ! I really appreciate You!

Thank you! What size roller are you using and what do you recommend?

This was an amazing stretch!! Just what I needed. My arm is very numb now but I can actually relax my shoulders and neck! Saving this one for those rainy days.

This video not only helped with my body aches in my back and neck but getting rid of the headaches that came along with having these body aches. Now I can say I feel so much better and don't get headaches like I did before doing the foam roller exercises for my back and neck. Thank you so much for this video!

I found your video on a Bing search for how to use a foam roller. I have recently began getting pain in my upper back possibly from sitting at a new job and our athletic trainer game me a foam roller. Of course I had to learn how to use one properly thus your video (after watching a handful, yours I found to be the most informative) and just now after a few minutes I can feel the difference. I sat up and and the word 'amazing' came out of my mouth. I will continue to use the roller and let you know more. Thank you for sharing. :)

Amazing advice. I feel better immediately after doing this just once 😭 I can imagine how nice it feels to do it daily. ❤ THANK YOU SO MUCH!

As a personal trainer I use these to help my clients, friends, and loved ones. Thanks.

Can the second one, where the foam roll is parallel to the spine, be done with a shorter roll? (Mine is 18" and I'm 5'11".)

thanks mate....very helpful exercise using foam roller. gave me instant relief....

Never realised I was so immobile I soon reach a pain barrier but loved it

OH MY GOD THAT HURT SO MUCH AND MY BACK CRACKED SO MUCH :( Feels better though thanks

Thank you so much! I recently bought a foam roller for back pain related to my job (Esthetician) and bad posture over the years and these stretches are exactly what my body needed!!

1. 1:30, upper back roll 2. 2:14, upper back stretch 3. 3:42 , shoulder stretch: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zsmeXwHu6W0.html

Question: How long is the foam roller you are using? Because in the vertical roller pose it looks like you are supported from your hips to your head, and my foam roller is 24 inches, but I can either support my head OR my hips but not both. So I can't seem to do this pose comfortably. I am only 5 foot 2 inches tall.

2:33 what does he mean by place that’s not moving? Can someone explain this to me a bit better?

Thanks, I happen to get a foam roller just like yours not long ago and these exercises are really good for my upper back which sometimes gets tight and achy after work and from slouching. I really like using it vertically. I never thought of doing it that way.

this is insanely beneficial to me, thanks.

I think extending or mobilizing T-spine on the roller wont do anything. What needs to be done is re-training the right muscles and correcting imbalances through strength training and deep tissue releases.

I struggle with stress related neck tension that has caused me alot of pain over the last few months. I've been doing this every night since I got my foam roller, and I think its really helping! Thank you for your videos!!

Big big help really improved my shoulder pain many thanks

This video is a life saver. Thank you so much

I think this will really help me thank you. I sit at my desk all day and hate that my body is getting used to that position. I have all the three issues you described so now it's clear what I need to do to fix it

I felt an instant relieve in the back of my neck after this!! Thank you!

THAT WAS AMAZING!!! Thank you🙏

Thank you, finally found exercise that makes sense and helpful to the body. I am going to try it and give it my best. Thank you so much. God Bless!

Well, tell me if I am fine: I did that rolling for the upper back yesterday. The next day, when I woke up, I noticed a pain in that region. It was actually the same "stiffness-pain" which I originally provoked deliberately by the foam roller a day before, but this time without the foam roller. Already at the slightest movement that pain was noticable, throughout the day, and still is. That is normal, right?

I love my foam roll.

This was great! Thank you for this information. I'm a 50 year old executive that has not done my part to keep in shape. My back always hurts. Just a few days of foam rolling activity has changed my day!

OMG. My back hasn't been this comfy for ages! Nice. Thank you.

I am undergoing physical therapy at the moment and was told by my therapist to purchase the identical foam roller- 36" tall by 6" in diameter. however, the thoracic spine is what my main focus is and seeing you lay on your roller lengthwise- (vertically) is the ideal way I was told to use my foam roller, and yes it absolutely helps stretch out the muscles in the thoracic spinal area! I felt immediate releif of a tingling sensation I've been experiencing in my left pinky finger not to mention relaxation throughout the entire back. I love this exercise and I will do it daily. thank you for posting this video, it helped confirm in my mind that I am on the right track to better spinal strengthening. I was diagnosed recently with arthritis in my neck and lower back also bone spurs so I need to be extremely careful on how to use this foam roller which I am new to using. Great video!

Thanks for sharing these great tips. I have a foam roller and sit a lot every day so I really needed these exercises to reward my body and mind 💪🧠🙂

Hello, would these movement help a pinched nerve/pains within the shoulder blade region? Thanks!

This is truly a great efficient video ! thank you!

Amazing tips, so useful for my very bad neck pain! What do you suggest to do for hyper mobility?

Hi, excuse me, i'm a beginner - what size is that foam roller and what kind of softness is it? i read there are 3 basic softness: soft/middle soft/hard - which one would that be?

Oh my word, just wow! Filled with an intense gratitude as my right shoulder, neck, back area have been so sore, from sitting at laptop for 90 % of my day. Do you have a video series or a course I can do. Feel like a new woman. Have been in pain for weeks now, and feel a lightness of being. :) Namaste

Nothing I don't already do! I got one of OPTP's star rollers which is GREAT!

What if you have one of those shorter fat foam rollers; I guess you can't do the 2nd perpendicular foam roller exercises?

OLDTIMER EIIZ BACK, hello chad yaaaaaao dough

Epic routine great form 💯👌🏼 check my new foam roller wheels training 💪🏽 I'm down to get you a set 2 train or review. I totally agree with using different rollers 4 alternate acupressure levels

How long does it take to see minor results? Thank you for sharing this video.

And my doctor says that I shouldn't lift my arms on above my shoulder. Isnt that what you are doing with one of these stretches

The same back stretching that you do for your upper back, you should also do the same thing for your lower back. Why do I know what I'm talking about? I'm a contortionist in Las Vegas. That's why I know what I'm saying.

Bought a foam roll for $5 and my god it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. Thanks for the vid!!

AWESOME -- thank you! I struggle with upper back and neck pain due to tightness in my front body and this relieved so much pain almost immediately.

Hi I have been doing this for the past 3 weeks. Can you please tell me how often and how many sets we should be doing daily? I do a set of 4 of each exercise ( each set about 1 minute). Is it too much, too little, or ok? I do feel discomfort and I still don't feel relief...I just want to make sure I'm doing enough or not too much...thanks so much

The last exercise makes my left arm and mostly hand ,tingle really bad. Helpp!!

Hi, great video, very helpful.. I have a sore neck and back from driving. I was wondering if i went to a gym or physio and done stretches and exercises with a trainer who knows what they are doing once a week and i would do some at home.. Would doing this fix the problem and make things a lot better even though i am still driving because need to die due to work ? Does this sort of thing really help ? Thanks

I bought the One Active Foam Roller from Michelle Bridges, because of my lower back pain, but I don't fit on the length of it. Either my head has to hang over it and part of my bum on the roll or my bum on the floor and my head on the roll :( On the drawing it shows that both is on the roll. The roll is 60cm long and 15cm diameter. So what is more important, to have part of my bum on the roll and my head on a pillow or my bum on the floor and my head on the roll when laying down?

That last exercise - heavens! I can't even get my arms parallel with my body without lifting them off the ground!

thank you! all you videos are excellent!! I just found you!! Question do you have a solution for my tight muscles right under my buttocks. I no longer can lift my legs or do stitting forward stretch. ouch im so tight where i used to be tremdously flexible. ramona

I saw on my local news on how to relive knee and back pain with a foam roll . The guy crossed over one leg as he placed the roll pillow and roll it under the thigh from knee to butt . So now I'm looking to buy one , are they expensive ?

woke up with a kinda misallignment in the scapula area. out goes the old mattress and in comes a new one and a foam roller. all i needed was a pointer towards excersises. thanks

I've been spending a fortune on massages over the years. Maybe this is a better and cheaper solution. Anyone know if it's possible to reverse the beginning of a mild case of being round-shouldered?

thank you! finally someone that explains it clearly :)

Just did this and ooh boy my right shoulder does ache but it feels great! thank you so much. I have neck and shoulder aches and bad muscle knots on my upper trapezius. Gonna do this every day now and see how how i feel.

I have back trigger-point problem, is there another video to show how to use foam roller to fix the back trigger-point problem. thanks

Hi, thank you for this it's great but I have a question about the 2nd thorax stretch: can you do this after having a cervical spinal fusion? Ive fused c7-c5 and that backwards flexion looks like it might try to bend the fused area in a painful way. Thanks for your reply, looking forward to trying these stretches.

My foam roller isn't long enough to support my upper body and head, is it okay to do this standing up ? You buy one foam roam the. Realise you need like three to solve all the problems lol

Will this work for knot(s) in upper trap/neck area on one side? I have a very uncomfortable knot from tension. Thanks a lot.

I get a pinched nerve yearly and its so unbrearable thank you so much for this, it s hurts a little but the maneuverability that i get after this is insane i cannot thank you enough

I got a foam roller for xmas and it helps me heaps when my back is tight after driving my truck. Will try the second exercise which is new to me. Cheers for sharing #mining

I have been pain in left shoulder blade and in arm since last one year, Is foam roller can relief my muscle pain?

holy shit dude my shoulders man they feel so much more free now wtf. i love u ❤️

Hi, i've had 3-4 sessions with these back sessions, as I am trying to develop more flexibility. I have no issue with first exercise simply rolling back and forth, but on the 2nd part I really struggle to get anywhere near as extended as you do. In fact its quite painful. Should I just continue but maybe not push as far for a while? On to the 3rd part, with the foam roller parallel to the spine, I find that I can lift my arms to just higher than 90 degrees when it starts to get difficult, but its not so much my shoulders preventing me to go further, its actually my outer chest, near the front of my shoulders. Is this normal? Thanks for any help !

what the size of the foam roller in this video ?? it's 6x36 or 6x18 or what ?? please answer me thank you

this video is really helpful ...helped alot in relieving my upper shoulder pain.. and even improving my posture .. thank u for sharing the info

Thanks Amy! I'll take nice and happy any day! I'm glad you're finding value with this. Give it a go and let us know how it goes! Thanks!

Is it supposed to hurt? I recently purchased a foam roll and can’t tolerate the pain so far :/ also the one I got has a texture pattern it’s not smooth

This is better over a standard 1" barbell on a squat rack.

i have big problem with my whole buddy should i do it them daily ?

Thanks for loading up the video! Most of of the roller selling online are 6 inches in diameter. Is it the right size to do exercise?

What type of cervical roll is this styrofoam or memory foam? Can you please let me know @sittingsolutions

thank you a bunch guys, i had bad posture problemsall my life and this has helped me a ton with my lordosis and kyphosis, again thank you so much for this.

Foam rollers wow! Amazing I wish I got one sooner

I have a MELT roller, similar to the OPTP pink marble roller-would that work?

Can you do this with foamrollers that are ribbed or has other types of patterns (in general not flat)?

Chad you are such a nice happy guy. I really love your videos that Ive watched so far. They are very informative!!! Now it's time to do them myself! :) This is exactly what I've been needing and searching for. Thank you for sharing your knowledge about restoring posture and health. :)

just tried this - wow. feels so much better after doing all three for a couple of minutes

The upper back hurt so much but I just wanted that

im gonna try these at the start of every gym session and ill report back how well it works for me.

My neck hurts after stretching backwards

no closed captioning too bad looks like it might help if I knew what he was saying

Hi. Really good clear video - I couldn't agree more. I'm a New Zealand physiotherapist and we use the foam rollers in the same way over here - they're highly useful. We've developed something that I think you'd find really useful for those patients that need even more leverage than the roller can give. These are the patients that I bust my knuckles on manipulating - the ones whose thoracic or rib hinges are so tight that even their own upper body weight over the roller isn't enough to free them. The Backpod is smaller than the roller and shaped so you can get just a few vertebrae or ribs at a time - hence much more leverage on each one than with the roller. Because they're long cylinders, rollers can't really get much pressure onto individual ribs - which are commonly part of the hunching problem. The Backpod has an unyielding polycarbonate core with synthetic rubber cushioning over it - you can get a much stronger stretch over it than with a roller. (We drove a Jeep Cherokee over one to check that..) Because it's more specific than a roller, you can also use it out to one side to oppose the direction on a mild scoliosis. Also, it's stable, so easier to use by non-athletic patients than the roller. Anyway, have a look at our website www.bodystance.co.nz - or just Google 'Backpod.' There's a collection of free videos with the other components we find are needed with a hunching problem, including specific home massage. Cheers, Steve August (B.A.,Dip.Physio.).

Bro that last stretch is incredible. My goodness. Thank you.

What about doing the "snow angel" on a stability ball?

Im Felding good Thank i! WTF it worked...

Where is the link to the trigger point roll too? I would like that one also. Thank you

Wow this worked wonders for me man! Thanks so much

Oh This is awesome... I have a plastic roller I use... when I go to roll my upper back on it.. my entire spine cracks.. its great! I love it.. I'll be adding that backwards bend too.. great advice.. I love your channel. Just found it but I'll become a reg soon! Thanks!

Eh, don't foam roll if you have vertigo problems, unless you want to ride a roller coaster. Lol

I have upper back pain i hope this work thnks for sharing this information

Great video! Very informative and extremely helpful. Thank you so much!

thank you so much this really helped me too