What To Do When Your Entire Back Feels Tight - Saffron Walden Massage

Upper back and shoulders is my most popular complaint at my massage room in Saffron Walden, but sometimes you feel your ENTIRE back feels jammed up!

What you should do really depends on what's causing your tightness in the first place. If you fail to address this then you will never fully be better.

However, when my back feels like a sheet of hot metal this is what I do, and it's what you should do too.

1. Heavy focus on Upper Trapezius work.

   Why it gets tight:  Long hours at a desk, looking down at your phone, or stress can cause these muscles to tense up.

   Trigger point ball: Place a tennis ball between your shoulder and the wall, then lean gently into it, rolling slowly until you find tender spots. Hold points of tension for 20secconds, release and repeat until you no longer have that tension

   Stretch: Gently tilt your ear toward your shoulder and hold for 20–30 seconds each side. I like to hold a weight in the arm i'm tilting my ear towards.

2. Levator Scapulae (Side of the Neck to Shoulder Blade)

   Why it gets tight: Poor posture (rounded shoulders, forward head) and carrying bags on one side.

   Stretch: Sit tall, turn your head 45° toward your armpit, and gently look down. Use your hand to add a little pressure.

   Massage stick/ball: Press into the muscle just above your shoulder blade and slowly roll out.

3. Rhomboids (Between the Shoulder Blades)

   Foam roller: Lie on your back with a roller under your mid-back, hug your arms across your chest, and roll up and down. Maybe a bit over the top, but I will sometimes put a weight on my chest to create more pressure as a roll,

   Lacrosse/tennis ball: Lean against a wall with the ball between your spine and shoulder blade, and gently roll to massage knots

4. Latissimus Dorsi (Sides of the Back)

   Why it gets tight: Pull-ups, rows, or even too much sitting with poor posture can shorten and stiffen your lats.

   Stretch: Reach both arms overhead, grab your wrist, and gently lean to the side to lengthen the lats. For better stretch hold on to a post.

   Foam roller: Lie on your side with a roller under your armpit and slowly roll down the side of your ribcage.

5. Erector Spinae (Along the Spine, Lower Back)

   Why it gets tight: Long sitting, heavy lifting, or standing for extended periods.

   Pick just one, one that you feel, you do not need to do them all.

   Child’s pose stretch: Kneel on the floor, sit back onto your heels, and reach your arms forward.

   Cat-cow: On all fours, slowly round your spine up (cat) and then dip it down (cow).

   Foam rolling: Lie on your back and gently roll up and down the spine (don’t roll directly on the lower spine if it feels uncomfortable).

6. Quadratus Lumborum (Deep Low Back/Side of Spine)

   Why it gets tight: Imbalances from standing on one leg, carrying heavy objects on one side, or weak glutes.

   Self-help release: PICK JUST ONE.

   Stretch: Lie on your back, pull your knees toward your chest, then gently rock side to side.

   Side stretch: Stand tall, raise one arm overhead, and lean to the opposite side.

   Massage ball: Place a ball just above your hip bone against a wall and gently press in.

However, no amount of ball work will beat a good massage in Saffron Walden, message me or book in your Sports Massage!