Why Does Your Upper Back Hurt?
Upper back pain can make it difficult to work, drive, exercise, or simply get comfortable throughout the day. The good news is that many cases of upper back pain can be treated without surgery when the underlying cause is properly identified.
Select the situation below that sounds most like yours to learn how physical therapy may help.
Learn How Physical Therapy Helps
Targeted posture and strengthening exercises can help reduce upper back pain and improve shoulder mechanics.
Upper Back Pain From Desk Work
If your upper back hurts after a day at the computer, you're not alone. Many people develop pain between the shoulder blades, neck tightness, headaches, or muscle fatigue from spending hours sitting at a desk. Even a well-designed workstation can place stress on the upper back when the body remains in the same position for long periods.
Over time, prolonged sitting may contribute to rounded shoulders, forward head posture, reduced mobility through the upper back, and muscle imbalances that make everyday activities uncomfortable. What often begins as occasional stiffness can gradually turn into persistent pain that affects work, sleep, exercise, and overall quality of life.
Common Symptoms We See
- Pain or burning between the shoulder blades
- Neck and shoulder tightness that worsens throughout the day
- Headaches associated with posture or muscle tension
- Stiffness after sitting for extended periods
- Pain that improves with movement but returns when sitting again
- Difficulty maintaining good posture at a desk or workstation
How Physical Therapy Can Help
At Healers of Motion Physical Therapy, Dr. Evelyn Mora begins by identifying movement patterns, postural habits, mobility restrictions, and muscle imbalances that may be contributing to your symptoms. Rather than simply treating the pain, our goal is to understand why the pain developed in the first place.
Treatment may include hands-on therapy, targeted exercises, posture education, ergonomic recommendations, and movement strategies designed to reduce strain on the upper back throughout the workday. For many patients, addressing these underlying factors can provide lasting relief without relying on medication or surgery.
Sitting all day doesn't have to mean living with pain. If your symptoms are affecting your ability to work comfortably, schedule an evaluation to identify the source of your upper back pain and develop a personalized treatment plan.
Upper Back Pain Between The Shoulder Blades
Pain between the shoulder blades is one of the most common reasons people seek physical therapy for upper back discomfort. It may feel like a dull ache, burning sensation, tight knot, or persistent stiffness that makes it difficult to sit comfortably, work at a computer, drive, or enjoy everyday activities.
In many cases, pain between the shoulder blades develops gradually due to posture, repetitive movements, muscle imbalances, or reduced mobility through the thoracic spine. For others, symptoms may begin after an injury, increased physical activity, or compensation for pain elsewhere in the neck, shoulders, or back.
Physical therapy exercises can help improve shoulder blade mechanics, posture, and upper back function.
Common Symptoms We See
- Burning or aching between the shoulder blades
- Tight knots in the upper back muscles
- Pain that worsens with desk work or prolonged sitting
- Stiffness when twisting, turning, or reaching overhead
- Neck and shoulder tension that accompanies upper back pain
- Discomfort during driving, travel, or repetitive activities
How Physical Therapy Can Help
At Healers of Motion Physical Therapy, Dr. Evelyn Mora evaluates how your shoulder blades, upper back, neck, and surrounding muscles work together during movement. Pain between the shoulder blades is often related to mobility restrictions, muscular weakness, poor movement patterns, or postural stress that develops over time.
Treatment may include hands-on therapy, targeted exercises, posture training, mobility work, and strengthening programs designed to restore proper shoulder blade function and reduce strain on the upper back. Our goal is to address the source of the problem so you can move more comfortably and confidently.
Pain between the shoulder blades is often a sign that the body is compensating for movement restrictions or muscular imbalances. A personalized physical therapy evaluation can help identify the cause and create a plan for lasting relief.
Upper Back Pain While Driving
If your upper back feels tight, stiff, or painful during long drives, you're not alone. Many people notice discomfort between the shoulder blades, across the upper back, or into the neck after spending time behind the wheel. Even short daily commutes can contribute to symptoms when they are repeated day after day.
Driving places the body in a relatively fixed position. Limited movement, prolonged sitting, reaching toward the steering wheel, and maintaining the same posture for extended periods can create stress on the muscles and joints of the upper back. Over time, this stress may lead to muscle tension, reduced mobility, and persistent discomfort.
Common Symptoms We See
- Pain between the shoulder blades while driving
- Upper back stiffness after commuting or road trips
- Neck and shoulder tension that develops behind the wheel
- Discomfort that improves once you get out and move around
- Difficulty maintaining a comfortable driving position
- Aching or fatigue across the upper back after sitting for long periods
How Physical Therapy Can Help
At Healers of Motion Physical Therapy, Dr. Evelyn Mora evaluates the movement patterns, posture, mobility restrictions, and muscular imbalances that may be contributing to your pain. In many cases, upper back pain while driving is not caused by driving itself, but by underlying issues that become more noticeable when the body remains in one position.
Treatment may include hands-on therapy, mobility exercises, strengthening programs, posture education, and strategies to reduce strain during daily driving. By improving how your body moves and supports itself, physical therapy can help make driving more comfortable and reduce recurring pain.
If driving leaves you with upper back pain, stiffness, or tension, the issue may be more than just sitting too long. A physical therapy evaluation can help identify the source of your symptoms and develop a personalized treatment plan.
Upper Back Pain From Poor Posture
Most people know when their posture is part of the problem. You may catch yourself slouching at a desk, rounding your shoulders, leaning forward toward a screen, or feeling stiff after sitting too long. The hard part is knowing how to correct it in a way that actually lasts.
Upper back pain from poor posture is not usually about simply being told to “sit up straight.” Posture is affected by strength, mobility, breathing patterns, habits, muscle fatigue, and the way your body moves throughout the day. When these factors are not working together well, the upper back can become overloaded and painful.
Physical therapy can help improve posture, balance, and movement patterns that contribute to upper back pain.
Common Symptoms We See
- Upper back pain that worsens after sitting or standing for long periods
- Rounded shoulders or forward head posture
- Neck, shoulder, or upper back tension
- Pain between the shoulder blades
- Fatigue from trying to “hold” better posture
- Stiffness that returns even after stretching
How Physical Therapy Can Help
At Healers of Motion Physical Therapy, Dr. Evelyn Mora helps patients understand why their posture has become difficult to maintain. Instead of only focusing on how posture looks, she evaluates how your spine, shoulders, hips, muscles, and movement patterns work together.
Treatment may include mobility work, strengthening exercises, posture retraining, breathing mechanics, balance work, and hands-on therapy when needed. The goal is to help your body support better posture naturally, so you are not constantly forcing yourself into a position that feels uncomfortable.
Better posture is not about perfection. It is about helping your body move, support itself, and recover more comfortably throughout the day.
Upper Back Pain After Surgery
If you are experiencing upper back pain after surgery, you may be wondering why recovery is taking longer than expected. Many patients are surprised to learn that even when a procedure is successful, stiffness, weakness, muscle tension, and altered movement patterns can continue to cause discomfort during the healing process.
Upper back pain may develop after shoulder surgery, neck surgery, breast surgery, abdominal procedures, orthopedic surgery, or even after spending extended periods resting and protecting one area of the body. As the body heals, muscles and joints often compensate in ways that create new sources of pain and tension.
Common Symptoms We See
- Upper back pain that began during recovery
- Stiffness and reduced mobility after surgery
- Pain between the shoulder blades
- Muscle tightness from guarding or compensation
- Difficulty returning to normal activities
- Persistent discomfort despite healing well medically
How Physical Therapy Can Help
At Healers of Motion Physical Therapy, Dr. Evelyn Mora evaluates how your body is moving after surgery and identifies areas that may be contributing to ongoing pain. Often, recovery involves more than healing tissue. It requires restoring mobility, rebuilding strength, improving movement patterns, and helping the body regain confidence.
Treatment may include hands-on therapy, mobility exercises, strengthening programs, scar tissue management, posture retraining, and functional movement training. Some patients may also benefit from dry needling when muscle tightness and guarding continue to limit recovery.
Surgery may address the original problem, but physical therapy often helps patients regain the movement, strength, and comfort needed to fully return to everyday life.
Upper Back Pain From Injury Or Active Movement
Maybe your pain started after lifting something heavy. Maybe it happened during a workout, a round of golf, pickleball, swimming, or a weekend project around the house. Sometimes upper back pain appears suddenly after an injury, while other times it develops gradually from repetitive movement and overuse.
The upper back plays an important role in almost every movement involving the shoulders, arms, and spine. When muscles become strained, joints lose mobility, or movement patterns become restricted, everyday activities can become painful and frustrating. Many people find themselves avoiding exercise, sports, or hobbies they enjoy because they are worried about making the pain worse.
Common Symptoms We See
- Pain between the shoulder blades during activity
- Sharp pain after lifting, twisting, or reaching
- Muscle tightness or spasms in the upper back
- Pain during golf, pickleball, swimming, tennis, or gym workouts
- Difficulty turning, rotating, or extending the upper spine
- Discomfort that limits exercise, sports, or recreational activities
How Physical Therapy Can Help
At Healers of Motion Physical Therapy, Dr. Evelyn Mora begins by identifying what structures and movement patterns may be contributing to your symptoms. Rather than simply treating the area that hurts, she evaluates how your entire body moves to uncover the root cause of the problem.
Treatment may include hands-on manual therapy, mobility exercises, strength training, movement correction, and sport-specific or activity-specific rehabilitation. The goal is not only to reduce pain but to help you return confidently to the activities you enjoy.
You don't have to stop doing the things you love because of upper back pain. With the right evaluation and treatment plan, many patients are able to return to exercise, sports, and everyday activities with greater comfort and confidence.
How Physical Therapy Can Help
At Healers of Motion Physical Therapy, Dr. Evelyn Mora begins by identifying what structures and movement patterns may be contributing to your symptoms. Rather than simply treating the area that hurts, she evaluates how your entire body moves to uncover the root cause of the problem.
Treatment may include hands-on manual therapy, mobility exercises, strength training, movement correction, and sport-specific or activity-specific rehabilitation. If your pain developed after a procedure or period of recovery, our post-surgical physical therapy program can help restore mobility, rebuild strength, and support a safe return to normal activities. The goal is not only to reduce pain but to help you return confidently to the activities you enjoy.
Why Patients Choose Healers of Motion For Upper Back Pain
Upper back pain is rarely caused by one thing. For some people, it develops from long hours at a desk. For others, it begins after driving, surgery, injury, sports, repetitive movement, or years of poor posture. Finding lasting relief starts with understanding what is actually causing your pain.
At Healers of Motion Physical Therapy in Pembroke Pines, Dr. Evelyn Mora provides one-on-one care focused on restoring mobility, improving movement patterns, and helping patients return to the activities they enjoy. Every treatment plan is customized to your body, your goals, and your daily life.
Whether your upper back pain started recently or has been bothering you for years, our goal is to help you move better, feel better, and regain confidence without relying on surgery or temporary fixes.
Ready to Find the Source of Your Upper Back Pain?
Schedule a one-on-one evaluation with Healers of Motion Physical Therapy in Pembroke Pines.
Call (954) 861-0252