LIFE+ Blog

Being a father is one of the greatest blessings a man can undergo. In fatherhood, a man takes on the responsibility of taking care of his newborn and wife throughout the day to make sure that they are well provided for. All of the changed diapers, bending over to pick up the child, taking out the dirty diaper bag, and then carrying the little bundle of joy in his arms can take a toll on his middle back, known as the thoracic spine.

The thoracic spine can go through a lot of stress throughout the day with all the lifting that a new daddy goes through with a newborn. With all the care and provision for mommy and baby, it’s easy for daddy to forget to take care of himself as well. A lot of the time a quick nap seems like a good solution to resolve fatigue and aching in the middle back, but it’s not the most effective treatment for daddy’s new found middle back aches and pains. The thoracic spine already has a natural curve to it, but with lifting and carrying the baby the posture can result in even further curvature as the shoulders round forward. Basically, daddy does it enough and it can cause a lot of arching in the spine causing pain and discomfort. To combat this, one should use the following two exercises to alleviate middle back pain caused by excessive rounded shoulders and hunched over posturing.

Mid-Back Extending

Clasp the hands together behind the neck and place the elbows together in front of the chest. Then, slowly lift the elbows as if you are pushing them to the ceiling until you start to feel you middle back begin to arch. Hold this position for 5 seconds, and perform these 10 times at least 4 to 5 times daily.

Shoulder Blade Squeezes

Pinch your shoulder blades together in a back and downward motion as if you are squeezing something between you shoulder blades. Hold for 5 seconds, and perform theses at least 10 times 4 to 5 times daily..

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