Running Series: Neck and Shoulder Pain
This is an area of the body that is not often associated with pain when running, but for those that experience it, it can be a confusing nuisance. Usually the underlying problem stems from stiffness in the thoracic spine, or mid to upper back. This most often occurs with anyone who sits at a desk for work. The typical hunched posture at work tends to lead to a lack of extension and rotation through this part of the spine. It is, by the way, the large part of the spine and plays a role in transmitting force from the legs to the torso or vice versa.
When I watch someone running and see that their shoulders are hunched up, or their arms swing almost side to side rather than front to back, it’s a telltale sign of a stiff thoracic spine. Rotation is important in running for balance and momentum. As one leg strides forward, the opposite side arm swings backward and the thoracic spine rotates. If there is restriction in rotation, funny things happen to arms such as a popeye style swing to their arms due to lack of rotation in their spine.
Lack of extension (think leaning back) will cause issues as well. A rounded upper back will cause a hunched up appearance to the shoulders as the shoulder blades are not able to slide down on the rib cage. This will tend to lead to pain in the upper traps and particularly the levator scapula.
How do we fix this besides quitting your job? For thoracic extension, I recommend buying a foam roller, which is just a great tool to have anyway.
For rotation, here is a simple exercise to mobilize the spine:
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