Back Pain

What is the physiology behind upper back pain from sitting behind a desk for long periods of time?

What is happening to the upper back when this happens? And why does stretching sometimes make it worse?

Public Comments

1. Simply put. Gravity. The weight of the upper body as held by the spine and back muscles. The lower back is where all the punishment goes. The best remedy to avoid this back pain is to get up and stretch about every 45 minutes. This releases the pressure off of the spine and helps to relax the miscles agian.
2. The weight of your arms are pulling forward on your shoulders and creating a strain on your upper back. Push your shoulders back and stretch your arms behind you as the other answer says every little while. Stand up and walk around for a few minutes also helps. You are changing the posture at this point giving your back and shoulders a few minutes rest.