Fixing Upper Back Muscular Imbalances: Exercises for Posture and Pain Relief

One of the most common problems I see at Well Co Chiropractic in Sarasota is upper back muscular imbalance.

Many patients spend hours hunched over desks, phones, or even in the gym focusing on chest and lat strength, while the smaller, stabilizing muscles of the upper back (posterior rotator cuff, rhomboids, lower trapezius) are left behind.

This imbalance can lead to:

• Shoulder pain or impingement

• Poor posture (rounded shoulders, forward head)

• Neck and upper back tightness

• Reduced endurance (slouching as soon as you fatigue)

The good news? With the right corrective exercises, you can restore balance, improve posture, and reduce pain.

Why Upper Back Strength Matters

Upper back endurance is just as important for shoulders as core endurance is for the spine. If your posterior shoulder muscles fatigue quickly, your stronger chest and lats will dominate, pulling you into poor posture and increasing the risk of injury.

Exercises like band facepulls and rows are unmatched for building the kind of endurance your upper back needs to keep your shoulders stable all day.

Best Exercises for Upper Back Imbalances

Here are some of the top corrective exercises for restoring balance in your upper back. I’ve included placeholders where you can link YouTube demonstrations:

1. Band Facepull

   • Strengthens posterior rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers. (!!) this one is so good as it does not create much joint stressing you could do it every day. Anchor the band at slightly above eye level to reinforce the back and down scapular position.

     • You want your shoulder blades pinned back and down throughout the exercises.

   • 🎥 Watch Video Here

2. Bent Over Dumbbell Row

   • Builds overall upper back and core stability while allowing progressive loading.

   • 🎥 Watch Video Here

3. Scapular Activation “Pull-Up”

   • Focuses on scapular retraction, great for posture.

   • 🎥 Watch Video Here

   • 🎥 Watch Video Here

4. Band W / Band High Pull Apart with External Rotation

   • Targets external rotators, counteracting dominance of chest/lats.

   • 🎥 Watch Video Here

5. Thoracic Extensions

   • Improves mid-back mobility and reduces slouching posture.

   • 🎥 Watch Video Here - with foam roller

   • 🎥 Watch Video Here - seated no roller

Want more?

This is my favorite thoracic mobility routine: Its a quick 5 minutes that you can do almost anywhere:

🎥 Watch Video Here

Tips for Training

• Form is everything. Keep shoulder blades pinned back and down during exercises.

• Don’t overload too soon. Focus on control and endurance before adding weight.

• Frequency matters. These exercises are low-stress—doing them several times per week is safe and effective.

• Balance your program. Pair pushing (bench press, push-ups) with equal pulling (rows, facepulls).

Here to Help at Well Co.

Corrective exercise is most effective when paired with hands-on care. At Well Co Chiropractic, I use:

• Active Release Technique (ART): To release tight chest and lat muscles.

• Chiropractic adjustments: To restore mobility in the thoracic spine.

• Custom rehab plans: So Sarasota patients build balanced, pain-free movement patterns.

If you’ve been dealing with shoulder pain, poor posture, or upper back tightness, it may be due to muscular imbalances. By strengthening the right areas, you can restore balance, reduce pain, and keep your shoulders healthy for the long run.