Yesterday whilst wrangling my son (1yo) my back pinged and has been really stiff since. I’d hoped a good nights sleep would see it fine by the morning but if anything its stiffer. I plan to get a physio appointment on Monday but in the meantime can anyone suggest any recovery techniques/stretches?

In terms of location it feels like its just a couple of inches below the shoulderblade in the muscle to the right of my spine maybe right at the base of my trapezious. Its stopping me rolling my spine forward, so say if I try to do a ‘Cat’ I get pain in the middle of my back. To be fair even just trying to touch my chest with my chin hurts. I’ve tried a range of stretches and they maybe get me a little more mobility I’m still pretty stiff! I was thinking resting it but given how much its stiffened up overnight I’m not so sure…

Amateur physio sweep stakes

I’m going with Thoracic joint. That’s where the ribs in the back meet the spine

Just do your best to keep mobile in that area

Physio will help with massage and pressure points

Total guess

You’ve probably done nothing, you just moved a bit more than usual in terms of range and your brain has gone ‘that doesn’t feel normal’ and protectively locked up your back as a protective mechanism. It does this by spasming all the muscles around the ‘suspect’ area which locks the whole area up solid to prevent any movement,

There are three ways to un freeze the spasming muscles.

1. Get a sports therapist / physio to use pressure point release to encourage the muscles to relax
2. Movement will loosen it up eg walking, gentle cycling etc
3. Just wait, the brain will switch off the muscles eventually.

NB You can do 1 yourself with a lacrosse ball, just slowly apply pressure to the most tense area and it will slowly relax. Leaning against a wall with the lacrosse ball over the most painful spot normally works. I have one in my desk draw and regularly loan it out to colleagues with seized backs…

You need a ring dinger

Thanks for the speculation, still not got an appt, a few exercises with the physio-band seemed to help. Those chiropractic adjustments/yanks look very appealing (even though I know they’re clinically dubious!)