Address: The Mayfair Clinic 4 Cavendish Square, London, W1g 0PG, GB
Telephone: 0203 947 32 22

If you’re suffering from upper back pain that is resulting from bad posture at work, perhaps you find yourself after a long day at your desk or being sat for long periods in front of the television with poor awareness of your posture. You may find that you experience pain and tightness across the back of your shoulders, especially in between the shoulder blades.

The unheard benefits of weight training for upper back pain

Upper back pain can result from a number of causes; referred pain from an injury in the neck, neck misalignment or tight muscles resulting from bad posture or exercise. These are just a few issues that can cause pain in your upper back. Most people may tend to shy away from lifting weights in favour of low intensity cardio training to relieve back pain, but incorporating weight training into your routine – such as using kettlebells – can be an incredibly effective exercise to help build those vital muscles that support your back or neck if those areas have been particularly compromised in the past.

In short, kettlebell exercise can help with relieving this pain because they challenge your body in a dynamic way and can be used as a full body workout or targeting specific muscles that you may find are weak in your body as it stands. Kettlebell exercises can also target your body’s posterior muscles, and the increase in blood flow to reduce the buildup of lactic acid that occurs when your muscles are aching or feeling tense.

What exercises you should be doing to build strength in your upper back

With that in mind, there are some fantastic exercises with kettlebells that can be used to help in cases of upper back pain. For example, Turkish Getups can target pretty much every area of the body but as the weight is focused on your upper body can be a great one for building muscle in the upper back. Bent Over Rows can also help to target the biceps but will also hit the shoulders and upper back as well. Reverse Flys can also be used to specifically train the upper back although because the weight is being held directly in front of you during a repetition, it’s important that you start with a lighter weight and slowly build up in order to not put any undue pressure on your lower back. Using single arm deadlifts also can strengthen the entire of your posterior chain, starting at the hamstrings, through the gluteal’s, and your lower, mid and upper back muscles. We particularly like unilateral exercises as they build up a more dynamic kind of resilience, particularly in the lower back!

These types of exercises can allow you to strengthen the entire of your back and allow your body to effectively manage the stresses and strains that you put it through on a daily basis – whether that’s slouching while at your desk or on the couch, or perhaps not paying attention every once in a while when lifting or carrying something heavy. It’s usually those everyday activities that can result in injury as although back pain can occur as a result of a sudden trauma, it can also be caused by a repetition of the same activity everyday that gradually causes stress on the body until it can’t handle it anymore and becomes injured. This, more common type of injury is referred to as a repetitive stress injury.

The precautions to take when lifting weights with back pain

Exercise in general, when done correctly, if you’re suffering with any kind of back pain can be an efficient and smart move to help relieve pain by helping to improve the circulation and release natural, pain relieving endorphins that our bodies produce. But as with any exercise if you’re suffering with back pain that has been present for a number of weeks or months, it’s best to seek the help of a professional osteopath or chiropractor who can help recommend specific exercises for your condition and know what exercises you need to avoid.

For example, kettlebell swings although fantastic for building muscle throughout the body, need completely correct posture and an awareness of how much you can realistically lift, so that you can sustain the exercise without causing any further harm or losing that correct posture. If you try to lift a particular weight that is more than you can usually handle, this can challenge the body in a positive way if you’re able to maintain correct posture, but if you find that your body has to compensate or twist in order to perform the exercise – the weight is clearly too heavy and you will need to drop down to a lower weighted kettlebell. In particular, lifting weights above the head is one of the most important techniques to master when you’re using kettlebells to help strengthen your upper back. When you lift a weight above your head, but don’t have the stability or strength in your lower body to support the action, this is when lower back problems can begin in occur.

In summary, if you’re suffering from backache that is occurring as a result of what stresses you are putting on your body on a daily basis, for example not paying attention to your posture during the day while at work or home, then there’s a good chance that incorporating kettlebell training into your weekly routine can help more than you think. But as we’ve established, it’s incredibly important to know your limits by accepting that you will need to train with lower weights in the beginning and slowly build up in order to allow your body time to gradually build the supportive muscles it needs to function more effectively. If you are unsure as to what is causing your upper back pain, it can be exceptionally useful to seek the help of a professional to uncover the true cause of your back pain before embarking on exercise that could potentially do more harm than good.

Need help with your upper back pain?

At The Mayfair Clinic we use detailed orthopaedic testing in order to determine what kind of problem you have, we may confirm our diagnosis using x-rays if necessary. We can provide you with specific tailored advice on which gym exercises to avoid and which ones could be vital in helping to improve your back pain in the long term. So if you’re suffering from back pain and you’re not sure what exercises you can do at the gym to alleviate your struggles for good, give our friendly and professional team a call today on 0203 947 3222 or email us at info@themayfairclinic.com to find out how we can help.

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Stuart Turnbull

12:58 07 Nov 18

I have been very impressed with the care and attention I have received from Michael, Joe, Lara and Kerryn at the Mayfair Clinic. I believe that this clinic is at the forefront of holistic care for people suffering from back pain. As well as their hands on approach to the patient they also require the patient to be proactive in taking part in a personal and gentle exercise programme.

Jai Brodie

08:16 03 Oct 18

Michael and his team are very professional, competent and friendly. After years of misinformation, they have now set me on the path to recovery. Highly recommend the Mayfair Clinic

FatimaBintou Haase

10:37 16 Sep 18

Incredible experience of reducing the root causes of my back pain and patient care:I had back pain all my life, and faced a particular bad episode of back pain since 6 month when I came to the Mayfair clinic. I wasn't able to bend forwards and in constant pain. Not only did Michael reduce this to almost zero pain in just a few weeks, but he also helped me to adjust my exercise routine to my spine and back condition. I couldn't recommend it enough - an investment that really pays out!

Victor Agboola

14:13 11 Sep 18

How can you get away from a terrible lower back pain without surgery?. Try "Mayfair Clinic".. I'm a living example. I was told by my Surgeon that the only option is to get me under his knives which i refused.My inner mind keep telling me "there should be another option than surgery, then my work colleague gave my MAYFAIR CLINIC telephone number off chance.Believe it friends, Miracles still happen.The healing process is slow but significantly improved. Just follow the exercise procedures.Mayfair Clinic is God sent when I needed it most.

Isabel Trillo

21:08 17 Sep 18

Joe was amazing with my treatment. Would recommend to any one.

ayo `oke

12:39 11 Mar 19

I will advise anyone with back pain to visit the Mayfair Clinic to -at the minimum- undertake the digital x-ray analysis with Michael before considering further treatment.His insightful analysis gives a comprehensive diagnosis which is easy to understand, and the recommended course of treatment shows a measurable and attainable target.

Jason Sarris

09:56 19 Mar 19

Stellar treatment. Michael was able to effectively diagnose my issue and gave me some new insights into the root causes that I had never considered or had ever even been raised in the past from previous visits to other clinics. In my consultation I was not only treated but given a comprehensive understanding of my ailment and excellent advice on how to not only self-remedy my current issue at but also ways I could improve other aspects of my posture/alignment. Highly recommend a visit to the Mayfair Clinic.

Lynn Bird

08:04 03 Apr 19

This is Michelle not Lynn. The treatment I’ve had at the Mayfair clinic has been wonderful. I was in constant pain hbefore and constantly taking painkillers, but now I go days without taking any painkillers at all, and then only one or two. I can lift my grandchildren, play on the floor with them, walk for hours and my sciatica scarcely impacts on my everyday life any more.

Pamela Harries

19:29 10 Apr 19

Over the past few weeks, I have been receiving treatment at the Mayfair clinic. Although I’ve not suffered long term back pain, the knowledge, care and attention provided by both Mike and Joe has been excellent. The fact that they seek to find the root cause of the problem makes complete sense & enables a suitable course of treatment, specific to the problem, to be diagnosed. The treatment provided, along with advice on suitable exercises to alleviate and eventually rectify my problem, has been invaluable. I highly recommend them.

Tsehaye HABTE

10:19 27 May 19

Thanks to all staff Mayfair clinic for hard wark. Since I started treatment with Mayfair clinic it is massive progress, us HGV DRIVER i was struggling in my daily life before get Mayfair clinic. With hard wark of those guys Michael and his team, I couldn't ask for better service. Thanks alot

Rafael Brandão

17:29 06 Jun 19

I've been struggling with back issues for 10 years and I've seen dozen of specialists, the Mayfair team was by far the most professional and effective, their treatment is very different that what you usually get and they do care about the pacients deeply. Highly recommended!

Sarah L

12:42 05 Aug 19

If you have a neck, spine, back problem then you need to check these guys out. My 84 year old mum had acute lower back pain, to the point that getting out of bed was getting difficult and she wasn’t leaving the house very often. Within a month and only 6 sessions, the Mayfair Clinic has given my mum her life back, and my happy go getting mum back to me. We are both so grateful and I totally recommend them from the consultation, to same day diagnoses to treatment. I now know there is no longer the need to put up with back pain, and help is here.

Geo Alex

19:57 05 Aug 19

After 3 years of lower back pain/discomfort which significantly affected my everyday life, 5 different physiotherapists, ostopaths, and orthopedics imaging tests, ending up feeling depressed and losing all hope there can be better days for me (although I am only 40!), I have finally found Michael and his team. The things I have learnt here and they approach have fist of all helped me finally understand the root of my condition which has been instumental in motivating me to follow the programme. This is very different to every other clinic. Their approach varies by patient and is based on pure science and years of experience. They are true professionals and will put a lot of effort until you actually see results. Yes you might need to work hard and be patient as I did, but I am now getting better and stronger and its all because of Mayfair Clinic. They are totally worth it I can guarantee this.

Joseph Lawson

20:58 01 Sep 19

Big thanks to the Mayfair Clinic team. I was sceptical at the start because of previously being let down by other clinics who only thought about the short term pain prevention. My back was in horrific pain after a bad accident and i tried all types of rehab and clinics before. After 6-8 weeks of weekly sessions with Mayfair Clinic i started to notice improvement and now able to live a normal life without chronic pain. They have all the tools and knowledge, so if you follow their steps they can help you! Highly recommend.

Walid Taleb

11:23 17 Jan 20

If you have any neck/back problem, these folks are the best in London when it comes to help. (I tried several clinics before the Mayfair C).I would also recommend the Mayfair Clinic to any athlete (amateur, semi or pro) with neck/back trauma/injuries - They truly helped with my neck getting back to a more healthy curve (post disc-herniation) and realized that posture is truly key!Thank you Michael & The team

Marko Lazarevic

14:13 31 Jan 20

I’ve had an excellent experience with The Mayfair Clinic. I suffered from bulging disc in L5 S1 region and bad sciatica related pain. After almost 2 years of experimenting with different treatments (I had 3 corticosteroid injections, acupuncture, chiropractic…) nothing really helped. By the time I came to TMC I could barely walk because of the pain. After a few treatments pain was already more bearable and around week 6 it completely disappeared. They ran very professional and very detailed diagnosis first. On top of the in-clinic treatment they also tailored a list of exercises for me and I started using the Denneroll after a few weeks which helped a lot. I think that exercises and Denneroll were equally, if not more important, so stick to them. The whole team seems very knowledgeable on this topic (much more than any other doctors I came across in the process). They are also very welcoming and kind and you really get a 5* treatment. I normally used HCA (mostly London Bridge Hospital) before that, and TMC treatment was so much better on every level. Great experience with both Joe and Michael with treatments. Lara and Kerryn very also very helpful with scheduling and logistics. Again, I highly recommend them especially for somebody who has disc/sciatica issues.

Stefan Avanzato

14:21 10 Feb 20

These guys are simply amazing!!!I wouldn’t go anywhere else for my back or any other problems I may incur due to day to day occupation.Ive already referred 4 people to the Mayfair clinic including my mother and he’s managed to work his wonders on all of them.None of them are suffering from the problems they initially went in for.This place is truly amazing. Their knowledge is second to none.Keep up the amazing work guys!!

Henry Strickland

19:09 10 Mar 20

Came into the clinic with a really painful lower back due to a twinge in the gym. Had fantastic treatment from the friendly staff and my back is a lot better already! Would recommend to anyone suffering from back pain - 5 stars

Ruksana Parvin

19:31 16 Mar 20

A very friendly and welcoming environment, treatments well worth your money because they got me to walk on me own again without the help of crutches... having used them for 2yrs. Couldn’t be more happier I’ve got my independence back🤗 Thanks sooo much to everyone

Laura Bimbashi

15:26 09 May 20

I have been suffering with lower back pain for a while but since the lockdown the pain and discomfort got worse. I arranged an MRI scan and then had a video consultation with Mike at The Mayfair Clinic. He went through all my MRI scans thoroughly and started a rehab program. Since then, I have been following the advice and exercising regularly. I've already started seeing improvements in my posture and feeling much better. Highly recommended.

Matthew Cook

15:15 24 Apr 20

Great service, rescued me from excruciating pain after herniating a disc. Helped me avoid making common mistakes and provided a clear, easy to follow three month progressive physio routine that has helped me recover. Highly recommended!

Paul Barnes

09:23 20 May 20

I just wanted to say a big thank you to Michael for giving me the confidence to continue with the stretching programme. I have always had pain following any form of back stretching and strengthening exercises, but having followed Michael's programme and not quitting when I had some pain, I am now finally coming out the other side and hopefully on the way to being stronger and pain free. It is still early days, but I now believe I can strength build. The wealth of knowledge and professional approach make the Mayfair clinic a really positive experience, even during these difficult times when we can't have face to face consultations the on-line appointments and webcasts are so helpful.

Susie Mercer

16:05 05 Jun 20

I've really benefitted from this programme. At the outset I could hardly put my socks on without grimacing. Now I'm moving around easily and have just come back from a 7 mile bike ride - including some scarily hairy off-road bits! The exercises are simple, brilliantly well explained and gentle. The daily live sessions are amazing, but there's also great stuff on the members' site. And the customer service is outstanding. If you have any kind of query, Lara gets straight back to you and has it sorted for you straight away.

Lucinda Harter

11:48 14 Sep 20

I am so grateful to have found this website online it has been brilliant. I feel that the amount of free advice & guidance is really commendable and I was grateful to be able to sign up for this. The demonstrations of the different exercises was particularly useful. I did sign up to premium as wanted to advance to phase 2 & 3 which I have found invaluable. Overall it just gave me the confidence to do exercise that wasn't going to make things worse. I have suffered with upper back pain for many years but have made a huge amount of progress since following the guidance. You have to put the effort in though & it is pretty time consuming. Michael & Lara have been super helpful throughout. Would highly recommend to others.

Esther Wilson

07:47 31 Jul 20

I really appreciated the clinics "back in shape" program over lockdown. Michael is always available for advice (very dedicated) + there are regular additional videos/livestreams as well as the exercise program and access to the community, and all for a rather moderate amount per month. I'd recommend - they're London based, but supportive even if you have not been able to access physical services!

claire cartmell

18:52 17 Jul 20

I’ve found the back in shape program very helpful. My lower back got so bad I was struggling to pick up my very cuddly toddler, some days struggling to walk. The back in shape course has helped sort my back out and strengthen my core muscles. I rubbish at sticking with anything. It took me a few attempts to stick to the routine but once I got it I loved doing the daily exercises. It’s given me a boost in exercise confidence and I’m proud of myself for my achievements.

Emre Ozsoy

17:23 08 Jul 20

Michael will listen to everything you have to say about your pain in your initial consultation and will explain to you in the clearest way possible what the underlying issue of your pain is and how to fix your alignment to allow healing. He places a lot of importance to each patient and doesn't just give you generic answers/advice. The Back In Shape program gave me the guidance I needed to get my back stronger and general mobility back in shape as previously I had to search on YouTube for exercises that were making the initial problem worse without me knowing (Michael explains why this is). The Back In Shape program gets rid of contradictory advice on the internet and they are the safest exercises I've ever done and eventually doable for anyone and the more you do them, the more pain-free you become. It is very easy to communicate with Michael outside of the clinic in the Back In Shape facebook group where you can ask questions on the go. The treatments in the clinic are very safe and very effective.

Can using kettlebells help with upper back pain?