Using Structural Relief Therapy for Self-Treatment

SRT can easily be used for self-treatment by yourself or with the assistance of a helper. I am in the process of writing a book on using SRT for Self-Treatment. If you are interested please fill out our contact form and we will email you updates about this. While you wait, here is just one thing you can try.

Relieving your Middle-of-the-Back Tightness

When you sit at a desk for several hours your mid-back begins to feel tight. This tightness gets worse especially when you are under stress. The muscles of your lower neck and middle back are being stretched. Most people roll their neck and/or shoulders a few times. Finally, they lift their arms over their head and lean backwards.

Without your conscious thought, your body wants the muscles on the front part of your torso to stop contracting and pulling on your middle back. You have been taught to stretch tight muscles so you lean backwards trying to stretch the muscles in the front to relieve the pain in your middle back. These motions do help but they don’t address the true problem.

SRT uses a position to stop involuntary muscle contraction. The muscles of your chest and abdomen are the muscles that are involuntarily contracting. Try SRT! Push away from your desk, and with your arms hanging by your sides, let your whole torso move into a forward collapsed position (like falling asleep with your chin on your chest). Start counting to 120 slowly. Let yourself relax into this position stretching your middle back. You will only be able to breathe shallowly. Remember, you are shortening your abdominals and chest muscles.

After you have reach a count of 120, sit up and take a slow, deep breath. Now, lift your arms up and lean backwards comfortably and stretch for a moment. Next, sit in an upright, neutral position and take another slow, deep breath. Notice how your head sits more upright and relaxed on your shoulders and the burning in your middle back feels better. Principles of SRT