Prone Dorsal Raises: Upper Back Exercise

Do you constantly feel the need to stretch your upper back due to discomfort?

Stretching is great, but it won’t address the most common underlying cause—weakness. That’s where this exercise will help.

You should feel effort through the upper back muscles—not strain in the lower back or neck.

STOP IF YOU FEEL:

• Sharp pain in the neck or upper back (LINK NECK PAIN)
• Pinching between the shoulder blades (LINK MID BACK/RIB PAIN)
• Excessive tension in the low back (LINK LOW BACK PAIN PAGE)

If you are experiencing pain during this exercise, it may simply mean that you’re not ready for it yet. In these cases, I would advise patients to work on the Brugger’s Relief Exercise first LINK)

HOW TO DO PRONE DORSAL RAISES

1. Lie face down with your arms above your head at 90 degrees (elbows bent)
2. Gently draw your shoulder blades back and down
3. Lift your chest slightly off the floor
4. Keep your chin tucked slightly and eyes towards the floor
5. Pause briefly at the top
6. Lower slowly with control

This is a small movement.

You are not trying to lift as high as possible.

The goal is controlled activation through the upper back.

WHAT THIS EXERCISE HELPS WITH

The upper back muscles act like the support cables for your posture.

When they fatigue easily:

• The shoulders drift forwards
• The neck starts overworking
• Sitting upright becomes tiring

I often explain it to patients like this. Your posture is a bit like a tent:

If the support ropes lose tension, everything starts collapsing inward.

These muscles help hold the structure up.

This exercise builds strength and endurance through the muscles between the shoulder blades—particularly the muscles that help support prolonged upright posture.

WHO THIS IS MOST USEFUL FOR

I commonly use this exercise for people who:

• Sit at desks for long hours
• Feel rounded or slouched by the end of the day
• Get tension between the shoulder blades
  

It’s especially useful for people who constantly stretch their upper back but never strengthen it.

A QUICK CLINIC OBSERVATION

One thing I see a lot in clinic:

People trying to “sit up straight” all day without actually having the endurance to maintain it.

Good posture is less about forcing yourself upright…

…and more about having the strength and endurance to hold yourself there naturally.

That’s where exercises like this come in.

STARTING POINT

A good place to begin:

• 8–12 repetitions
• 2–3 sets
• Slow and controlled tempo

As this becomes easier:

• Add a longer pause at the top
• Increase repetitions gradually

Build steadily rather than rushing progress.

COMMON MISTAKES

Try not to:

• Lift too high through the lower back
• Poke the chin forwards
• Shrug the shoulders upwards
• Rush the movement

The quality of the movement matters much more than height.

WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL

• Effort between the shoulder blades
• Mild fatigue through the upper back
• Muscles working to hold posture

HOW THIS FITS INTO YOUR RECOVERY

This exercise can be performed on its own or as part of a rehabilitation program. Do this exercise daily for one week initially, keeping it within a very comfortable range. 

When I’m happy that my patients can do this without any issues, I’ll gradually combine it with:

1. Floor Angels (LINK)
2. Brügger’s Relief Position (LINK)
3. Chin Tuck Head Lift (LINK)

This exercise helps with: