Remember that it’s all connected, just like the song goes: the back bone’s connected to the neck bone; the neck bone’s connected to the head bone, and so forth. Most of the exercises below are designed to work various parts of the trapezius. The trapezius is a large, triangular muscle that spans your upper back region — the area from the neck, through the shoulders, and down the spine. Those most vulnerable to tightness and pain in the upper back and neck region include computer users and other desk workers, and those who spend a lot of time behind the wheel.

Here are some simple ways to get upper back pain relief:

Overhead stretch. Raise your arms above your head, palms facing in. Pull down and back slowly, bending your elbows. Keep your palms facing inward. Your final position should be elbows out from the side, pointing toward the floor. Your hands should be bent at the wrists, pointing upward like two weighing scales. (You can think of Libra if that helps.) Hold this “balance” position for about ten seconds, then slowly release your wrists and elbows toward the floor. Do the sequence a total of four times.

Neck relaxation. Gently lower your head toward your shoulder, gently bending your neck. Exhale and relax your shoulders. Then repeat on the other side. Do this a total of three times on each side.

Shoulder rolls. Bring your shoulders toward your ears, then roll them forward. Move the rotator cuffs in a slow circular motion, forward three times, then stop. Bring your shoulders toward your ears again, then roll them backward. Focus on improving your posture as you roll back. Do the whole forward-backward sequence a total of four times.

Upper body tense and release. Inhale deeply while shrugging your shoulders toward your ears and clenching your fists, thumbs toward the ceiling. Keep your jaw relaxed. Hold the upward positions for five seconds. Now exhale and relax completely for five seconds. Do the sequence a total of four times.

Side bends. Bring one fist in front of your shoulder socket while you inhale. Bend at the side so that your elbow points toward the ceiling. Hold the position for five seconds. Now exhale and relax completely for five seconds, taking care not to bounce. Then repeat the sequence on the other side. Do this a total of three times on each side.

Shoulder and chest stretch. Clasp your hands behind your lower back. Bring your shoulder blades together. Raise your arms slowly, away from the back, until your clasped hands reach mid-back level. Hold this position with a straight yet relaxed back for ten seconds. Do the sequence a total of four times.

Finally, here is an upper back pain relief technique you can try with a bit of assistance:

Cat’s paw massage. Gentle manipulation of the upper back muscles increases the blood flow as the area is stretched. Ask a partner to work the trapezius, alternating between left and right sides, using their palms, as if they were a cat kneading a pillow or blanket. The idea is to use gentle, repeating pressure.