Improve Posture and Reduce Back Pain with Better Rows

If you’re a dental clinician struggling with nagging neck tension or mid-back pain, there’s a good chance your upper traps are doing way too much work.

In dentistry, we live in slight forward flexion. Our upper trapezius muscles are often overworked, tight, and dominant — which is exactly why we don’t want to keep hammering them in the gym with shrugged shoulders and poorly executed pulling exercises.

Instead, we need to strengthen the mid and lower trapezius — the muscles that support upright posture and help counteract that forward, rounded position.

In the video below, I demonstrate three of my favorite row variations to improve posture and reduce back pain:

1. Dumbbell Row (Drive to the Hip)

Using a bench for support, pull the weight toward your hip — not your shoulder. Avoid shrugging. Driving the elbow back and slightly down targets the mid and lower traps instead of the already overworked upper traps.

2. Bent-Over Row (Neutral Grip)

A neutral grip keeps the shoulders in a safer, more natural position. Focus on keeping your neck long and your shoulders away from your ears.

3. Suspension Trainer Row (TRX Style)

This is a fantastic scalable option. Adjust your body angle to make it harder or easier while maintaining strong alignment.

As you get stronger, remember to progressively overload the muscle — increase weight, reps, or time under tension gradually.

A strong back supports better posture in the operatory. And a strong body is a more injury-resistant body.

If you want more content like this — plus detailed guidance on operator positioning, patient positioning, clock positions, and stool adjustments — check out my on-demand courses and Polished Posture Club!