Thoracic Spine Mobility (Upper Back)

Thoracic spine (T-spine) mobility is important for shoulder health as well as lower back health. It allows us to bend forward and backward (flexion/extension), side to side and twist (rotation). Lack of mobility in the T-spine may result in shoulder pain, neck pain or pain in the lumbar spine. If the T-spine is not extending properly it will be difficult to fully flex the shoulders and the resulting compensation will be excessive lumbar extension. The shoulders can also compensate for an immobile T-spine as the shoulder blades begin to move further away from the spine and tilt anteriorly on the rib cage, again increasing the likelihood of shoulder injuries and other issues. Lifting, pulling, and pushing heavy objects will be difficult and painful with an immobile thoracic spine. Over head pressing is one these movements that can cause some serious pain and complications. Limited extension in our T-spine will alter the forces of over head pressing, placing the weight in front of the head instead of over the head. The lumbar spine then takes the brunt of the extension needed to move the weight. Remember, the range of motion has to come from somewhere and if the T-spine is not doing a whole lot of moving, other parts at each end of the chain may suffer. Here are some good examples of mobilization for the T-spine that can be implemented into our dynamic warm up. Quadruped Extension Rotation [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6DyjwCgZ60] Bench T-Spine Mobilization [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8xds0f922I] How to Develop Thoracic Spine Mobility - Part 1: Extension [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRJ8OQSWei8] How to Develop Thoracic Spine Mobility - Part 2: Rotation & Lateral Flexion [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JmUAxulZgc]