The thoracic spine spine plays a crucial role in posture and alignment, functional movement and breathing efficiency. Unfortunately, this is an area of the body that causes significant stiffness, discomfort and mobility issues. In this post we'll cover the importance of thoracic spine mobility, the root causes of the stiffness/discomfort and different ways to improve it.
Why Thoracic Spine Mobility Matters:
1. Posture and alignment
- A strong Thoracic spine is crucial in maintaining good posture. A weak or immobile T-spine often leads to a hunched back, rounded shoulders and a forward head tilt. Not only can this lead to pain and discomfort, but potentially more severe issues such as herniated disks or chronic back pain.
2. Functional Movement
- The thoracic spine is responsible for simple actions like reaching overhead, rotating your torso or bending sideways. Limited mobility can lead to other muscles over compensating, increasing the risks of injuries to other areas of the body, such as the lower back or shoulder.
3. Breathing Efficiency
- The rib cage attaches directly to the thoracic spine, therefore any limitations in this area may affect breathing mechanics. A strong mobile T-spine allows for the rib cage to fully expand expand and allow for sufficient breathing, while stiffness can contribute to shallow breathing and decreased oxygen intake
Exercises to improve T-spine mobility: (watch videos for examples)
- Wall thoracic rotations
- Wall windmills
- Prisoner hold thoracic rotations
Complete 10 reps of each exercise 3 times through. The more consistent you can be with a routine the quicker you'll see lasting results
