Thoracic Mobility Exercises: Many people spend a significant amount of time sitting down, both at work and in their leisure time, which has been linked to a more kyphotic posture, which is linked to lower shoulder range of motion as well as painful disorders like shoulder impingement syndrome.
As a health and fitness professional, this is a key factor to consider when developing programmes and exercises to increase thoracic mobility. Exercises can be used on a regular basis as part of a client’s warm-up or as active recovery during a workout to assist enhance and maintain thoracic spine mobility.
The capacity to generate extension in the thoracic spine can improve active range of motion in shoulder flexion and overhead shoulder movements. Thoracic extension exercises are effective warm-up exercises before a workout that incorporates vertical upper-body pressing and pulling actions.
In this activity, a foam roller functions as a back support and generates a wedge that allows an individual to practise thoracic spine extension at various locations and vertebrae.
Lay on your back with your feet flat and your knees raised to prepare for this action. Put the foam roller behind your upper back, right below the scapula. Position your hands behind your head, elbows pointing forward. Tighten the abs to maintain the ribcage in place, then extend the upper back over the roller. Return to a resting position on the roller without crushing the upper back.
Perform this motion in one position on the foam roller for one to five repetitions. Then, lift the hips away from the foam roller slightly so that it is little higher on the upper back. Extend the arms in various postures until the foam roller reaches the back of the shoulders, just below the cervical vertebrae.
Bench Thoracic Extension
Begin by kneeling close to the side of a bench with a supinated grip on a PVC pipe or dowel. Bend at the hips and set your elbows on top of the bench, looking down.
Rock the hips back toward the ankles while keeping the elbows on the bench, pulling the shoulders into flexion and keeping the top of the head out of the way of the bench. Maintain a braced midsection as the hips slide back to support the lower back. To reset, pause, breath, and softly stretch the upper back before rolling forward over the elbows. Slowly perform this exercise for five to ten repetitions at a time.
Threading the Needle
Begin in a quadruped stance with your hands beneath your shoulders. Rock the hips back toward the ankles while bracing the abdominals to keep the lumbar spine in this position. Pick up one hand and reach across the front of the torso underneath the supporting arm, maintaining the gaze on the fingertips. Allow the shoulders to rotate while reaching and stopping at the end of the range of motion. To draw the hand out, reverse the reaching motion, twisting the chest open to the side. Raise the hand as high as possible while keeping your gaze on the fingertips. Repeat this threading action and reaching for the ceiling for five to ten times.
Side-lying Books
Prepare for this exercise by lying on one side on the floor and tucking your knees up to 90° in front of your hips. In a neutral position, extend both hands out in front of the chest, palms facing each other.
Maintain your gaze on the top hand and gradually separate the hands such that the back of the bottom hand remains on the floor and the top hand swings up and back toward the floor in the opposite direction. Continue to extend out with your top arm and draw your shoulder back toward the floor, as if you were making a T with your body and arms. Slowly bring the hands back together in front of the chest after pausing at the conclusion of the range of motion. Repeat this exercise five to ten times before switching.
Movements are being implemented.
These activities are effective as part of a warm-up, active recovery exercises, or movement breaks throughout the day. Because practising them can result in an increase in range of motion for a short period of time, doing them more frequently is likely to be useful to developing long-term changes.
You can assist your clients improve their thoracic posture and potentially avoid or mitigate shoulder difficulties linked with greater kyphosis and decreased thoracic spine mobility by including exercises like these into a whole-body strength and conditioning programme.
