Thoracic Spine Mobility

Think about how much time we spend sitting: sit when we eat, sit in the car, sit for work, sit to watch movies, etc. That’s a lot of sitting! Now that we are at home more we are probably sitting more too. Sitting can wreak havoc to our posture and especially to our thoracic spine (mid-back). Let’s offset the detriments of sitting and improve the mobility of our spine. Follow these easy to do mobility drills while we are cooped up at home.
Open Books
•Lie on your side with the foam roller underneath the leg for support.
•Outstretch the arms in front and separate them opening up the chest and shoulders.
•Track the moving hand with your head and eyes.
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Thoracic Mobilizations with a Foam Roller
•Lie on a foam roller.
•Interlace your fingers and grasp the back of your neck.
•Make sure your forearms are beneath your chin in order to protect your neck when performing the mobilization.
•Lean backward over the foam roller using the foam roller as a fulcrum.
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Cat/Cow
•Get into a quadruped (hands and knees) with the knees hip-width apart.
•From this position round your back and at the same time flex your head down.
•Slowly arch your back the other direction while looking up.
•Focus on trying to move the mid-back and each segment of the spine.
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Thread the Needle
•Get into a quadruped (hands and knees) with the knees hip-width apart.
•With your right arm “thread” it under the opposite side rotating the mid-back.
•After “threading” it through, “unthread” it and rotate the opposite direction.
•Follow your hand with your eyes and head.
•Repeat on the other side.
-John Kim, PT, DPT (Deerfield)
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