When people talk about back pain, they’re usually referring to being sore in the lumbar spine. Or maybe they have chronic tension in their neck and upper back, so the cervical spine is the target. But often, the thoracic spine (middle and upper back) gets completely ignored, despite its integral role in most foundational body archetypes and movements.
For starters, the t-spine area plays a key part in shoulder function. We spend hours going after the gleno-humeral joint without acknowledging the scapula’s role as the shoulder’s steering wheel. If you’re chronically matted down in the soft tissues that surround the scapula, you will be missing range of motion and compromising motor control at the shoulder. The thoracic spine is also far more involved in trunk rotation than most people realize, providing up to 70 degrees of rotation versus just 10 to 12 degrees for the lumbar spine. In addition, if the t-spine is hypomobile, it can compromise the motion of both the diaphragm and ribcage, negatively impacting breathing.
To help free up your t-spine, add these exercises into your daily soft tissue practice. Remember to go slow, keep going until you feel change or stop if anything feels sketchy.
Photos: Mobilitywod.com
T-Spine Extension
If you’re struggling with any kind of overhead positioning (whether that’s pullups or push presses in the gym, reaching up in rock climbing or getting your top hand high enough in any kind of paddling), this drill is a must. To do it:
—Lie down on your back with both feet flat on the floor and place a double lacrosse ball or MWOD/Rogue Fitness Gemini just below the base of your neck.
— Extend both arms overhead. If you need help keeping your arms in position, grip a barbell
—Start by taking a few deep, controlled diaphragm breaths.
—Slowly bridge your hips up a few inches and then lower them back to the start position. If this is too uncomfortable in the middle back area, go back to just taking slow breaths.
—Move the mobility tool down an inch and repeat. Keep moving down until you get to just below the base of your shoulder blades.
Scapular Press + Retract
When the lower traps, rhomboids and other muscles around the scapula get stiff, we lose not only the ability to rotate through the t-spine, but also to pull our arms back behind us (see: running, paddling, the bottom position of the bench press). This should help:
—Anchor a medium resistance band at shoulder blade level on the upright of a squat rack or pole.
—Facing away from the anchor, grab the far end of the band with your left hand and press it away from you to take up tension.
— Let the band pull your shoulder backwards slowly until your elbow goes as far back as it can while still maintaining tension.
— Slowly turn your torso and head to the right. It should feel like your left shoulder blade is being pulled toward your spine.
—Contract for five to 10 seconds, relax for two, and repeat.
— Repeat steps three and four, then step five. Total at least two minutes and then switch sides.
Banded Long Sit for T-Spine Flexion
We’ve already given your back some slack in thoracic extension, so now it’s time to make sure you can go to the other end of the spectrum by improving t-spine flexion. To do so:
—Anchor a light or medium resistance band on a squat rack or pole so that it’s level with your chest when you sit down.
—Get into a long sit position, point your toes and loop the band around your middle back and under your armpits.
—With your abs engaged, take a deep inhale and then fold slowly forward.
—As you fold forward, exhale and slide your hands down your legs until your torso goes to end range.
— Slowly come back to the starting position.
—Repeat 20 to 30 times.
T-Spine Tack and Floss
It can be difficult to get down into the deep muscles of the t-spine and the fascia beneath. This exercise drills down there and improves both extension and flexion:
—Lie down on your back.
— Place your double lacrosse ball or Gemini at the base of your neck.
— With your arms behind your head, curl your neck up until your chin is as close to your chest as it can go without it being painful.
— Slowly lower your head back to the starting position and repeat.
—After several reps, move the mobility tool down an inch toward your shoulder blades. Go all the way down to the base of the scapula before you’re done.
