How much movement do you have in your back above and below your shoulder blades (thoracic back)? Does that area feel stiff, sticky and hunched? Did you know that your thoracic back actually has the capacity to move much more than most of us realize and usually move?
The thoracic spine (12 vertebrae in the mid part of the spine) is intended to perform 2 motions:
Rotation – This allows us to move, reach and pick things up in mechanically sound ways. Many people are asymmetrical with these movements due to thoracic spine immobility.
Flexion/Extension – We typically have the flexion (rounded) part figured out because of poor postural habits, but extension is much more difficult with a stuck thoracic spine.
The thoracic spine (12 vertebrae in the mid part of the spine) is intended to perform 2 motions:
Rotation – This allows us to move, reach and pick things up in mechanically sound ways. Many people are asymmetrical with these movements due to thoracic spine immobility.
Flexion/Extension – We typically have the flexion (rounded) part figured out because of poor postural habits, but extension is much more difficult with a stuck thoracic spine.
Poor posture is one of the biggest culprits for a stiff thoracic spine. Frequently, this is due to the way people hunch over their computers or desks at work, or driving in their cars.
When this posture, with the shoulders curved forward and the head bent over, is held for a long time the body fixes in this position. The muscles in the chest that pull the shoulders forward shorten and those that should pull the shoulders back lengthen and lose their elasticity. As the upper back is held with minimum movement for hours on end our thoracic spine slowly tightens up as a misguided protection mechanism. We can end up looking old before our time.
In addition, all of this immobility can result in a variety of issues up and down the spine.
Shoulder movement – If the thoracic spine isn’t mobile the shoulder blades can’t achieve a full range of motion and as a result your shoulder movement will be affected. If the shoulder has to move by itself, because the back can’t, and is no longer stabile, then the problem continues up the kinetic chain. Inappropriate movement pressure is placed on the small muscles which encase the shoulder causing problems such as rotator cuff injury and neck pain.
Shoulder impingement – If the thoracic spine tends to sit in kyphosis (rounded forward) most of the time, then the shoulder joint can become impinged. With impingement frequently comes pain. This is because the ball of the ball-and-socket joint has less room to move around and starts to rub against other things in the shoulder.
Lumbar spine pain and injury – The lumbar spine (low back) is the part of the spine below the thoracic spine. The lower back is designed to be stable in order to support the weight of the upper body. In an effort to compensate for the stiffness in the thoracic spine, people end up with overly mobile lumbar spines from excessive rotation or flexion and extension. The body will start to twist at this lower point and will also curve excessively to enable the upper body to remain in the correct center of gravity. This is what results in the familiar (but incredibly bad for us) S-curve.
What can you do to positively affect the mobility of you thoracic spine?
For those of you who are working with GYROTONIC or GYROKINESIS exercises, you’ve already experienced the benefits of approaching thoracic spine mobility from multiple planes.
GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS movement retrains the body and brain, and reinforces thoracic spine mobility during all of our spinal mobility exercises; arches and curls, side shifts, side arcs, spiraling twists and spinal waves. In addition, gaining the core strength to stabilize the lumbar spine while moving the thoracic spine will help get you to better posture and back health, and minimize pain and injury. Lastly, not only will the spine be more mobile, but the nervous system will be retrained. The body will be trained to use the new ranges of motion allowing the mobility gains to be maintained better and longer. In other words, your back will be as happy and moveable as it can be.
If you would like to learn more about how and why the thoracic back should move, please check out the following resources. If you would like to try GYROTONIC or GYROKINESIS exercise, please look at my website: http://motioninbalance.biz, or give a call at 360-556-2619. I can assure you that if you work to get your back moving and strengthen it, you will be very pleased with the results.
Resources:
http://www.prevention.com/fitness/strength-training/sit-down-wake
http://billhartman.net/blog/thoracic-spine-mobility-and-some-other-stuff/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-improve-thoracic-spine-mobility/#axzz1ntdLkU21
http://www.maximumtrainingsolutions.com/Thoracic-Spine-Mobility.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoracic_spine Good visual and explanation for the thoracic spine.
When this posture, with the shoulders curved forward and the head bent over, is held for a long time the body fixes in this position. The muscles in the chest that pull the shoulders forward shorten and those that should pull the shoulders back lengthen and lose their elasticity. As the upper back is held with minimum movement for hours on end our thoracic spine slowly tightens up as a misguided protection mechanism. We can end up looking old before our time.
In addition, all of this immobility can result in a variety of issues up and down the spine.
Shoulder movement – If the thoracic spine isn’t mobile the shoulder blades can’t achieve a full range of motion and as a result your shoulder movement will be affected. If the shoulder has to move by itself, because the back can’t, and is no longer stabile, then the problem continues up the kinetic chain. Inappropriate movement pressure is placed on the small muscles which encase the shoulder causing problems such as rotator cuff injury and neck pain.
Shoulder impingement – If the thoracic spine tends to sit in kyphosis (rounded forward) most of the time, then the shoulder joint can become impinged. With impingement frequently comes pain. This is because the ball of the ball-and-socket joint has less room to move around and starts to rub against other things in the shoulder.
Lumbar spine pain and injury – The lumbar spine (low back) is the part of the spine below the thoracic spine. The lower back is designed to be stable in order to support the weight of the upper body. In an effort to compensate for the stiffness in the thoracic spine, people end up with overly mobile lumbar spines from excessive rotation or flexion and extension. The body will start to twist at this lower point and will also curve excessively to enable the upper body to remain in the correct center of gravity. This is what results in the familiar (but incredibly bad for us) S-curve.
What can you do to positively affect the mobility of you thoracic spine?
For those of you who are working with GYROTONIC or GYROKINESIS exercises, you’ve already experienced the benefits of approaching thoracic spine mobility from multiple planes.
GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS movement retrains the body and brain, and reinforces thoracic spine mobility during all of our spinal mobility exercises; arches and curls, side shifts, side arcs, spiraling twists and spinal waves. In addition, gaining the core strength to stabilize the lumbar spine while moving the thoracic spine will help get you to better posture and back health, and minimize pain and injury. Lastly, not only will the spine be more mobile, but the nervous system will be retrained. The body will be trained to use the new ranges of motion allowing the mobility gains to be maintained better and longer. In other words, your back will be as happy and moveable as it can be.
If you would like to learn more about how and why the thoracic back should move, please check out the following resources. If you would like to try GYROTONIC or GYROKINESIS exercise, please look at my website: http://motioninbalance.biz, or give a call at 360-556-2619. I can assure you that if you work to get your back moving and strengthen it, you will be very pleased with the results.
Resources:
http://www.prevention.com/fitness/strength-training/sit-down-wake
http://billhartman.net/blog/thoracic-spine-mobility-and-some-other-stuff/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-improve-thoracic-spine-mobility/#axzz1ntdLkU21
http://www.maximumtrainingsolutions.com/Thoracic-Spine-Mobility.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoracic_spine Good visual and explanation for the thoracic spine.
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