A healthy spine will be aligned, strong, and flexible, and while each spinal section has unique roles to play in the spine's overall biomechanics, the health of the individual sections are interrelated. A flexible thoracic spine is necessary for mobility, and strength is needed to prevent injury and handle mechanical stress.”
The thoracic spine protects the spinal cord, important organs, and facilitates trunk mobility; keeping it flexible and strong can help overall spinal health and biomechanics. Mobility exercises focus on extension and rotation, and strengthening exercises focus on increasing strength and stability.
The design of the spine is based on movement, so let's start with how the thoracic spine, in particular, supports healthy movement patterns.
The spine has a number of key purposes; it helps us stand upright and practice healthy posture, engage in a wide range of movement, gives the body structural support, works with the brain to form the central nervous system, and protects important organs.
Spinal health is shaped by posture, and posture is shaped by spinal health, so healthy movement and body positioning are key to keeping the spine strong and flexible.
The spine consists of three main sections: the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (middle/upper back), and the lumbar spine.
Keeping the spine flexible is key to its range of motion (being able to twist, bend, and extend), and the spine's healthy curves are key to spinal alignment and function.
Keeping the spine strong facilitates its ability to handle stress from activity (evenly absorb and distribute mechanical stress throughout the spine).
A spine that's strong, flexible, and aligned is one that can support healthy posture and movement patterns. If the spine develops an unnatural curve or becomes rigid, unhealthy posture can develop that, over time, may contribute to the development of unhealthy movement patterns.
Unhealthy posture can mean upper body weight isn't evenly distributed over the pelvis and hips, and this can cause an uneconomical gait to develop, which increases uneven wear and tear on the spine, particularly once age-related degenerative changes in the spine are also occurring.
Containing 12 vertebrae, the thoracic spine is the largest spinal section, and as the only section attached to the rib cage, it has some unique functions.
The thoracic spine anchors the rib cage and forms the thoracic cage, protecting important organs within such as the heart, lungs, and digestive organs.
The space available to organs inside the thoracic cage is important for their optimal function.
The thoracic spine also protects the spinal cord and works with the spine's surrounding muscles to enable a wide range of upper body movement.
There are a number of stretches and strengthening exercises for the thoracic spine, and while exercise recommendations should always be case-specific and approved by a medical professional, the following thoracic spine exercises are considered safe and beneficial for many.
Seated thoracic rotations can improve upper back flexibility, neck and lower back pain, counteract poor posture, increase space within the thoracic cage, provide relief after long periods of sitting, and facilitate the ability to twist, lift, and stretch.
To perform a seated thoracic rotation:
1) Find a supportive chair with back support and sit up straight with feet flat on the floor and aligned with the shoulders
2) Keep the shoulders relaxed and down and the back upright and straight
3) Cross the arms over the chest
4) Using the arms and shoulders, gently rotate the body to one side
5) Rotate until a gentle stretch is felt in the back (if pain is felt, the body is rotating too far)
6) Hold the position for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side
One of the thoracic spine's roles is to facilitate the upper body's rotation (being able to turn from side to side), so keeping the spine loose and flexible through safe rotation-based exercises can facilitate the spine and upper body's mobility.
The Cat-Cow stretch can help with the upper spine's mobility through mindfully alternating its position (strengthening and stretching simultaneously); when performed consistently and properly, it can help with pain relief, core strengthening, focusing the link between healthy breathing and movement patterns, improving posture, and increasing space within the chest.
To perform a Cat-Cow Stretch:
1) Lower yourself to the floor on all fours
2) Ensure the hands are aligned with the shoulders, the knees are aligned with the hips, and the spine is parallel to the floor in a straight and neutral position
3) Keep the neck and head aligned and look down at the floor
4) Moving into the cow pose by drawing the shoulder blades together to open the chest
5) Lift the tailbone and lower the stomach slightly
6) Gently lift the head, raising the gaze from downward to forward
7) Keep the neck and lower back elongated and aligned
8) Be mindful of breathing and inhale while moving into the cow pose
9) Gently round the spine and exhale while moving into the cat pose
10) Tuck the tailbone inward
11) Tuck the chin into the chest and pull the shoulder blades apart
12) Hold both positions for the duration of two deep breaths in and out, and coordinate breathing with the flow of the position changes
Any exercise that stretches the chest can expand the space inside available to key organs such as the lungs, so can improve lung function, and increasing core strength means more support and stability for the spine.
The seated rotation and Cat-Cow pose are considered mobility exercises, so the main benefits involve increasing the thoracic spine's flexibility and range of motion, and the following thoracic spine exercises are considered strengthening exercises:
Planking is ideal for strengthening the body symmetrically, and when it comes to the back, all spinal sections can benefit from daily planking as a spine that's surrounded by strong and balanced muscles is one that doesn't have to work as hard to maintain its healthy curves and alignment.
Building strength in the spine and its surrounding muscles also works towards prevention: lowering the risk of injury.
To plank correctly:
1) Lie down on the floor with forearms on the floor and elbows aligned with the shoulders
2) Use your forearms to push the body up and be mindful that a straight line is maintained from the head to the feet
3) Be mindful of body position and engage the core
4) Tighten the glutes to ensure the hips aren't sagging and a straight body line is maintained
5) Keep the head neutral and looking down at the floor so the spine is aligned from the neck to the lower back
6) While holding the position, inhale and exhale deeply and engage the core with each exhalation
Daily planking can increase and maintain core strength over time: providing optimal support and stability for the spine.
Prone lifts performed regularly can work towards increasing back strength, core muscle strength, glutes and hamstring strength, and can also counteract slouching posture, stabilizing the shoulders and hips.
To perform a prone lift correctly:
1) Lie flat on the floor with the forehead resting gently on the floor and the body held in a straight line
2) Place hands at the sides with elbows bent at a 90-degree angle
3) Squeeze the shoulder blades together while gently lifting the head, collarbone, and chest area off the floor
4) Hold the position for a few seconds and increase duration as strength improves
When performed properly and consistently, a thoracic prone lift can help improve posture and strengthen the erector spinae (middle back muscles) for a stronger core and back.
Keeping the thoracic spine flexible and strong is important for the entire spine's biomechanics.
As the largest spinal section, the thoracic spine is vulnerable to a number of conditions/issues, and keeping it flexible and strong can help maintain its function and prevent injury, particularly when it comes to fall prevention in older adults.
In order for the spine to stay flexible and strong, it needs regular movement, and thoracic spine exercises such as the seated thoracic rotation, Cat-Cow stretch, planking, and prone thoracic extension can help maintain a wide range of motion for the spine and body, along with keeping spine's surrounding muscles balanced and strong.
Thoracic spine exercise can also help with pain relief and postural improvement; as posture and spinal health are inexorably linked, improving body posture is key to maintaining spinal health and function.
A spine that's regularly stretched, strengthened, and is surrounded by strong and balanced muscles is one that can perform optimally, maintain healthy posture and movement patterns, and is less vulnerable to injury and pain.
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