Hopefully you don’t want your back to look like the image shown on the Left. If this is true try out this mobility drill to improve extension in your mid-back aka Thoracic Spine! . 1️⃣Place the foam roller perpendicular to your spine onto a segment which you want to work on (personally I like to work from bottom to top). 2️⃣While grabbing onto a stick/pipe, elevate your arms as far back as you can-in an attempt to touch the floor. This movement is very similar to a wall angel. 3️⃣Spend a few repetitions on each segment-then move up toward the next. . ❌Don’t allow your but to come off the floor or your ribs from flaring out this is typically due to compensation from your low back! ✅A more aggressive way to perform this exercise is by using an external load of a weight as shown here. This will make the stretch more passive and less active. . A stiff thoracic spine may contribute to issues both up the kinetic chain to the shoulders/neck or down the kinetic chain to your lower back. With a hunched over position that most of us remain in throughout the day, our joint/soft tissue often adapt to this flexed posture; limiting us from getting that 25 degrees of thoracic spine extension that is considered the norm. When someone lacks Thoracic spine extension, often times they will compensate with lumbar spine (lower back) extension. With repeated poor movement pattern of compensated lumbar spine extension, an individual may develop extension sensitive low back pain.
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