Improving your thoracic mobility will maximize your overhead lifting and minimize shoulder pain. Quite often we only stretch the shoulders, do some pvc pipe movements to prime the joints for overhead lifting, but little is paid attention to the thoracic spine.

Anatomy Review:

 Here is a quick rundown of what the thoracic spine is. It runs from T1-T12 in your spine; which starts right about where your neck meets your upper back, and ends at the bottom of your rib cage/waist area.  It flexes forward, extends backwards, side bends left/right, and rotates right and left. For overhead lifting, we need about 10 degrees of thoracic extension, to allow your shoulder blade to tip back, allowing your shoulder to reach overhead without impinging/pain. With that being said, thoracic rotation works hand in hand with extension for overhead lifting. You will want to make sure you have 50-55 degrees of rotation to further reduce risk of shoulder injury.

Mobility Testing

First test your extension and rotation mobility and see where you’re at. Then perform the exercises listed below, and retest your motion after to see if it helped. It is recommended to thoracic mobility drills daily, especially in the warm up prior to an overhead lifting day to minimize shoulder pain and injury.

Thoracic Extension: sit w/ back at wall, press arms directly OH (in wide and narrow grip), without letting your head or low back come off wall.

Thoracic Rotation test: kneel down, hand behind back, rotate up to 50-55 deg from floor, both sides.

The Follow-Up Exercises

After you’ve done your self test, perform these mobility exercises for extension and rotation.

For thoracic extension:

1.) Foam Roll Extension w/ feet at wall: Perform at 3 sections with 8-10 reps of extension at each section. Start right below the scapula, then move up an inch or 2, and finally up closer to your neck. Be sure to interlace your fingers behind your neck & head for support, keep the elbows in close to each other, and exhale slowly all the way out as you arch back over the foam roll. The feet on the wall help you to avoid arching at your low back, and to focus on true thoracic extension.

2.) A-Frame : Push into the down-dog stretch, and really try to push your chest through, focusing on getting thoracic extension. Looking up slightly will encourage more extension in the back, but try not to make this a neck exercise and look up so hard you begin feeling pain or discomfort in your neck.

3.) Kneeling Latt Stretch: Start by kneeling down by a bench, couch, or chair, and using a PVC pipe or broom stick, sit back onto your heels, and slowly pull the PVC pipe to the back of your neck. As you do this, you should feel a stretch under your arms and into your Latts. Maintain your forehead on the bench/couch slightly to help maintain a neutral spine and improve thoracic extension.

For thoracic rotation:

1.) Kneeling rotations: Sit back onto you heels, place one forearm down on the ground, and place the other hand behind your low back. Rotate up to the side that the hand is on the low back, focusing on twisting at your mid back, pulling the shoulder and scapula down & back, while looking up to the ceiling on that side. You want to avoid shifting your hips over and twisting your low back. Repeat 5-10x each side, holding 3-5 seconds.

2.) Open Books: Lye on your side with your top knee propped on a foam roll or pillow. Your head can rest on the ground or on a pillow for more comfort. Start by rotating your top arm back and over to the other side, peeling it along your body to encourage the rib roll as well. Perform 10x each side, holding a couple seconds at end range for a stretch.

3.) Wall thoracic rotations: Kneel next a wall with your inner foot, knee, and hip against the wall. Stack your head, shoulders, ribs, pelvis, hip, and knee all on top of each other, and then take your inside arm and sweep it up and around to the other side. Be careful to avoid leaning back, or dumping your hips forward to try and achieve the full motion. If you can only reach slightly up and behind your head, then work in that motion. The full range of motion will eventually come with daily practice.

RE-TEST:

After you’ve done these exercises, go back and quick re-assess your extension and rotation and see how much improvement you’ve gained.

 The Wrap Up:

Pick 1-2 of the extension and rotation exercises, or all 3 of each, stick to them daily and I promise it will help your shoulders. If you noticed even a little bit of improvement in your test/re-test today, that’s good! Keep working at these daily, and you will see larger improvements overtime which will directly impact your overhead lifting, AND reduce shoulder pain.