Excessive thoracic spine flexion—also known as excessive kyphosis—may contribute to issues up the kinetic chain to the shoulders and neck or down the kinetic chain to the lower back. With the hunched over position that most of us remain in throughout the day at our places of work, our joints and soft tissue often adapt to this flexed posture, limiting us from getting the 25 degrees of thoracic spine extension that is considered the “norm.” When someone lacks thoracic spine extension, they will often compensate with lumbar spine (lower back) extension. With a repeated poor movement pattern of compensated lumbar spine extension, an individual may develop extension sensitive low back pain.
Here is a great way to focus on minimizing movement at the lumbar spine while focusing on improving thoracic extension.
1️⃣Try keeping the glutes and abdominal muscles engaged to prevent excessive lordosis and anterior pelvic tilt form occurring.
2️⃣If you can’t perform this actively, take a seat and march your feet as close as you can towards your butt. This will allow you to passively take up all the joint motion from your hips and lumbar spine.
✅Perform a wall angel by placing your elbows and your wrists on the wall and slowly elevating your arms until they are fully overhead, then return to the starting position and repeat for 10-15 repetitions.
📝If you cannot get into the starting position, just reach as far back as your mobility allows and attempt a wall angel.
