Your Thoracic Spine acts as the bridge between your neck and lower back. Looking after it can help reduce the chance of lower back and neck pain. The back is really important to keep mobile if it's becoming stuff as that can put more pressure on your lower back and neck.
The stiffness in your upper back can be caused by sitting at a desk, in a car or anything that's coming forward such as picking up kids. The next two weeks are going to look at some mobility drills that help to keep more freedom through your upper back.
Here's a quick routine that you can do with a foam roller that will instantly help.
Start by sitting in front of the roller. Using your elbows just lower yourself down onto your thoracic spine or mid-back with your hand behind your head. Interlock your fingers then bending your knees lift up your pelvis and roll backwards and forwards. This helps loosen up the muscles on this side of the body.
The next exercise we're going to go through use for extension. So we're going to be in the same position with hands interlocked behind. Squeeze your elbows a little bit closer together and use your abs to lower yourself down just gently rolling back. Don't let gravity force too much extension through the thoracic spine just make it nice and controlled then change positions again.
