Never-to-be-Hunchback
Upper Back Mobilization "Never-to-be-Hunchback" (Thoracic Spine Stretch)
This Upper Back Mobilization video shows a simple technique to improve upper back (aka thoracic spine) rotation. As we age, this segment of the spine hardens into a more rounded shape (aka "Hunchback"), causing our heads to hang out in front of the ribcage. This forward head posture can lead to spinal disorders. A supple thoracic spine allows the head to stack above the ribcage (aka thorax), so the spine is properly aligned.
This technique is called thoracic rotation and since your thoracic spine is the middle of your body, your trunk, everything else is connected to it. So your head and neck will be involved, your stabilization of your pelvis is where the stretch comes from and this feels really good.
It’s excellent for helping to prevent a hunchback which when left unattended to the upper back, the thoracic spine usually hardens and rounds as our life goes on and so that is not a permanent process.
We can slow it down and reverse it. So you’re gonna start in what’s called quadruped. That’s just the fancy name for being on all fours. So you’re like this. Always spread your fingers like a big starfish and really energize your hands.
Have your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and then from here bring your right fingertips to your right shoulder. If you’re in a room that has design on the ceiling where you can identify what’s useful.
So I’m gonna look at one ceiling tile and say okay that’s right above me. This elbow will come across to this elbow and I’m gonna turn my head and try to see that spot right above my body. As I inhale, turn, twist, reach and open the body up.
I’m looking for the same spot. Exhaling across. Inhaling to open. Exhaling across, feeling the whole upper body back and chest and head involved. This creates good stability in this shoulder joint as well as mobility in the upper back.
You’re gonna do about 10 on each side depending on how it feels and just to show you from a different angle, same thing. I’m coming across elbow touches elbow and looking up then turning and twisting and really rotating that chest creating a stretch across the collar bones.
Imagine somebody put their hand on your chin and just give it a little extra turn at the last minute. This one feels really good and you really want to work your breath almost like a bellow so when you inhale it’s like you’re stretching open and when you exhale you’re always squeezing your abs of course and bringing that exhale in as your belly goes tight and the movement and the breath together is what makes it come to life.
Help stretch your inner costal muscles so you can breathe deeper and has all sorts of other feel -good benefits to the upper body.
