2-Minute Thoracic Spine Exercise For More Mobility

Improve mobility through your shoulders and upper back with this thoracic spine exercise. This mobility drill can be done anywhere and take only a couple of minutes to do. Not only can it help reduce your injury risk but it can also help ease some tension in your neck and shoulders!

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Two images of a woman in blue pants performing a thoracic spine exercise on a wall with text below the image.

The thoracic spine is the middle portion of the vertebral column and runs from the cervical spine (your neck) down to the lumbar spine (your low back).

This area of your spine plays a critical role in the stability and support of the upper body and aids in the movements of the ribs and chest.

As a Certified Strength Coach, I prioritize thoracic mobility with my clients. This can be done with small daily exercises like this thoracic spine exercise or with longer mobility workouts 1-2 times per week.

Benefits Of Upper Body Mobility

Because the thoracic spine (also known as T-spine) is responsible for so much, some of the benefits of keeping good movement in that area are:

Improved posture
Less low back and neck pain
Less injury risk (specifically with the shoulder)
Being able to move well as you age

The 2-Minute Thoracic Spine Exercise

Do this exercise for 10 repetitions on each side once per day or every other. Follow the instructions below to perform it.

Start in a half-kneeling position with your arms out straight in front of you at shoulder height and the inside hip and shoulder against the wall.
Keeping the hips facing forward and in the inside arm on the wall, open the outside arm and try to touch the other side of the wall behind you.
Bring it back to the starting position and take your inside arm and draw a circle on the wall bring it back to your bum.
Reverse the movement and repeat it again for a total of 10 repetitions before switching to the other side.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I strengthen my thoracic spine?

The first area to strengthen the thoracic spine is to ensure that you have adequate moblity in that area so that you can take it through a goof range of motion. From there, exercises I-Y-Ts in a variety of positions are a great way to start.

Can you stretch your thoracic spine?

A great way to gain movement in the thoracic spine is to use a combination of dynamic mobility drills and static stretches. To stretch your thoracic spine come into an elevated child's pose on a bench or couch or perform something like the inverted cat stretch.