Upper back

Open Book: Thoracic Rotation

A side-lying thoracic rotation that isolates and improves rotational mobility in your mid-back, reducing compensatory movement in your lower back and neck.

How to do it

1. 1

   Lie on your side with knees bent and stacked

   Draw the knees up toward hip height, one exactly on top of the other, with a pillow under your head so the neck stays level.

2. 2

   Stretch both arms out in front of you

   At about shoulder height, palms together, so the top arm has somewhere clear to travel.

3. 3

   Open the top arm across your body

   Sweep it slowly out and behind you, letting the chest turn with it and following the hand with your eyes.

4. 4

   Keep the knees pressed together and down

   This is the part that matters. With the legs staying put, the turn happens in the middle of the back instead of escaping into the lower back or hips.

5. 5

   Move in and out rather than parking there

   Open on an out breath, return, and repeat slowly. Reduce the range if the turn feels sticky.

6. 6

   Work each side for 30 to 60 seconds

   Then roll over and repeat the same number of slow turns on the other side.

What to watch for

The top knee lifting away as the arm opens, because the instant the legs come apart the rotation escapes into the lower back and the mid back stops getting any of it. Keep the knees stacked and let them decide how far the arm travels.

Ways to adjust it

• Pillow under head
• Reduce range

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.