Backbends: Moving the Thoracic Spine Safely

 *This post is for people with a healthy spine. If you have severe disc degeneration/herniations, stenosis, spinal fusions, or anything else that affects safe mobility in your spine, please consult your doctor before attempting any of the following poses.*

Despite the above disclaimer, backward bending is a wonderful thing to do for health and mobility. Gravity naturally pulls us into a forward bend, causing rounded shoulders and a forward head. Many hours  working at a computer or looking at our phones only encourages that rounded position. Long term, this alignment will cause pain, discomfort, and dysfunction in the neck and back (upper and lower), as well as potentially cause headaches. The problem with being in a constantly forward position is all of the posterior muscles of the neck and upper back are in a constant state of elongation, without getting the relief of coming back to neutral; even though the muscles may feel tight, they actually need to be engaged/contracted, rather than stretched, to feel any sort of relief.  Back bending poses in yoga move the spine in the other direction, strengthening the muscles in back (neck, rhomboids, upper and middle trapezius), as well as stretching the muscles in the front (chest, anterior shoulders and neck) that get tight in that position. 

Parts of the spine

First, let's look at what we are talking about. The graphic to the left has the entire spinal column. 

The top 7 vertebrae are considered the Cervical Spine which comprise the neck. The skull rests on top of the top vertebra, which is called the Atlas. 

The next 12 vertebrae are the Thoracic Spine and that is the part of the spine where the ribs attach; for every Thoracic vertebra, there is a rib connected to it by cartilage. This is the most mobile part of the spine and the one on which we will focus shortly. 

The last 5 vertebrae are the Lumbar Spine. They are the biggest vertebrae and therefore offer the most skeletal support, but if your core and lower back muscles are weak, or if your posture isn't ideal, this part of the back suffers a lot. Most age-related disc degeneration happens in this region (although disc degeneration can happen in any part of the mobile aspect of the spine). The bottom portion of the spine is the sacrum and coccyx which make up the back of the pelvis and the tailbone.

You will notice that there are alternating curves in the spine; this curvature is natural and allows us to stand upright. The Cervical and Lumbar spinal areas are "lordodic," which means they curve toward the front of our body, and the Thoracic, Sacrum, and Coccyx are "kyphotic," which means they curve toward the back of our body. Problems can occur when there is an exaggeration of the lordosis or kyphosis, like a deepening of the Lumbar curve or the Thoracic curve, which can happen with poor posture, muscle weakness, or poor physical habits, like slouching. 

Back Bending the Spine

When we discuss backbends in yoga, we are talking about movement in the Thoracic Spine. You never

want to back bend in the Cervical or Lumbar spine as they already curve in that direction and excess curvature can lead to pain and dysfunction. Back bending poses, like Bridge, Cobra, Dancer, and Bow, have a uniform curve that distributes through the entire spine, but the main action is in the Thoracic Spine. Since the Cervical spine and Lumbar spine already curve in that direction, they should be stabilized, putting the main bend (extension) in the Thoracic Spine. When this area is tight, we tend to compensate by moving the Cervical or Lumbar spine to get the "right shape," but yoga encourages us to work with the body that we have, rather than to force a shape. Even if the Thoracic curve is small, stay with it. Over time, and lots of breathing, the tightness in the front of the body will lessen and you will get more mobility through the Thoracic spine.

3 Thoracic Mobility and Strength Exercises

1. Supported Reclining Upper Back Backbend

Get a blanket or bolster and place it in the direction of your yoga mat. Recline over the rolled blanket or bolster so that your head is supported on the prop and your hips are on the floor. Let your arms fall to your sides, palms facing upward. In this reclined position and breathe deeply, filling the body with breath, and exhale slowly through the nose, allowing your shoulders to drop and the prop to support your body. This gentle backbend eases tension in the chest and shoulders. You may notice that your breathing gets easier, that you are able to breathe more deeply, as you relax into the position. Allow gravity to take over and just melt into the prop. Stay 1-5 minutes.

2. Cat/Cow

Come onto your hands and knees, stacking your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Spread the palms so they are flat on the mat. Inhale through your nose, and as you exhale round your spine, starting with the movement of your pelvis and finishing with the movement of your head. Try to round the spine moving one vertebra at a time (Cat Pose). As you inhale, reverse the curve in your spine, again starting with the pelvis and finishing with the head (Cow Pose). Think about moving the chest forward through the arms as the tailbone moves in the opposite direction. Be sure not to crunch the back of your neck or sink into your lower back. Keep sliding the shoulder blades away from the ears as they move away from each other (Cat) and toward each other (Cow). Move back and forth between Cat and Cow, trying to isolate the movement of each vertebra. This may or not be possible in reality, but that is your goal. The majority of the movement will be in the Thoracic Spine. Go back and forth between Cat and Cow 4-6 times.

3.  Locust with Yoga Mudra

Lie on the floor face down (prone) and place your forehead on the floor. Interlace your fingers behind your back, trying to touch the palms and wrists together. If it is not possible to bring the hands together, grab a strap, scarf or belt, each hand grabbing an end, and walk your hands as close together (behind you) as you can. Squeeze your shoulder blades and try to touch them together (they won't touch, but try anyway). As you inhale, lift your chest and thighs off of the floor (head and feet lift, coming along for the ride). Squeeze your buttocks and lift your lower abdominals toward your spine. Lengthen the back of your neck so that the top of your head extends forward, in line with your spine. Hold for 5-8 breaths then release and rest. 

These poses will create more mobility in the spine and create strength in the muscles of the back body to help you stand up straighter with more ease and less pain. These poses will help you to undo the effects of gravity, computer and phone over use, and give you strength to resist "the slouch."

I teach classes online at moxie.xyz/purpleroomyoga and have both live and on demand classes for all levels! My goal is to help my students age gracefully, building strength, balance, and mobility through the practice of yoga. Reach out at purpleroomyoga@gmail.com.