Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

3. Basic exercises for the thoracic spine 3. Basic exercises for the thoracic spine 3. Basic exercises for the thoracic spine 3. Basic exercises for the thoracic spine

Exercise 3.7: Leaning over the back

of the chair

Aim: mobilizing the thoracic spine into back-bending.

1. Use a chair which supports the lower half of
   your back.


2. Put a soft pad over the back of the chair.


3. Sit on the chair; slide forwards or backwards
   or support the buttocks with a pillow until
   the segment of your thoracic spine you want
   to reach is at the upper end of the back of the
   chair (Figure 6.66).


4. Maintain the neutral lumbopelvic position
   throughout the exercise and hold your head with
   your interlocked fingers, the thumbs underneath
   the lower ridge of the back of the head; adjust
   your head so that the throat remains relaxed.


5. Using the head and the arms as levers gently
   pull to get to the thoracic segment you want to
   reach; keeping this segment on the upper end
   of the back of the chair gently add the following
   movements, holding each for 2–3 breaths:
   a. leaning back slightly further
   b. side-bending right and left

c. rotating right and left

d. gently combining the different movements.

6. Depending on the results, you can repeat points
   4 and 5 once or twice, changing the interlocking
   of your fingers.


7. If you want to work like this on a lower segment
   of your thoracic spine sit closer to the back of the
   chair or use a higher support for your buttocks.


8. If you want to reach a higher segment of your
   thoracic spine, sit further away from the back of
   the chair.


9. To finish remain seated for a few breaths and
   feel the breathing movement in the area you
   worked on.

Hint

With increasing practice you can refine and vary the

movements as described in points 4 and 5 to make

the exercise more effective with less force.

Exercise 3.8: Strong back

Aim: strengthening the thoracic area.

1. Sit on a chair, slightly away from its back;
   alternatively you can use a wall if you sit on a stool.


2. Move your bent elbows backwards, only a few
   centimeters behind the plane of your back;
   maintain a neutral lumbopelvic position and lift
   your thorax (Figure 6.67).


3. Readjust the distance from the back of the chair
   or the wall so that the elbows are just touching
   the back of the chair or wall.


4. Maintaining a neutral lumbopelvic position and
   the lifted thorax push the back of the chair or
   the wall with your elbows with one-third of your
   full strength; hold for 2–3 breaths.


5. Relax your arms for 2–3 breaths; place your
   hands on your thighs.


6. Move 2–3 cm forwards on the chair, or bend
   forwards slightly from the hips.


7. Moving your bent elbows backwards again, they
   will be slightly higher when they reach the back
   rest (Figure 6.68).
   Figure 6.66 8. Repeat points 4 and 5.