Self Thoracic Rotation Mobilization
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Self Thoracic Rotation Mobilization | Week 51 | Movement Fix Monday
A few weeks ago, Dr. Dan Pope from fitnesspainfree.com and I had a fateful crossing of paths at O’Hare CrossFit in Chicago and of course we had to film together.
This week for Movement Fix Monday, Dan takes me through a self thoracic rotation mobilization called a rib pull, but he also shows a way to add some resistance by using a kettlebell.
The thoracic spine is an area of the body that typically needs to move more easily in athletes, especially those doing a lot of overhead lifting. The drill in this video can be a good addition for many people.
There is a certain subset of people that may not tolerate this drill. If someone has low back pain, this drill may aggravate them and you need to tread lightly in that case. A mobilization or stretch shouldn’t be painful. You may have stretching discomfort or fatigue with certain stretches/mobilizations, but if you’re saying “ouch”, don’t push through that. Do something else or figure out a modification.
The drill shown in the video can be done using breath count, 5-10 breaths per side during a movement routine or during your stretching time is a good place to start.
Make sure to follow Dan on Instagram @fitnesspainfree
Thanks for reading.
Can you believe this is week 51 of Movement Fix Monday? In January 2015, I committed to doing 1 video a week for 1 year. That year is coming to a close. Make sure to check out next week’s post to learn what is happening in 2016.
-Ryan
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Comments
Wouldn’t it be prudent to place a foam roller under the knee to ensure lumbar spinal stability and a neutral pelvis and make sure the individual is rotating from the thoracic spine primarily and not their lumbar spine?
Hey Joseph, that’s a great question. I’m certain there are times when using a foam roller under the knee is a better option. The lumbar spine rotates only a few degrees at each segment, so with no foam roller you’ll lock the joints out and get into thoracic spine rotation. As long as the athlete tolerates lumbar rotation, it shouldn’t be an issue. A joint at end range is pretty stable, although that’s due to passive stabilizers. The biggest consideration with rotation stretching or training is ‘is this the right thing for this person at this time?’. Thanks for the question. Merry Christmas
Thanks for the response and insight. Totally agree – it comes down to ‘Is this the right thing for this person at this time?” Have a Happy New Year!