Can a stiff thoracic spine cause lower back pain?

Yes. When the thoracic spine loses mobility, more of the movement shifts to the neck and lower back, which over time puts unnecessary pressure on these areas. A biomechanical analysis found that a stiff thoracic spine increases both movement and load in the lower back, especially in the intervertebral discs and joints at the bottom of the back.

How does a stiff upper back affect squats and deadlifts?

In squats, a stiff thoracic spine makes it hard to keep the chest up, so the upper body falls forward and the lower back takes more of the load. In deadlifts, it becomes difficult to keep the back neutral, which can cause the lower back to round and take greater pressure.

How often should you train thoracic mobility?

According to the article's fact box, just a few minutes two to three days a week is often enough to notice better progress and reduced injury risk.

Does a stiff thoracic spine affect breathing?

Yes. The shoulders are pulled forward and the upper body becomes more hunched, breathing becomes shorter and more superficial, and you do not use your full lung capacity. The result is that you fatigue more quickly, especially in exercises that require endurance.

Stiff Thoracic Spine: Causes, Consequences, and Exercises That Help | Hardworkout Magazine

Key takeaways

- A stiff thoracic spine forces the neck and lower back to compensate, and this is a common source of pain in both areas.

- A finite element analysis published on PubMed found that thoracic stiffness increases movement and load in the lumbar spine, particularly in the discs and joints at the base of the back.

- Limited thoracic extension and rotation degrade technique in squats, deadlifts, bench press, shoulder press, pull-ups and rows, even when the muscles are strong enough for the lift.

- Foam rolling, side-lying rotations, cat-cow and chest openers target thoracic mobility, while face pulls, rows and reverse flyes build the strength that holds the position.

- Focusing heavily on chest and front-of-body training without balancing it with upper-back work makes the thoracic spine more prone to stiffening.

How much mobility work does the upper back need?

The thoracic spine is a part of the body that many do not think about until it starts causing problems. When this part of the back gradually becomes more locked, the body will try to compensate elsewhere, which can lead to pain in the neck, shoulders, and lower back.

For those who train a lot, this can mean both poorer technique, increased risk of overload, and weaker progress.

What is the thoracic spine, and what does it actually do?

The thoracic spine is the area between the neck and the lower back. This is where the ribs attach, and the area has both a stabilizing and a mobile function.

When the thoracic spine functions properly, it contributes to an upright posture, free breathing, and good technique in many exercises. The problem is that the daily routines of many of us gradually make this part of the back stiffer.

Long hours in front of a computer or mobile device keep the body in the same position. When the shoulders are pulled forward and the chest becomes tight, the thoracic spine becomes more locked and less flexible.

For those who train a lot, this often becomes even more apparent. Even if you spend many hours in the weight room, it is easy to forget the mobility of the thoracic spine.

If you focus a lot on the chest and front without balancing with the back and mobility, the area becomes even more prone to stiffening. Over time, this creates an imbalance that makes the body more vulnerable to improper loads.

What happens to the body when the thoracic spine stiffens?

When the thoracic spine becomes stiff, you lose much of its natural mobility.

The ability to straighten the upper body and open the chest decreases. The rotation from side to side also reduces. When this happens, more of the movement shifts to the neck and lower back.

Over time, this leads to unnecessary pressure on these areas, and it is a common cause of both neck and lower back pain.

A stiff thoracic spine also affects the posture of the upper body. The shoulders are pulled forward and the upper body becomes more hunched. Breathing becomes shorter and more superficial, and you do not utilize the full lung capacity. The result is that you become fatigued more quickly, especially in exercises that require endurance.

According to recent [research](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38280628/), this can also be explained biomechanically. An analysis showed that when the thoracic spine is stiff, both movement and load in the lower back increase. This was especially true for the intervertebral discs and joints at the bottom of the back.

When the thoracic spine, on the other hand, has normal flexibility, the load is significantly lower. The researchers concluded that a flexible thoracic spine can protect the lower back from unnecessary pressure and prevent overuse injuries.

![rehabilitation of lower back pain](https://hardworkout.no/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/AdobeStock825197055.jpeg)

How does a stiff thoracic spine affect squats, deadlifts and presses?

If you are stiff in the thoracic spine, you will notice it especially in strength exercises that require both stability and mobility.

This makes it difficult to lift with proper technique, even if the muscles are otherwise strong enough.

- Squats: A stiff thoracic spine makes it difficult to keep the chest up. The upper body tends to fall forward more easily, and the lower back has to take on more of the load. You may notice that the bar tips forward or you lose balance in the bottom position.

- Deadlifts: You have trouble keeping the back neutral throughout the lift. The result can be that the lower back rounds and is subjected to greater pressure. It may feel like the weight is pulling you forward, even if you try to hold back.

- Bench Press and Shoulder Press: When the thoracic spine cannot open properly, the shoulder blades are in a poorer position. This results in less stability, and you lose both power and control.

- Pull-ups and Rowing: When the chest does not open properly, it becomes difficult to get good engagement with the back muscles. The shoulders and arms take over the job, and the effectiveness of the exercises is reduced.

Which exercises loosen up a stiff thoracic spine?

The positive thing is that stiffness in the thoracic spine can often be improved with some simple exercises.

The key is to combine mobility training with strength exercises that provide better control of the back and shoulders.

Foam Roller

- Lie down with the roller under your thoracic spine and gently roll back and forth, with your hands placed behind your head for support.

- As you stretch over the roller, you open up the chest and increase mobility in the joints between the vertebrae.

- This can be done both as a warm-up before training and on rest days to loosen up.

Rotational Exercises

- Lie on your side with your legs at a 90-degree angle and your arms extended forward.

- Move the top arm in a large arc behind you and let the upper body follow.

- Here you train the rotation in the thoracic spine, which is important for both strength exercises and for natural movement in daily life.

Cat-Cow

- Get on all fours and alternate between arching and rounding your back.

- This exercise moves the entire back, but makes it especially easy to feel how locked the thoracic spine is.

- The more often you perform the exercise, the more control you gain over the movement.

Chest Openers

- Use a resistance band or place your arms behind on a bench and gently press your chest forward.

- When the chest muscles release, the thoracic spine gains more freedom to move.

- This is a good counterbalance to a lot of pressing in strength training.

Strength for Upper Back

- Face pulls, rowing variations, and reverse flyes help you pull the shoulder blades back and stabilize the thoracic spine.

- Strong muscles here make it easier to maintain an upright position during heavy lifts and to prevent the shoulders from being pulled forward.

A Small Effort That Yields Great Results

The thoracic spine is a part of the body that is easy to overlook, but the consequences of letting it stiffen can be significant.

When you keep it flexible and strong, you provide your body with better conditions for lifting correctly, breathing deeply, and staying injury-free.

If you dedicate some time to mobility exercises and strength exercises for this area, it could be what allows you to train hard while remaining injury-free year after year.

![](https://hardworkout.no/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mobilitetstrening.jpeg)

Sources:

Biomechanical Effects of Thoracic Flexibility and Stiffness on Lumbar Spine Loading: A Finite Element Analysis Study – [National Library of medicine (NIH)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38280628/)