When the shoulder starts to hurt, one of the most common culprits is a stiff and excessively rounded thoracic (upper-mid) spine position. The thoracic spine also commonly lacks rotational capabilities in people with shoulder pain.

When the thoracic spine fails to extend and rotate properly, the mobility that the human body was designed to control at the mid back is often shifted to the shoulder joint, causing hypermobility, especially in overly extended ranges of motion commonly used in the gym and in sports. To improve your thoracic spine mobility, try these three drills.

3 Thoracic Mobility Movements

Many times, thoracic spine extension and rotation can be improved quickly with corrective exercises, breathing re-patterning, and even some targeted soft tissue work, but the shoulder still remains painful. If this is the case, it's time to look elsewhere when trying to identify the dysfunction in the upper quarter of the body causing the shoulder pain. See the related links below for info.