Yoga for the Muscles of the Thoracic Spine

Hatha Yoga Poses for the Thoracic Spine

When experiencing pain around the shoulder blades and thoracic spine, it is beneficial for pregnant women to perform yoga exercises. This Eastern practice, aimed at gentle stretching, helps with:

• relieving discomfort and pain;

• strengthening the chest, shoulder area, and upper back muscles;

• correcting posture;

• easing breathing by opening up the chest.

Yoga practice is also helpful for thoracic spine osteochondrosis.

Poses for the Thoracic Spine

Before starting, a brief warm-up is necessary to prepare the muscles and ligaments.

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, making sure you’re in a stable position. Lean forward, letting your belly drop between your thighs. To stretch the thoracic spine, it’s helpful to clasp your hands and place them on the back of your head.

2. Marjaryasana (Cat Pose): Knees are bent, feet spaced shoulder-width apart or slightly wider for belly comfort, resting shins on the floor, straight arms are parallel to the thighs, palms resting on the mat:

• Move your spine, paying special attention to the thoracic area – inhale as you round your back upwards, exhale as you arch towards the mat;

• Turn your torso from side to side, relying on extended straight arms and trying to reach your pelvis with your head;

• make smooth rolls – stretch the torso forward, arching towards the mat, and return to the starting position, arching the back upwards. Then repeat the actions in reverse – roll forward like a wave with a rounded back and move back along the floor;

• bring the knees closer together and make circular rotations, trying to perform the exercise with maximum amplitude – arch the back upwards, then slightly move to the side, arch towards the mat and to the other side, as if describing a barrel with your body;

• with hands shoulder-width apart, do push-ups. If it’s easy, the chin almost touches the floor; if it’s hard, slightly bend the elbows. Meanwhile, the knees rest on the floor, shins lie on the mat, and the pelvis remains up.

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3. From Cat Pose, lower yourself onto bent arms, ensuring the distance between your elbows on the floor equals the length of your forearm, and place your palms together. On an inhale, rock your body forward, attempting to touch the floor with your chin, then exhale to return to the starting position.

4. Twists of the thoracic spine: Sitting on the mat – left leg bent in front of the body, heel as close to the groin as possible, right thigh extended back behind the pelvis, fingers resting on the floor on either side of the body – twist the torso to the right and hold the position for 2-3 breathing cycles. Then switch the position of your legs and turn to the left.

5. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose): Take a wide step with your right foot, stretch the left leg back, balancing on the toes, and raise your palms in namaste above your head, fully straightening your arms. If comfortable, you can lower the pelvis closer to the floor by sitting deeper in this position. Hold the pose, then:

• extend the folded hands forward and reach back with the heel of the rear foot, forming a straight line;

• lower the left knee onto the mat, move the right foot slightly forward, place the palms on the right knee and gently push it away from yourself or put the palms in a namaste position behind your back, making a slight bend in the chest area.

6. Variation of Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Angle Forward Bend): Place your feet as wide as possible along the mat, bend forward while resting on straight arms, then lift your right arm upward, making a slight twist and opening the chest area, then lower it to the mat and repeat the torso twist on the other side with the left arm raised.

In a more advanced variation, place the right palm on the left foot, lift the left hand upward, and twist to the left, then repeat the exercise by placing the left palm on the right foot and lifting the right hand upward.

To compensate for the curves of the thoracic region, stretch in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose).

Supporting yourself on the mat with straight legs and arms, position your body at an angle above the floor. The pelvis reaches upward, and you try to lower your head closer to the mat for better spinal extension in the chest area. If your leg muscles are not sufficiently stretched, you can slightly bend your knees, ensuring your back remains straight.

What should you pay attention to?

• When performing rolls in Cat Pose, try to place your hands shoulder-width apart, not allowing them to drift far from the body.

• During push-ups, elbows go back along the body, and the arms should not be spread widely to the sides.

• When performing a twist, keep your back straight, reaching upwards with the crown of your head, looking over your shoulder.

• Any emerging unpleasant sensations in the body, pain, and discomfort in the abdominal area should be addressed by exiting the pose or stopping the activity.

A yoga practice for the thoracic spine, presented as a set of exercises for pregnant women with a medium skill level, is the focus of a video lesson on the website. The asanas have several execution variations, from which you can comfortably choose based on your condition and stage of pregnancy.