A Great Question!

Why is it that the thoracic part of the spine is the first part to seize up as we age?

One of my lovely clients asked this today whilst we were all in the midst of ‘Threadneedle’. I always tell my clients the importance of moving the mid spine and that within our Pilates sessions movement of the thoracic spine will always be incorporated to stop it from seizing up. I to be honest- just accepted this fact from my training and have kept it simple and have always given my classes plenty of mid spine work- full stop.

So - today when I came home from my first class- I thought I’d delve into this part of our anatomy so I can give my clients a more in depth picture!

The main purpose of this part of our spine is for stability and protection as it anchors the ribcage and protects our vital organs (heart and lungs). Its range in motion is limited in comparison with the cervical and lumbar regions due to this fact.

3 Facts about the Thoracic Spine as we age:

• As we age, we lose disc height and elasticity. Thoracic discs are thinner than lumbar discs so they dry out and stiffen faster.

• As breathing gets shallower with age (or due to stress), the rib cage and thoracic spine lose mobility, further stiffening the area.

• Because "motion is lotion" for joints, less movement = less synovial fluid circulation = stiffness.

What we can do to help:

Regular movement — twisting, reaching, and rotating — to keep the mid-back fluid. And I can vouch for all Subscribers- we certainly do at Mypilatesflow!