Improve Spine And Rib-Cage Mobility

Multidimensional side-bending and spiraling movements can help.

- Karin Gurtner

YOGA IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO DECOMPRESS your spine and sustain freedom of movement in multiple directions, at various speeds, and under different loads— something we all need daily. To fully utilize your movement potential, though, it’s important to add other types of multidimensional movements to your repertoire, including spiraling of your spine and a combination of side bending (lateral flexion) and rotating your spine and rib cage. Unlike standard twisting, a two-dimensional movement that happens in one plane (the transverse), spiraling is a three-dimensional motion that’s repeated in a rhythmic manner. You circle your spine around and actively lengthen it upward, and then you let it recoil to its initial length. As you repeat these actions, you’ll promote healthy fascia (connective tissue) in your back and shoulders, between your abdominal muscles, and all around your ribs.

Three-dimensional movements can also de-stress your shoulders and neck. Your rib cage is the base of support for your shoulder girdle and your head, and by enhancing the three-dimensional expansiveness of your thorax, you expand that base. This means your shoulder blades and collarbones can rest more easily on your ribs, which decreases the workload of the associated muscles and fascia. Less work for these myofascial structures means more freedom of movement in your shoulders and neck.