Therapy Thoracic Spine T3-T6 Side D

Have the person lie down relaxed on their side with the head on a slightly elevated pillow and knees drawn up. Correct the position of the pelvis so that the spine is in a straight line. The therapist flexes and extends the legs at the hips to find a central position of the lumbar spine. The therapist approaches the person with their thorax on the ventral side, placing a thin pillow or folded blanket between them.

The person's upper arm is placed on the flank to move along with the chain of motion. The therapist's arm on the side of the person's head is placed under the person's neck and palpates the spinous process of the thoracic spine. The other hand palpates the caudally located thoracic vertebrae. On the ventral side, the therapist initiates a rotation directed towards the cranial vertebra. The fingers refine this movement by rotating the spinous process of the higher vertebra in this direction.

The therapist applies pressure in the direction of extension. The extension and rotational components determine the combined lateral flexion of the respective vertebra. The arm under the person's neck emphasizes this lateral flexion. The person is asked to move their eyes and head in the same direction as the rotation.

This supports the movement chain to extension, with the corresponding rotation and lateral flexion, in the thoracic spine. The shift associated with the respective extension typology is mostly executed by the therapist's fingers.