Thoracic Rotators
Exercises that target the thoracic rotators, grouped by whether they stretch or strengthen it.
The thoracic rotators are the deep muscles that turn the mid-back (the rotatores and multifidus of the thoracic spine, aided by the obliques). The thoracic spine is where most of the trunk’s rotation should happen.
When the upper back stiffens from prolonged sitting, rotation is lost, and the body borrows it from the low back or neck instead — a common source of strain. Restoring mid-back rotation protects the segments above and below.
They respond to quadruped (open-book) rotation drills and seated thoracic twists that keep the movement in the mid-back. See the thoracic exercises.
