Bothered by back pain? Here's how some pro athletes prevent it
Dana Santas, known as the 'Mobility Maker,' is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, and is the author of the book 'Practical Solutions for Back Pain Relief.'
Whether you're swinging a bat, reaching for your seat belt or simply turning to look over your shoulder, your ability to rotate affects everything from sports performance to daily life. Yet, for many people, rotation is a struggle — leading to stiffness, discomfort and chronic back pain.
While professional baseball players train for optimal rotational ability to maximize power and prevent injury, the same principles can benefit anyone. By improving mid-back (thoracic spine) and rib cage mobility, you can enhance your ability to rotate, alleviate pain and move through life with greater ease and lower risk of injury.
Many people don't recognize the importance of healthy thoracic spine rotation until they experience low back pain. That's because the lower back (lumbar spine) isn't built for rotation — its primary job is stability. But when the mid-back lacks mobility, the body often compensates by twisting more through the lower back, leading to strain, discomfort and an increased risk of injury.
What's often overlooked is the role of the rib cage in thoracic spine rotation. The thoracic spine consists of 12 vertebrae, spanning from the base of your neck to just above your lower back. Because your ribs attach to each of the vertebrae of the thoracic spine, you can't rotate your spine independently of them. This is why breathing mechanics are critical — your breath drives rib movement, and rib movement allows for better spinal rotation.
Modern lifestyles play a significant role in mid-back and rib cage stiffness. Long hours spent sitting at a desk, driving or looking at screens promote poor posture, where the upper back rounds forward, compressing the rib cage and restricting movement. Shallow chest breathing further stiffens the rib cage, reinforcing this limited mobility.
Athletes aren't immune to this issue either. Repetitive movements — such as swinging a baseball bat or golf club, throwing a ball or lifting weights without functional thoracic mobility — can create imbalances that limit rotation and increase injury risk.
In baseball, a player's ability to generate power through a swing or throw depends on seamless thoracic rotation. If mobility is restricted, performance suffers, and injury risk climbs. That's why Toronto Blue Jays Major League head strength coach Scott Weberg emphasizes the importance of continuously evaluating rotational movement.
'We assess our players' rotational patterns year-round — not just during spring training but also during the season and postseason,' Weberg said. 'Each transition presents different challenges and changes to their thoracic rotation and rib mobility that need to be addressed to optimize performance and prevent injury.'
Too often, people try to 'stretch out' the tension they feel in their lower back, not realizing that, if they also feel limited in their ability to twist, the problem is likely coming from the middle of their back. The solution is to restore mobility in the thoracic spine and rib cage, so the body can rotate as designed, reducing stress on the lower back.
As someone who has worked in professional baseball for 20 years, I've seen firsthand how improving thoracic and rib mobility through breath-driven exercises can enhance performance, alleviate back pain and prevent injuries.
'Breathing mechanics play a crucial role in the mobility of the thoracic spine, allowing the other segments of the spine in the neck and low back to operate as they are meant to — as stability,' Weberg added.
These same principles apply to anyone looking to move with greater ease.
Before beginning any new exercise program, consult your doctor. Stop immediately if you experience pain.
If you only did two exercises for better rotation, these would be the ones I would recommend, as they are foundational in every professional baseball training program I create. They are designed to leverage your breathing to improve rib cage and thoracic spine mobility to unlock better rotation, strengthen core stability and improve posture.
If you're familiar with my traditional breathing bridge exercise, the only difference in this version is that you don't lift your hips.
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart, holding a foam yoga block or rolled towel between your knees.
Place your hands on your lower ribs to guide and monitor their movement with each breath.
Exhale fully, drawing your lower ribs in toward each other as your core activates and your rib cage moves down.
At the end of your exhale, without inhaling, tilt your pelvis and tuck your tailbone to flatten your lower back against the floor.
Hold this position using core strength to maintain contact between your lower back and the floor without arching.
Take five long, deep breaths, focusing on how your breathing moves your lower ribs:
• On exhales, engage your core to move your lower ribs in, back and down, narrowing your infrasternal angle (the upside-down 'V' space separating your lower ribs).
• On inhales, feel your hands expand out to the sides as your ribs externally rotate.
Focus on horizontal rib movement, avoiding excessive vertical expansion that overly recruits the pecs, neck and upper traps.
Fully exhale each breath, emptying your lungs as much as possible, making your exhales longer than your inhales.
Perform two sets for a total of 10 breaths.
Why it works: This drill improves breathing mechanics, optimizing thoracic rotation by enhancing rib mobility, core strength and low-back stability.
Start standing, then exhale as you squat down and place your hands on your upper shins.
Keeping hold of your left shin, inhale as you reach your right arm forward and up, rotating from your shoulder, mid-back and rib cage to open up to the right.
Try to stack your shoulders vertically, reaching your right fingertips toward the ceiling while straightening your right leg only.
You should feel a stretch in the back of your right leg and across your lower right back.
Hold the position and take five long, deep breaths, using your breath to deepen the rotation:
• On inhales, focus on expanding the open side of your rib cage (the side you're turning toward).
• On exhales, engage your side waist muscles to internally rotate the opposite side of your ribs, reinforcing thoracic rotation.
Unwind back to standing, then perform the movement, rotating to the left.
If you have trouble squatting low enough to hold your shins, you can modify by placing a forearm on a chair or other convenient, supportive surface.
Why it works: This exercise integrates thoracic rotation with breath-driven rib cage movement to improve spinal mobility while reducing compensatory stress on the lower back.
Practice these two exercises a few times a week as stand-alone mobility drills or incorporated into your workouts as part of your warm-up.
Remember, rotational mobility isn't just for baseball players — it's essential for anyone who wants to move better, avoid pain and reduce the risk of injury.
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