Importance of Thoracic Spine Mobility for Quarterbacks

Thoracic extension refers to the extension in the middle part of your spine (thoracic spine).

Thoracic rotation refers to the lateral rotation in the middle part of your spine (thoracic spine).

Your spine is made up of different segments. The thoracic spine is crucial for overhead-throwing athletes. The ability to get into thoracic spine extension and rotation directly impacts velocity and force production for quarterbacks when throwing the football.

Simply put, more thoracic spine mobility = greater potential for velocity when throwing. 

Why is the thoracic spine so important for throwing?

Thoracic spine rotation is essential for “hip/shoulder” separation. This refers to the ability to separate the upper and lower ½ during the initial phase of the throw. The goal is to get your hips rotating forward as your torso stays closed and slightly works backward. To do this, you must be able to rotate well in your thoracic spine. Good hip/shoulder separation creates a “coil” of potential energy that can be transferred throughout the kinetic chain during the acceleration phase. Take a look at our blog on hip/shoulder separation for a deep dive into this topic.

Thoracic spine extension plays a key role in helping with the external rotation in the shoulder or “layback” phase. This part of the throw refers to the ability to rotate in the shoulder and get your wrist to trail your elbow. More layback results in more range of motion leading to an increase in arm speed and velocity. More extension in the thoracic spine results in more layback and more potential velocity.

Join the lab to see what your thoracic spine extension is, in addition to over 20 additional key metrics for QBs, and get access to our full library of drills.