The Thoracic Ring Approach

An article by Shelagh Haynes    Comments Off on The Thoracic Ring Approach

I recently completed LJ Lee’s “The Sports Thorax” 4 day course focused on connecting the whole body and optimizing performance using LJ’s very own Thoracic Ring Approach [1].

This approach was developed as a unique way to connect the function of the thorax (thoracic spine and ribcage) to the performance of the rest of the body. The whole thorax has traditionally been ignored by clinicians – the focus was solely on the posterior aspect of the thoracic region. LJ Lee’s approach describes thoracic “rings”, consisting of 2 adjacent vertebrae, the disc between them, the right and left ribs that attach at this particular level, and the portion of the sternum and its associated cartilages where the ribs attach in front. Taking into consideration this entire unit, small changes in how the rings are “stacked” (or positioned) in relation to each other, and as a whole unit in relation other ares of the body (the pelvis, the shoulder girdle, the neck, etc.), can have huge changes in overall body movement. According to the Thoracic Ring Approach, by stacking the thoracic rings according to normal alignment, body mechanics and motor control, both in static postures and dynamic movements, optimal performance can be restored.

To find out more about LJ’s Thoracic Ring Approach, this article explains her theory and its usefulness in more detail.

To have your thoracic rings assessed, contact OC3 for an appointment. Perhaps your thorax is the missing link explaining that persistent foot pain, sacral instability or shoulder dysfunction…

Your Ottawa Wellness Team at OC3*

*Ottawa Collaborative Care Centre (OC3) is a multidisciplinary, integrative health clinic in downtown Ottawa. We are committed to providing Ottawa and the surrounding area with high quality injury, wellness, and sport performance care by strategically blending Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, Naturopathic Medicine, Active Release Techniques (ART), Acupuncture, Trigger Point Dry Needling, and Massage Therapy services to reduce pain and improve function.*

1. Lee, LJ. Thoracic Ring Control: A Missing Link? MPA In Touch magazine, an official publication of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Australia, a national group of the Australian Physiotherapy Association. Issue 4, 2013: 13-16.