Thoracic Back Pain? Practise the cat!

Nice and straight posture is not only great for the body but also for the soul and mind. It shows that we are open and proud to to be who we are and happy to face what life brings. 
It is not easy to maintain perfect posture if our upper back feels tight and sore. All the computer work that needs to be done, driving, not enough exercise and on top of that its winter and the cold further encourages us to hunch the shoulders forward. What to do? 
Take a little bit of time for yourself everyday and practise simple yet effective yoga pose - the Cat. 
Start in a comfortable sitting or lying position and take a few breaths to focus. Then move onto your all fours with your hands underneath your shoulders and knees underneath your hips. As you inhale open your chest look in front of you or up and allow your abdomen to drop towards the floor. As you exhale arch your back and look towards your belly button. Synchronise your movement with your breath. Repeat about 10 times. Stay in the same starting position and rotate your upper back now. On inhalation lift your right arm as high as you can and look towards the right hand.  On exhalation return the arm back on the mat. Do the same to the left and repeat 5 times to each side.  Still in the same starting position 'thread the needle' - put your right arm underneath the left till the right shoulder and right side of the head are on the mat. Stay for 5 full breaths before repeating the same to the other side. Once more return onto your all fours and move into the Puppy pose - without changing the position of your knees and hips, walk your hands as far forward as you can and rest your forehead on the mat.  Stay for five full breaths, return onto all fours then move to the Downwards  facing dog for 5 breaths and finish in the Child pose. Enjoy and remember that regularity is the key component of your yoga practise.