Your Lat muscles are located on either side of your lower Thoracic spine. They actually attach to the lowest 5 Thoracic vertebrae. Interestingly enough, they do NOT get their nerve innervation from those nerves. The nerves that directly effect the Lat muscles are C6-8, which are the lowest nerves coming out of the neck (cervical vertebrae).
So, all of this to say the Lat muscles are really important when it comes to your spine. If you are subluxated (out of alignment) in your lower thoracic vertebrae, it can effect how your Lat muscles feel & function because of the physical attachment they share. Conversely, if your lower neck is subluxated, then it can effect your Lat muscles because of the nerve connection!
You hear me say all the time, “It’s all connected!” And your Lat muscles are just one example. The Lat muscles also connect along the sides of your lower ribs and in some people even attaches to the very top portion of your pelvis. In the “Muscle Series” in my Real Function articles, we’re going to learn about many of these muscles that are critical to your spine and nerve function.