Thoracic Spine Pain
By Daniel Jang
Upper Back / Thoracic Spine Pain
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Do you have spine pain in and around your thoracic spine? It is a less commonly treated area compared to the lower back and neck and the chance of you experiencing this pain once in your lifetime is 15-20%. Females are more prone to this condition as well as children and adolescents.
Thoracic spine pain does have a significant association with concurrent musculoskeletal pain in the trunk area. So if you have constant niggles/pain or tightness it might be an indicator that the thoracic spine might be affecting the surrounding musculature.
Why?
There are a few factors linked with thoracic spine pain - lifestyle, physical activity, environment, posture and the use of a backpack as well as psychosocial factors are also known to affect people with this presentation.
The trunk is an anatomical area of interest that links the more often sore neck and lower back. Because of how the lower cervical blends into the thoracic trunk, tightness in your upper trunk may affect pain, function and mobility in the neck. Similar principle for lower back where if you are tight through your trunk, your body might start compensating with the lower back.
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Signs
A few signs that might indicate a trip to your GP would be a traumatic incident such as a fall, lifting heavy while being osteoporotic, fever chills and unexpected weight loss, loss or change in sensation with lower limbs, noticeable loss of strength or previous history with cancer.
Typical musculoskeletal signs include but are not limited to a dull pain or ache in the trunk area. Provocation of symptoms or pain with movement or loading through the structure as well as tight and painful muscles in and around the trunk area. Often times the range of movement is limited due to tightness and/or pain in the area.
What to do?
Try gentle mobility exercises such as bow and arrow or thread the needle if your trunk is not feeling too irritable. Make sure you don't push into noticeable levels of pain. You can also trial some gentle foam rolling in the thoracic area for some relief making sure you don't push into pain and also try not to roll down into the lumbar spine area. Another good tip would be to apply some heat with a heat pack or a hot shower to relax the muscles if there is a muscular spasm involved.
If you have tried all of the above and still can not get relief, checking in with a qualified Physiotherapist would be highly recommended to figure out the cause of your thoracic spine pain as well as rule out any extra concerns that might be related.
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​​​Need some help relieving that upper back pain? Or getting the right exercises to help improve the condition of your spine and muscles? Daniel is ready and waiting to help you with your recovery. If you would like to make an appointment, click here to make an online booking, or call (07) 3211 8775 to speak with our friendly reception staff.
