Mid Back Pain – Tips to Feel Better:

Thoracic back pain is a common problem we see in our clinic and is most often caused by a sprain of the joints where your ribs meet your spine. It can cause localised pain as well as referred pain around your ribcage and into your chest, especially when you breathe deeply or sit for long periods.
There are a number of possible causes for problems in this region, including poor posture, tightness in joints or muscles and poor control during movement. Appropriate treatment usually settles this problem fully within 2-3 weeks but you may need to modify things such as your sitting posture to prevent it happening again.
Here are some simple tips to help with your condition:

1. Improve your posture: When sitting on a chair have your feet on the ground, and sit back into the chair rather than leaning forward, especially when doing paperwork or on the computer. Gently roll your pelvis forward and pull your shoulder blades back and down. The muscles in your back and also your neck should feel relaxed and soft.
2. Perform a regular stretching program: Include upper back rotation and stretching up over a chair when sitting.
3. At home: Roll up a towel, lie down on the floor on your back and place the towel horizontally underneath you across your shoulder blades. Gently lean back and take both arms up over your head and stretch, holding for 30 seconds. Then move the towel slightly higher or lower and repeat.

If you are unable to obtain a good supported sitting posture or you are unsure about stretching exercises phone us for an appointment with one of our friendly therapists. We can give you effective hands on therapy and specific advice to correct the problem.