Neck pain? Low back pain? Maybe your upper back is the cause!

The upper back is comprised of 12 vertebrae connected with 12 rib pairs which form the thoracic cage (i.e. upper back area). This area is often underestimated in treating other areas such as the neck and low back pain.

The reasons why the thoracic cage is important to look at are because it is:

• An area through which forces travel from the legs and arms
• A key area of muscles attachment – neck, low back, shoulder and pelvis
• An area closely related to the core muscles and internal organs

Some patients experience symptoms such as low back, hip, neck or shoulder pain in which the primary driver cause can be:

• Non-optimal movement in the ribs
• Joint stiffness in the thoracic spine resulting in excessive mobility in the lower back
• Muscles stiffness or strain in this area causing upper back and/or referred pain

If you are an office worker or perhaps do a lot of physical work, you may experience ongoing symptoms that could benefit from further assessment.

Talk to a Physiotherapist about your condition early to get effective treatment! Click here to book an assessment online with us, or call us on 8555 4099.

Also see our video below on some easy thoracic stretches you can do at home!