Stretch for Mid-Back Pain
Video by Dr. Justin Thompson
The thoracic spine, located in the mid-back region, plays a crucial role in overall spinal health and movement. As a Chiropractor, in East Dallas, you know that restricted thoracic mobility can lead to compensatory issues in the cervical spine, shoulders, and lower back. Incorporating thoracic mobility drills into your patients’ routines can significantly improve pain relief, range of motion (ROM), and posture. The thoracic spine is designed for rotation, flexion, and extension. However, modern lifestyles—marked by prolonged sitting and poor posture—often lead to stiffness in this region. When the thoracic spine becomes immobile, other areas like the lumbar spine or shoulders compensate, which can result in pain or injury. Improving thoracic mobility not only addresses these issues but also enhances posture, spinal curvature, and even lung function by allowing proper diaphragmatic movement.
As a Chiropractor, promoting thoracic mobility is key to helping patients achieve pain relief and improved ROM. By addressing stiffness in this critical region, you can alleviate neck pain, shoulder restrictions, and lower back discomfort while enhancing overall functional movement. Encourage your patients to integrate these drills into their routines for lasting benefits—and watch their quality of life transform. Attached below are highlights from a RCT that display a few of the benefits of thoracic mobility drills.
The results of two-way repeated measures ANOVA indicated that the main effect of time was significant (p < 0.05) for all measurement outcomes. The main effect of group was not significant for all measurement outcomes (p > 0.05). The group × time interactions for cervical flexion active ROM (p = 0.005) and cervical extension active ROM (p = 0.036) were significant. The tests of simple main effect in cervical flexion active ROM (p < 0.0001) and cervical extension active ROM (p < 0.0001) showed a significant difference before and after intervention in the thoracic spine self-mobilization group. Patients with mechanical neck pain who carried out thoracic spine self-mobilization showed increases in active cervical flexion and extension ROM.
Research Referenced
Koji Nakamaru, Junya Aizawa, Keizo Kawarada, Yukari Uemura, Takayuki Koyama, Osamu Nitta,
Immediate effects of thoracic spine self-mobilization in patients with mechanical neck pain: A randomized controlled trial, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, Volume 23, Issue 2,2019,Pages 417-424,ISSN 1360-8592,
Our Message
When you are looking for a Chiropractor near you that you can trust, choose one who will not only get rid of your back pain, neck pain, or headaches but who will also guide you to living a healthier lifestyle to keep you out of pain. Our East Dallas Chiropractors located in Lakewood, near the corner of Mockingbird Ln. and Abrams Rd., are here to teach you that taking care of your mental health and getting the proper nutrients are just as important as the chiropractic adjustment to stay healthy.
