Thoracic Spine Pain: The Middle Back
How to approach mid-back and rib-area pain safely, including chest-pain triage, common patterns, and graded movement.
The thoracic spine includes 12 vertebrae and articulates with the ribs. Pain can arise from muscles, joints, ribs, discs, nerves, fractures, inflammatory disease, or referred pain from organs. Examination findings rarely prove one small joint is the source.
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