Many people suffer from thoracic pain/thoracic radiculopathy. This is likely secondary to poor posture that has been going on for many years. Weakness, joint restriction, and soft tissue restrictions can develop in the thoracic region causing pain anywhere from between the shoulder blades to the upper portion of your lower back. Pain can come from poor posture, arthritis, herniations, fractures (especially in those that have been diagnosed with osteoporosis) as well as rib dysfunction.
If nerve irritation is involved one can experience pain that wraps from the back to the front of the chest wall or abdominal region which is referred to as thoracic radiculopathy. Often, people mistake this referral pattern as cardiac issues like a heart attack due to occasional feelings of sharp chest pain or issues with internal organs when pain is in the abdominal region with lower thoracic dysfunction.
The best course of treatment for this type of issue is a combination of manual therapy, postural stabilization exercises and postural education. Often patients with poor posture are not aware of it. The education portion of treatment is key to ensure once the patient is pain-free that they do not resort to poor postural habits following discharge. Manual therapy is key when treating thoracic pain due to the complexity of the connection of the vertebrae and ribs. Manual therapy includes joint mobilizations which involve your therapist pushing on different segments of the vertebrae and ribs that are not moving well. Another form of manual therapy that is imperative to successful treatment includes soft tissue mobilization to help relieve trigger points that may be aiding in the dysfunction.
Physical therapy for any issue should not be treated with just exercise. If there are joint and soft tissue restrictions, exercise alone may irritate these structures. It is imperative that one find a physical therapist that offers manual therapy to resolve these issues.
At Professional Rehabilitation Services, we specialize in manual therapy as well as designing a specific program for each patient to ensure a successful recovery. No one should have to live with pain…if you are tired of dealing with aches and pains daily give us a call and see what we can do for you!
For further information on this or other related topics you can contact Lisa O'Brien, PT, DPT, Cert. DN (Murrells Inlet) (843) 314-3224, Richard DeFalco, DPT, OCS, CSCS, CWcHP (Myrtle Beach) (843) 839-1300, Brian P. Kinmartin PT, DPT, MTC, STC, OCS, CWcHP (Pawleys Island) (843) 235-0200, Richard A. Owens, MPT, OCS, Cert. SMT, CWcHP (Surfside) (843) 831-0163, Jill P. Phelan, PT, DPT, Cert. DN (Conway) (843) 773-3031, Samantha Crisafulli PT, DPT (Carolina Forest) (843) 282-0440, Zach Daniels PT, DPT (Market Commons) (843) 213-6338, Brandon Stanley PT, DPT (Longs) (843) 491-0388, Brandon Stanley PT, DPT (Little River) (843) 281-4222 or visit our website at www.prsrehabservices.com where you can learn more about the company and even download a referral form for your physician to fill out. You can also call and schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
