Pain in the center of the back is also called thoracic back pain, and physical therapy can go a long way toward helping you reduce pain in this area.
Thoracic back pain occurs in an area known as the middle back, and this area extends roughly from the base of your neck to just below your lowest ribs. Unfortunately, about 35% of Americans experience thoracic back pain every year. The issues that cause this type of pain range from poor posture to back trauma; a physical therapist can help you treat the pain in the center of your back caused by many different issues.
Physical therapists can use these techniques to treat pain in the center of your back
The first step your physical therapist will take to treat pain in the center of your back is diagnosing its cause. Then, they will build you a therapy plan that’s unique to your condition and needs. Such an individualized therapy plan can include therapy techniques like:
- Manual therapy — This category of therapy is commonly used to treat back pain. Manual therapy methods involve your physical therapist using their hands to manipulate and mobilize the joints and soft tissue in your back. These methods can be very useful for reducing back pain. One study of manual therapy reports that it helped reduce local back pain by 22%. It was also able to decrease radiating pain by 35%.
- McKenzie Method® — Another technique your physical therapist can use for your thoracic back pain is the McKenzie Method. This method focuses on meeting three basic goals: The first goal is to figure out the source of your pain. The second is to create a plan to reduce it, typically through therapeutic exercises and other methods. Thirdly, this method seeks to prevent your pain from returning in the future.
The success of this method is well documented. A study on back pain reports that after being treated with the McKenzie Method, patients had a nearly five-point decrease in their visual analog scale scores for pain.
- Mulligan technique — This technique combines patient movement with mobilization by your physical therapist; it’s often used to realign muscles, joints or other structures that are contributing to pain. The Mulligan technique can be especially useful for back pain sufferers. One study of this method reveals that it helped decrease pain scores by more than 27 points on average.
Panther Physical Therapy offers treatment for pain in the center of the back
Need some help treating pain in the center of your back? You can find effective care for your thoracic back pain at Panther Physical Therapy. Our therapists can perform a free screening to pinpoint the cause of your pain. In addition, our specialists are adept at creating individualized therapy plans intended to reduce and prevent back pain from many sources.
Want to get some help for back pain from home? We can help you with that, too! Our team offers at-home care and virtual therapy sessions that are both able to treat your back pain from home.
Contact our team today for more information about how we can treat your back pain or to schedule your initial appointment.