MY Sports
Injury : A Physical Therapy Study on
Mid Thoracic Back Pain. How Conservative Treatment
is important to manage Thoracic Spine Dysfunction
-Thoracic
Back Pain Exercises to Relieve Symptoms-
Mid Thoracic Back Pain
can inflict soreness, impairment, dysfunction, and discomfort that occur in the
thoracic spine. The thoracic spine is located at the back of the chest;
According to Colin Tidy
et la (2020) the pain might spread from the base of the neck to the beginning
of the lumbar spine zone, mainly the mid thoracic back pain is observed between
the scapular bones or more commonly known as shoulder blades.It can result in a significant
disability or dysfunction. As reported by Eric Sterne
et la (2019) the pain in the spinal region can be generated by numerous sources
and is highly important to undergo a comprehensive physical clinical evaluation
and accomplish an effective sports
injury management care program, it should be noted that the Mid Thoracic
Back Pain is way less frequent in comparison to lumbar and cervical pathologies.
In this article
you shall learn about thoracic back pain etiology, how to prevent mid back,
diagnosis, and Physical Therapy treatment
required to improve this condition.
How common the Mid Thoracic Back Pain is
amongst regular Individuals and Elite Athletes?
As said from the abovementioned statement thoracic
back pain is less usual than lumbar back pain. A clinical investigation study
published by Kristine A Karlson
(2004) showed that in the thoracic region in the elite athletes the pain comes
about from the chest in most of the cases, so the thoracic back remains pain
free. In spite of the fact that the spine is kept safe from sudden movements by
virtue of the ribs and the adjacent muscles that surround it, the thoracic back
is still liable to suffer from certain types of injuries due to overuse while
performing sporting activities, these injuries encompass avulsions, muscle
strains, and stress fractures.
On the other hand, in the regular population a group
of researchers carried out several studies where different groups of 100 people
were asked if they sustain or ever suffered this ache, the highest result was
in a study where 74 subjects out of 100 answered affirmatively after having experienced
thoracic back pain. In conclusion, this
condition is common in the general population. Also, there is some evidence
of biopsychosocial associations.
Is age a determining factor for Mid
Thoracic Back Pain? If So, Which subjects are more prone to having
Mid Thoracic Back Pain?
Some research and studies carried out by Andrew M Briggset la 2009 especially
in young patients, where the thoracic back pain turned out to be more common
than is usually believed.
The mid thoracic back pain (TBP) got an increasing
prevalence rate in regard to age since the transition stage between childhood
and adulthood was the period where the affected people presented mid thoracic
spine pain the most.
Generally, these studies reported a higher prevalence
for TBP in child and adolescent populations, and particularly for females. Some
evidence shows that soreness or dysfunction of the thoracic back pain is not insignificant
in adulthood, whereas, the incidence of spinal pain amongst healthy teenagers
is described as significant as well, since it has been increasing over the
years, which may indicate a growing condition, specifically for future grown-up
subjects.
However, more worldwide research studies are required in
order to prove if this increasing impact is an international matter. This focus
attention on how important is to examining prognostic factors and risks for the
thoracic mid back pain condition, from childhood through adulthood, published
by Anne J Smith et la for BMC
Musculoskeletal Disorders.
Which sports are the most likely to
cause Thoracic Back Pain?
Thanks to advances in the prevention of high
performance sports-related injuries to the thoracic spine, it is an easy task
to find proven equipment with advanced technology that helps the elite athlete
to be less prone to suffering from mid thoracic back pain.
However, in sports such as hockey, even when the
equipment for the head, neck and body provides great protection, this has not
been able to reduce the pain in those who practice this sport.
As indicated by Current Sports Medicine Journal.
In general lines, aggressive sports of total contact such as rugby or American
football are the most prone to produce this type of pain and impairment.
Notwithstanding, there are several sports that are not
as aggressive as those mentioned above, they also tend to produce thoracic back
pain, repetitive load sports on the spine like rowing, gymnastics, and golf.
Mid Back Pain whilst deadlifting in
the gym?
Valley
Spinal Care (SPC) explains that the deadlift is
one of the best and most complete exercises that we can do in the gym. It
develops the strength of the whole body and the muscles of the back of the body
that are usually neglected or underdeveloped.
But,
although it is one of the best exercises in the fitness world, it can also
cause pain if we do not perform it correctly. For instance, how many times
have you felt a sharp pain in your Mid Thoracic Back after doing the deadlift?
The
deadlift puts a lot of stress on your back and it is normal for your lower back
to feel tired after doing the exercise, but your hamstrings, buttocks, lats and
erector spinae muscles should also feel tired.
If you only
notice pain in your Mid Thoracic Back after doing the deadlift, keep reading
this and let’s dive into it.
How to prevent Mid Thoracic Back Pain
while performing Deadlifting exercise routine in the gym?
Don't lift too much weight
Without a
doubt, this is the factor that can cause the most pain in the back. Lifting too
much weight will prevent you from maintaining the correct posture and technique
for the exercise to be safe.
Keep an adequate breathing technique in order to stabilise your core muscles area
When you
breathe, you lose internal pressure and control of the diaphragm that supports
the spine. Breathing the right way is one of the best ways of the core muscles area
to be prepared for carrying out your set of exercises, and it is also an essential
part of doing deadlifting suitably.
Execution speed
Mainly,
there are two ways to do the deadlift; with stop and without stop.
The
non-stop deadlift consists of hitting the discs on the ground as you come down
from the bar and coming back up without a pause, making a kind of bounce. This
form can be helpful in maintaining muscle tension throughout the exercise, but
performance may be sped up and correct technique neglected.
The
deadlift with pause between reps allows you to get back into the proper
position and maintain correct technique throughout the exercise. In this way,
in addition to making exercise safer, you can help get the most out of it.
Uneven grip width
When
holding the bar, be sure to spread your hands evenly apart with the same
breadth of your legs.
Using an
uneven grip can put more strain on one side of the body, making the exercise
more difficult, and can also lead to back pain.
Concerned
about your Back Pain Symptoms?
MY SPORTS
INJURY | Sports Physiotherapy clinic is easily accessible for the array of
business people working in the city center and also offers corporate partners
direct Sports therapy treatment into businesses and premises in and around
Manchester.
Some of the
treatments that are available to the patients are Sports Massage, Sports
Physiotherapy, Osteopathy & Body Postural Rehabilitation. Designed to treat
the direct source of pain, not just the symptoms allowing you to live and
pain-free optimal lifestyle.
What are the most recommended stretches for Low- Back Pain & Mid-Back
Pain by Sports Physiotherapy Manchester Specialists?
10 stretches for Low Back or Mid Back Pain everyone should do
·
Stretch a Knee to the Chest for mid back pain
Lie on your
back with both knees bent, hold one thigh behind the knee with one hand and
bring the knee toward the chest, hold this position for 20 seconds, relax, and
repeat it 5 times on each side.
·
Hamstring stretch for low back pain
Lie on your
back with your legs bent, hold one thigh behind the knee with your hand, slowly
straighten your knee until you feel the back of your thigh stretch, hold this
position for 20 seconds, relax, and repeat it 5 times on each side.
·
Squat against the wall for back pain in general
Stand with
your back leaning against the wall, move your feet 12 inches in front of the
body, maintain your ab muscles contracted as you slowly bend your knees 45
degrees, hold this position for 5 seconds, slowly return to the upright
position, and repeat it 10 times.
·
Opposite arm and leg exercise
This simple
exercise reduces tension in the lower back and also strengthens the abdominal
muscles.
Stand on four supports, with the
palms of your hands on the floor and your knees bent raise and stretch your
right arm and left leg until they are parallel to the ground, hold the pose for
4 seconds and slowly return to the starting position, repeat the activity with
the opposite arm and leg, perform 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
·
Opposite arm and leg on belly
This
activity is similar to the previous one, with the difference that this time you
will keep your belly on the ground for support, instead of your knees.
Lie face
down on an exercise mat with your arms extended toward the crown of your head
and your palms on the floor, simultaneously raise your right arm and left leg
to a comfortable height, hold the position for a couple of seconds and slowly
return to the starting position, repeat with the other side and complete 10
reps for each, and perform 3 or 4 sets per session.
·
Pelvic elevation
The pelvic
lift or bridge is an exercise that works the muscles of the lower back and
abdominal.
Lie on your
back on a mat, bend your knees, and put your feet on the floor; keep your hands
at the sides of your body and keeping your back straight, lift your buttocks
off the floor and lift your pelvis. Hold the pose for 10 seconds, rest, and
repeat 10 times.
·
Hip flexion
This is a Sports Physiotherapy
exercise for Lower Back Pain, although, this exercise is designed to tone the hips, it
is proven that it could also have a positive effect to strengthen the lower
back, alleviating its discomfort.
Put your
left foot in front of the other, with your knee bent forward as you straighten
your right leg, bend your trunk forward so that your left knee makes contact
with the axillary fold and returns to the starting position, perform the same
movement with each leg alternately until completing 10 repetitions.
·
Oblique exercises
The
objective of these middle and low back pain exercises is to strengthen
the muscles of the lumbar and oblique muscles of the waist.
·
Cat-cow stretch
This
exercise can help make your entire spine, from your hips and lower back to your
shoulders and neck, be more flexible.
Support
yourself with your hands and knees on the ground. The knees should be separated
and aligned with the hips, and the hands should be aligned with the shoulders.
Your stomach should be firm, as if you were trying to glue your belly button to
your spine.
Inhale and
tilt your pelvis back so that it rises slightly, move your head up as if trying
to look up at the ceiling, but don't strain your neck. As you exhale, pull your
stomach toward your spine and hunch your back. You should look like an angry
cat with a hunched back. Inhale and return to the "cow" position of
this pose, perform 10 complete cycles from cat to cow.
·
Ball wall squat exercise for your lower back and middle back pain
Slowly bend
your knees 45 to 90 degrees, hold this position for 5 seconds. Straighten your
knees and slowly bend your knees 45 to 90 degrees while raising both arms
overhead.
What is the mechanism of action of
chest back pain?
The Centers of Advanced Orthopedics (CAO)
has indicated that the most common cause of thoracic back pain/ chest back pain
is inflammation of the muscles, ligaments, tendons, or soft tissue of the
thoracic spine. This inflammation can be caused by different factors that the
general population usually does without realizing it, these are.
·
Having suffered sudden sprain or strain (such as in
car accidents or sports injuries).
·
Having had a fall or a direct blow to the thoracic
region can cause pain. Rib fractures that can have an effect on the thoracic
nerves as well.
·
Sitting for a long time in a desk or computer chair.
·
Lasting a long time standing in a stooped position
repeatedly.
·
Repetitively carrying significant weight with your
spine, such as a backpack or suitcase.
·
Performing persistent movements where the thoracic
part of the spine is involved (such as in sports or at work), also well-known
as an overuse injury.
Some of the less common causes are those that involve
a disease or physiological factor such as Thoracic Herniated Disc, Arthritis, Spinal
Infection, and Spinal Toumors. It cannot be assumed that all the pain in the
thoracic back is due to the spine itself, in many cases the pain in this area
is also produced by problems that affect the lungs, the upper part of the
esophagus, the stomach, the pancreas, and up to the gallbladder, issued by Colin Tidy
(2020).
When you should go to the ER for back pain
- Sudden
spike in pain, discomfort, weakness or numbness.
- Loss
of bladder function.
- High
fever.
- Severe
stomach pain.
- Unexplainable
weight loss.
- The
pain results from a fall or severe blow to your back.
Spinal pain rehabilitation is one of the most used
and most effective methods in the treatment of both acute and chronic either
low back pain or mid back pain and in any type of diagnosis. Sports
physiotherapy rehabilitation encompasses a multitude of techniques ranging from
kynesiotherapy, which covers everything related to exercises, to electrotherapy
with the use of short wave or ultrasound, through hydrotherapy with baths at
different temperatures.
The role of sports
physiotherapy Manchester specialist in the treatment of back pain is to
reduce pain and improve the functional capacity of the patient, allowing him to
return to work and day to day activities and lead a normal life. Physical therapy Manchester approach also
has a preventive task with the aim of improving the patient's ability to manage
the back problem and prevent it from appearing again, always attempt to see a sports physiotherapy Manchester expert
in order to get your spinal discomfort and dysfunction fixed, request an
appointment and finally live pain free.
Published by Rafael Peña for www.mysportsinjury.co.uk
References
·
Karlson KA. Thoracic region pain in athletes. Curr
Sports Med Rep. 2004 Feb;3(1):53-7. doi: 10.1249/00149619-200402000-00010.
PMID: 14728915.
·
Menzer, Heather MD; Gill, G. Keith MD; Paterson,
Andrew MD Thoracic Spine Sports-Related Injuries, Current Sports Medicine
Reports: January 2015 - Volume 14 - Issue 1 - p 34-40 doi:
10.1249/JSR.0000000000000117
·
Briggs, A.M., Smith, A.J., Straker, L.M. et al.
Thoracic spine pain in the general population: Prevalence, incidence and
associated factors in children, adolescents and adults. A systematic review.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord 10, 77 (2009).
·
Sterne E., Roig R.L., Guirguis M. (2019) Thoracic Back
Pain. In: Abd-Elsayed A. (eds) Pain. Springer, Cham.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99124-5_136
·
Chua NH, Gultuna I, Riezebos P, et al; Percutaneous
thoracic intervertebral disc nucleoplasty: technical notes from 3 patients with
painful thoracic disc herniations. Asian Spine J. 2011 Mar5(1):15-9. doi:
10.4184/asj.2011.5.1.15. Epub 2011 Mar 2.