Mid back pain—pain between your shoulder blades or around your ribcage—can sneak up on you and make daily activities uncomfortable. Whether it’s from poor posture, stress, or overuse, this kind of pain can limit your movement and affect your quality of life.
Your mid back (thoracic spine) connects your neck and lower back and plays a big role in supporting your posture and breathing. Common causes of mid back pain include:
Poor posture, especially from long hours at a desk or using a phone
Tight or strained muscles
Joint stiffness or misalignment
Overuse or repetitive movements
Even small imbalances in your spine can cause discomfort and make it hard to move freely.
Chiropractors are trained to find and fix misalignments in your spine. With gentle adjustments, they can:
Improve your posture
Relieve pressure on your joints and nerves
Reduce muscle tension and stiffness
Restore normal movement
In many cases, chiropractic care also includes stretches and strengthening exercises to help support your spine and prevent the pain from coming back.
Chiropractic care provides a natural way to relieve pain and get your body moving again—without relying on medication or invasive treatments.
Mid back pain can affect your ability to sit, move, and breathe comfortably. Chiropractic care helps by improving spinal alignment, reducing tension, and teaching you how to support your posture—so you can feel better and move with ease.
Mid back pain, also known as thoracic pain, significantly impacts daily function, comfort, and overall quality of life. Chiropractic care offers an effective, non-invasive approach to managing mid back pain, addressing the underlying musculoskeletal dysfunction and enhancing overall spinal health.
A review by Bronfort et al. (2010) underscores the efficacy of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) in alleviating mid back pain. Their research emphasizes significant pain relief, improved spinal mobility, and enhanced function through chiropractic adjustments, supporting their clinical value in treating thoracic spine disorders.
Research conducted by Haneline and Cooperstein (2009) further supports the benefits of chiropractic interventions for mid back pain, specifically highlighting the improvement in posture, reduction of muscular tension, and decreased spinal stiffness achieved through targeted manipulative techniques. Chiropractic care also facilitates optimal neuromuscular function, significantly reducing discomfort and disability.
Additionally, Coulter et al. (2018) confirmed that chiropractic management involving thoracic spinal adjustments and rehabilitative exercises effectively reduces mid back pain and enhances functional recovery. Patients experienced substantial improvements in spinal alignment, reduced inflammation, and improved overall musculoskeletal health.
Clinical Implications of Chiropractic Care for Mid Back Pain
Chiropractic interventions provide considerable relief for mid back pain by addressing biomechanical dysfunction and enhancing spinal function. Evidence-based chiropractic care supports significant pain reduction, functional improvement, and promotes long-term spinal wellness and patient satisfaction.
Bronfort, G., Haas, M., Evans, R., & Leiniger, B. (2010). Effectiveness of manual therapies: The UK evidence report. Chiropractic & Osteopathy, 18(1), 3.
Haneline, M. T., & Cooperstein, R. (2009). Chiropractic treatment of mid back pain. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 8(3), 121-129.
Coulter, I. D., Crawford, C., Vernon, H., Hurwitz, E. L., & Khorsan, R. (2018). Manipulation and mobilization for treating chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Spine Journal, 18(5), 866-879.
