Specialist Thoracic (Mid Spine) Physiotherapy

Let our expertise give you piece of mind

Mid-back (thoracic) pain is often overlooked, yet it can have a significant impact on daily life. It can affect posture, breathing, sleep, work, and comfort with everyday movement, and is commonly felt as stiffness, aching or sharp pain between the shoulder blades or around the rib cage.

The thoracic spine plays a vital role in supporting posture and connecting the neck, shoulders and lower back. Pain in this region can arise from joints, muscles, ribs, nerves or movement restrictions — which is why effective treatment depends on accurate assessment and specialist understanding, rather than generalised advice.

At Solent Specialist Physiotherapy, thoracic spine problems are assessed and managed by clinicians who specialise in spinal conditions and regularly treat complex mid-back pain.

Why mid-back problems need specialist care

The thoracic spine is designed to provide stability while allowing controlled movement and efficient breathing. Pain or restriction in this area can be influenced by:

Joint stiffness or irritation
Rib joint dysfunction
Muscle overload or guarding
Postural or movement-related strain
Breathing pattern changes
Referred pain from the neck or lower back

Mid-back pain is often misattributed or under-treated, leading to persistent symptoms or recurring flare-ups. Without specialist assessment, the true driver of pain may be missed.

Specialist thoracic assessment allows us to identify whether symptoms are coming from the spine, ribs, surrounding muscles or movement patterns — so treatment is precise and effective.

Common thoracic (mid-back) problems we help with

We regularly support people with:

Persistent or recurring mid-back pain
Stiffness between the shoulder blades
Rib-related pain
Postural or desk-related thoracic pain
Thoracic pain linked to breathing or movement
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Pain referred from the neck or shoulder
Post-injury or post-surgical thoracic rehabilitation

If you’re unsure what’s driving your mid-back symptoms, a specialist assessment can provide clarity and reassurance.

What makes our thoracic spine service different

At Solent Specialist Physiotherapy, your care is led by highly experienced specialist clinicians working at advanced level within the NHS and private practice.

We prioritise accurate diagnosis from the very first appointment, identifying whether symptoms are driven by joint, rib, muscular or movement-related factors — rather than relying on assumptions.

Your rehabilitation is guided by specialist-level clinical reasoning, combining movement analysis, postural assessment, breathing mechanics and progressive rehabilitation to support long-term improvement.

Where appropriate, we can:

Request and interpret X-ray or MRI to better understand what is happening inside your hip
Correlate scan findings with your physical examination and symptoms. We don’t just read reports — we are experts at correlating the images with how your thoracic spine moves, loads and feels, so decisions are based on the whole picture, not just a scan.
Our spinal specialists can talk through options such as facet joint injections or nerve root blocks if they may be helpful for your symptoms, and can discuss your case with the appropriate clinician where needed

This integrated approach helps reduce prolonged pain, unnecessary flare-ups and delayed recovery.

Find the right clinic for your thoracic spine appointment

Specialist services are offered across different locations and settings.
To see where this service is provided and how to book, please view our locations.