The primary function of your thoracic spine is to protect the organs of your chest by providing an attachment point for the bones of your ribcage. Thoracic spine therapy reduces the effect of injury and strengthens the thoracic spine and its components. There is very little motion in a healthy thoracic spine but any restriction of movement in your thoracic area is uncomfortable or even debilitating. Therapy focuses on stabilizing your spine, decreasing discomfort and returning a full range of motion to the area.
Exercise
Kyphosis is an exaggerated curve in your thoracic spine that causes a hump. Poor posture causes postural kyphosis; disease and congenital defects may also cause curvature in your thoracic area. Thoracic spine therapy for kyphosis depends on the cause and severity of your curvature. Exercise therapy, such as abdominal strengthening and hamstring stretching, relieves discomfort associated with postural kyphosis. This type of spinal curvature rarely causes acute pain, nor does it pose long-term disability. Exercise in general strengthens muscles and reduces your risk for back injury.
Surgery
Medical professionals consider curvatures greater than 50 degrees as abnormal, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Your doctor may recommend surgery when your kyphotic curve exceeds 75 degrees. Infants born with congenital kyphosis require corrective surgery at a young age. Fractures of the thoracic spine require surgical intervention when the fracture falls through the disk. Laminotomy and discectomy are surgical therapies for herniated disks.
Immobilization
Your doctor may recommend immobilizing your thoracic spine immediately after injury to give your body a chance to rest and recover. Bracing is an effective therapy for fractured vertebrae in the thoracic spine. The AAOS suggests wearing the thoracic brace for 6 to 12 weeks before initiating rehabilitative exercise.
Steroid Injections
Epidural steroid injections can relieve severe pain due to a herniated disk, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. Only about half of all patients find steroid injections helpful; this therapy is used primarily in patients considering surgery.
Chiropractic
On its website, the ActiveCare Physical Therapy practice suggests a procedure known as thoracic posterior anterior joint mobilization as therapy for thoracic kyphosis caused by a vertebra that has slipped out of place. The patient straddles the exam table, folding his arms across his chest. The therapist stands on the patient’s affected side and helps the patient turn his shoulders toward the sore side. The therapist places the heel of her hand on the affected vertebra, applying gentle pressure to the vertebra to urge it back into position.
References
- Mayfield Clinic for Brain and Spine; Anatomy of the Spine; May 2011
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Kyphosis (Roundback) of the Spine
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Fractures of the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine
- University of Maryland Medical Center: A Patient's Guide to Herniated Thoracic Disk
- ActiveCare Physical Therapy: Thoracic Spine Injury Physical Therapy
