Your spine consists of 33 vertebrae, all stacked one on top of the other and all effecting the other. The neck and low back areas of the spine are designed to be more mobile, which is why pain and injury is more common in those areas. The thoracic vertebrae are the stabilizing connectors between the two. It also anchors your rib cage, which has to be sturdy enough to protect all your vitals organs.

The tightness that you feel occurs because your thoracic spine can actually be “too good” at stabilizing and becomes hypomobile (decreased movement). Joints like to move, so when they are maintained in the same position for a long time, they get stiff and achy. Therefore, when you sit in a slumped position (see picture below) you are asking your thoracic spine to hold you up when you should be relying on your abdominal and back muscles to help. To counteract the added stress and load placed on the vertebrae, you have to get those vertebrae moving!

Here are my favorite exercises to increase thoracic movement and decrease mid back pain!

1. Thread The Needle

• Start on your hands and knees with neutral spine
• On an inhale, take your right hand and reach up towards the ceiling without moving your hips and keeping your left arm straight
• On your exhale, reach your arm across your chest as if you were going to rest your right shoulder on the ground. Again, try to keep your hips still.
• Repeat 10 times on each side, following your breath

2. Cat/Cow

• Start on your hands and knees with neutral spine
• On an inhale, open your chest by sending your heart toward the ceiling and your letting your gaze follow
• On an exhale, pull your belly button in towards your spine rounding out your back and head
• Repeat 10 times, following your breath

3. Modified Downward Dog

• Start with your hands on the back of a chair or counter top in front of you and your legs slightly wider than hip width apart and at a level that is behind your trunk as you stand
• Slightly bend your knees as you sink your hips back and let your arms extend in front of you; let your head and chest fall towards the ground
• Straighten your knees as much as you can, being careful to stop if you begin to round your back
• Repeat 10 times, holding the stretch for 10 seconds

4. Open Book

• Start out laying on your side with your knees bent (fetal position)
• Slowly twist open through your upper body so your top shoulder is on the table
• Repeat 10 times, holding for 10 seconds on each side

5. Puppy Pose

• Start on your hands and knees with a neutral spine
• Gently walk your hands  out in front of you to allow your chest and forehead to sink to the floor
• Try to keep your hips over your knees
• Repeat 10 times, holding for 5 seconds

Hopefully you find these exercises helpful, however, if pain persists please schedule an appointment with your Primary Care Physician. If you enjoyed these exercises and want to learn more or have a skilled physical therapist evaluate and design a specific treatment program for you feel free to contact Atlantic Physical Therapy  via phone 215-271-4100 or email info@aptphilly.com.

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Ahh breasts, beautiful but burdensome. Back pain is the number one condition that physical therapists treat and often what we wear (or don’t) under our clothes can have an impact on our posture, and thus, on our back pain.

Breasts are heavy! Check out this chart from Wikihow

Bra sizes 32A, 30B, 28C = about .5 pound per breast
Bra sizes 34A, 32B, 30C, 28D = about .6 pound per breast
Bra sizes 36A, 34B, 32C, 30D, 28E = about .7 pound per breast
Bra sizes 38A, 36B, 34C, 32D, 30E, 28F = about .9 pound per breast
Bra sizes 40A, 38B, 36C, 34D, 32E, 30F, 28G = about 1.2 pounds per breast
Bra sizes 42A, 40B, 38C, 36D, 34E, 32F, 30G, 28H = about 1.5 pounds per breast
Bra sizes 44A, 42B, 40C, 38D, 36E, 34F, 32G, 30H, 28I = about 1.7 pounds per breast
Bra sizes 44B, 42C, 40D, 38E, 36F, 34G, 32H, 30I, 28J = about 2 pounds per breast

This weight contributes to the stooped, rounded shoulder posture that many of us already have from sitting most of the day. A big chest can throw off body mechanics to cause extra strain on the neck and back. Do you suspect that your  chest  is straining your neck and back? One clue is to look at your shoulders. Take note of any reddened grooves caused by over-weighted bra straps. One easy way to distribute the weight of your breasts and ease stress on your shoulders is wearing a bra with thicker straps. Standard bra straps are about 1/2 an inch thick. Try moving to a bra that has 3/4 inch thick straps or wider. This will decrease the pressure at your shoulders and onto your trapezius muscles (the muscles often involved in a neck strain/sprain).

Note any redness and grooves.

Try a bra like this one, with wider straps:

The length of your bra straps is also important. If your breasts are resting too low, it might cause additional strain to your neck and back. When you look in the mirror, your nipples should be halfway between your elbows and your shoulders as pictured below.

Cup size is also an important factor, if you are spilling out of your bra, weight distribution is uneven and can disrupt body mechanics. Aim for a full cup rather than a demi cup so you are maximally supported. Most lingerie stores will offer free measurements, so take full advantage.

If you feel like you bra fits perfectly and is not the culprit behind your pain, going to physical therapy is a great way to get to the root of the problem. Physical therapists are experts at treating movement and neuro-musculoskeletal disorders. Pain often accompanies a movement disorder, and physical therapists can help correct the disorder and relieve the pain. Physical therapy is a holistic non invasive treatment that has low risks and side effects. Treatment is always customized to each individual patient.

The post Bras and Back Pain: How correct fit can make a big difference. appeared first on ATLANTIC PHYSICAL THERAPY.