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Symptoms Upper Back Pain & Treatments

Upper back pain is a common complaint. This can be caused by prolonged sitting or an overuse injury such as lifting. The pain can be felt anywhere between the scapula to the base of the neck. Often if you experience pain on deep breathing, this can also be related to inflamed costovertebral joints.

Symptoms associated with upper back pain may be:

  • Headaches and neck pain
  • Poor movement of your rib cage when moving from side to side
  • Pain on deep breathing
  • Constant, non-limiting pain around the scapula
  • General stiffness in your thoracic movement

You may also notice your spine is rounded or flat and your shoulders are moving forward. This is termed ‘gothic shoulders’ and can be related to poor posture or postural stress.

Our Physiotherapists and Chiropractors are trained in the orthopaedic assessment of your upper back pain. They will assess your range of motion along with orthopaedic testing to work out a diagnosis. Sometimes you may also be referred for further imaging of your shoulder by our allied health team, such as an MRI or Xray to rule out any underlying pathology or injury. If you would like to discuss your upper back pain complaint but not sure who to book in with, why not book our complimentary Discovery Session with one of our allied health practitioners.

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Queensland