Region

Thoracic spine

Pars thoracica columnae vertebralis

The thoracic spine is the twelve vertebrae of the upper and middle back, each pair anchored to a rib — the most stable stretch of the spine and the one built for rotation rather than bending. It is the platform the shoulder blades ride on and the neck sits above, so what it does not do, the regions above and below tend to do instead. People come to a therapist for the upper back because of aching between the shoulder blades, a stiff or rounded posture from sitting, restricted turning, and the sense that the area feels locked and never quite releases.