Thoracic Spine and Rib Mobilization

Today’s video covers the unilateral PA mobilization, which can be used to treat the thoracic facet joints, rib joints and the overlying soft tissues (rhomboids, trapezius, etc). The rib joints on the backside of the thoracic cage (costovertebral and costotransverse joints) are often thought to be associated with pain in the intrascapular region, which is the zone between the spine and the shoulder blade. When assessing the rib joints, a rib spring test, as shown here, can be useful when searching for the patients familiar symptoms. In this assessment, we move from one rib to the next applying several pressure pulses to see how stiff the segment is and if it reproduces the patient’s pain. If the patients familiar pain is re-produced at a particular segment, a Mobilization is focused in this region. Typically we will perform 4-5 treatment bouts and mobilize for 30-45 seconds each time. If you have pain in this region and are having a difficult time getting rid of it, seek out a rehab practitioner