03/11/2026
Stiff upper back? This seated thoracic mobilisation is simple, gentle and easy to grade.
Osteopath Elliot Mean demonstrates the set-up, contact and movement. Patient arms crossed, clinician behind, one hand localising to the thoracic spine. Guide rotation, side-bending and flexion or extension, timed with the exhale.
The evidence: for neck pain, thoracic techniques have performed similarly to cervical techniques (Carrasco-Uribarrena et al., 2024). Most trials test thrust, though, which outperformed mobilisation short term (Masaracchio et al., 2019). Mobilisation is the lower-force option.
Use it to open a window for movement, then follow with active rehab. Screen for red flags first.
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