WHAT IS THORACIC SPINAL STENOSIS?
Thoracic spinal stenosis occurs when thoracic vertebra shift backwards into the nerves and produces sharp pain between the shoulder blades. This is most commonly brought on by bending forward and lifting heavy objects, unguarded sneezes, excessive coughing and poor sleeping positions. Thoracic spinal stenosis can have a negative affect on heart and lung physiology.
What Causes Thoracic Stenosis?
Sitting for hours at a time can cause structural stress to the biomechanical alignment of the thoracic spine. Slouching at work while sitting at a desk leads to kyphosis. Kyphosis is the rounding of the back that most appears in older people. But this condition can occur at any age when the spinal biomechanics of the thoracic spine is ignored or neglected.
Mechanical stress in the thoracic area of the spine can result in breathing problems, heart palpitations, heartburn, adrenal problems, low energy, mid back pain and poor posture. It’s been described as the new smoking.
This is a critical health problem because the heart and lungs are intimately connected to the spinal column in the thoracic region. Once again, excessive flexion causes the thoracic spine to produce bad posture. Poor posture is a much larger problem than just an unwanted appearance. Poor posture is a valid sign of structural stress which leads to neurological compromise and adverse organ physiology. Most people will eventually develop breathing or heart issues of which they have no idea that these symptoms can be traced back to neglected biomechanics.