• July 1, 2026 | 12:45 PM - 2:45 PM
• PCC,121ABC

The Thoracic Connection: Manual Therapy Strategies for Neck and Shoulder Pain Relief

Mechanical neck and shoulder pain are a common occurrence in the general and sporting population. Traditional treatment of shoulder pain involves intervention directed toward the glenohumeral joint, but this undermines the important role of adjacent structures such as the cervicothoracic (CT) spine. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that regional interdependence has some validity in the management of patients with neck and shoulder pain. Cervicothoracic manual therapy has been shown to improve pain and disability in individuals with cervical and shoulder pathology. The effectiveness of mobilization/manipulation of the cervicothoracic spine in the treatment of cervical pain has been well documented, but its effects on shoulder pain is less understood.

Learning Objectives - Describe normal and abnormal mechanics of the thoracic and cervical spine.
- Describe guidelines for applying manual therapy techniques to the cervicothoracic and thoracic region.
- Recognize patients who will benefit from these manual therapy techniques.

Lab Objectives
- Demonstrate mobilizations to the thoracic/cervicothoracic region for cervical and shoulder pain/pathology.

Keywords: Cervical and Thoracic spine; manual therapy; mobilization/manipulation