Home / Conditions / Upper back pain
Upper back pain
That knot between your shoulder blades.
Upper back pain is often blamed on "a knot". Usually it's the joints of the mid back and ribs, and the way you sit and move, that keep it coming back.
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- Adjusting spines
- 35 years
- In Mornington
- 15 years
- 256 Google reviews
- 4.9 out of 5 stars
- Health funds
- HICAPS
Sound familiar?
What it often feels like.
- Ache or burning between the shoulder blades
- Sharp catch when you twist or take a deep breath
- Stiff mid back after a day at the desk
- Tight across the tops of the shoulders
- Feels better with a firm press or a stretch
Common causes
Where it often comes from.
- Long hours sitting and looking down
- Rounded shoulders and forward head posture
- Lifting and twisting at work or in the garden
- Rib joints that have become stiff and irritated
- Pain referred from the neck
Often it's a mix. Finding your mix is what your first appointment is for.
How we find out
Before we touch anything, we check.
- 01Your storyWhere it hurts, how it started, what makes it better or worse, and the old accidents and injuries.
- 02A thorough checkChiropractic, orthopaedic and neurological testing: movement, joints, muscles, reflexes, sensation and strength.
- 03Posture picturesDigital posture pictures from the front and side, so you can see what we see.
- 04AnswersX-rays only if your check points to them, then a report of findings in plain English, before care starts.
What care involves
A plan you understand, built around you.
We check how your mid back and ribs move, the muscles around the shoulder blades, and your neck, which often refers pain into this area.
Care may include adjustments to the mid back, ribs and neck, and exercises to open up the upper back and strengthen the muscles that hold your posture.
If we can't help, we'll tell you. No runaround, and no being kept on the books for the sake of it.
In the meantime
Three things you can do today.
Sit tall and gently squeeze your shoulder blades together a few times an hour.
Elbows close to your body, screen at eye level, feet flat.
Slow, full breaths gently move the ribs and mid back.
General information only. Your chiropractor will tailor advice to you at your appointment.
How it works
Three steps. No guesswork.
- 1TodayBook online or callPick a time online in about a minute, or call 03 9787 8518. No referral needed.
- 2DiscoveryNew patient appointmentWe find out what's wrong and whether we can help: your story, posture pictures, and a thorough check of your spine and nerves.
- 3You get answersReport of findings appointmentWhat we found, in plain English, and what we'd do about it. If we can help and you haven't already had your first adjustment, today's the day.
What people say
Don't take our word for it.
2025 WinnerQuality Business Awards: Best Chiropractor in the Shire of Mornington Peninsula"I cannot speak highly enough of the staff here … Dr Ben was so patient and answered all my questions without rushing me out the door … the clinic itself is just beautiful and welcoming."
"Such a friendly practice … [Dr Ryan] is fantastic at making you feel comfortable."
"It's rare to find a place that takes this much time to go over your history … the whole team makes you feel right at home."
Excerpts from Google reviews, about people's experience of the clinic. They are not claims about results, which vary from person to person. Read all 256 reviews on Google →
Web special
Book online today. Pay $125, not $195.
The same new patient appointment, the full Discovery, for $70 less when you book it here on the website.
- 30–40 minutes with Dr Ryan Tan or Dr Ben Carvosso
- Your story and health history, start to finish
- Digital posture pictures, so you can see it for yourself
- A thorough chiropractic, orthopaedic and neurological check
- Foot scans, if you need them
- HICAPS on the spot: your health fund rebate comes off at the desk
Usually $195
$125
You save $70 by booking online
Book online for $125Nothing to pay now. Pick a time in about a minute, then pay on the day.
New practice members only. One per person. Not with any other offer.
Why does it hurt between my shoulder blades?
Usually stiff, irritated joints in the mid back and ribs, plus tired postural muscles. Sometimes it's referred from the neck.
Can a chiropractor help upper back pain?
Upper back and rib pain is something we see often. Your new patient appointment finds the source.
Is it posture?
Posture is often part of it, but not the whole story. We look at how you move, work and sleep too.
More than a sore spot
Your spine talks to your brain.
The muscles around every vertebra are packed with sensors that tell your brain where your body is and how it's moving. When a joint stops moving well, that conversation breaks down, and pain is one of the signals. That's why we check your spine and nerves, not just where it hurts.
In one study, a single session of adjusting dysfunctional segments changed how the prefrontal cortex, the brain's integration centre, processed sensory information from the body. It was a small study of 19 people, but it shows an adjustment is a nervous-system input, not just a joint movement.
Related
Often seen alongside upper back pain.
Neck painStiff, sore, and not turning like it used to.Read more →
PostureRounded shoulders, forward head, and the aches that come with them.Read more →
Tech neck & forward head postureLooking down at screens, all day, every day.Read more →
Shoulder painReaching, lifting or sleeping on it hurts.Read more →Done with upper back pain?
Book a new patient appointment and find out what's going on. HICAPS on the spot, free parking at the door.
$195$125Web special · save $70 when you book online
- Pick your chiropractor and a time that suits
- Nothing to pay now, $125 on the day
- HICAPS on the spot · Free parking
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12/1140 Nepean Hwy, Mornington. Free parking at the door. Wear something comfortable you can move in.
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