Adjacent segment stress is the added movement demand placed on the spinal segments directly above and below a fusion, since the fused level itself can no longer move, that movement has to happen somewhere.
Thoracic mobility exercises for seniors are age-adapted movements that restore extension, rotation, and flexion in the mid-back, modified with seated, wall, or chair support to reduce fall risk and bone-loading concerns common after 65.
Thoracic mobility is your mid-back's active range of motion through extension, rotation, and flexion, while thoracic flexibility is simply how far the surrounding muscles can passively lengthen under a stretch.
A thoracic mobility self-test is a set of simple, unweighted movements used to check how freely your mid-back extends, rotates, and flexes without your lower back or shoulders taking over the movement.
Pain between the shoulder blades from sleeping is upper-back stiffness or ache caused by a poor sleep position, an unsupportive pillow, or a sagging mattress that leaves your mid-spine and shoulders unsupported overnight.
