The hunchback of Notre Dame definitely had a midback problem. The overaccentuated curve that marks the hunchback is called a kyphosis. The portion of the back spanning the midback begins at the base of the neck and goes to the bottom of the rib cage, where it meets the lower back. It has twelve vertebrae (A) with a rib attached to either side of each one (B and C). This part of your back can barely bend and twist because the vertebrae are solidly fixed in place by the ribs. This is a good arrangement because it protects the lungs and heart.

Injuries in the midback, also referred to as the thorax, are less common than those in the neck and low back because of its limited mobility. A great deal of pain in the midback/thoracic area, can be caused by referred pain from injuries to the neck. For instance, pain between the shoulder blades could be the result of a whiplash injury to ligaments in the neck.

Many pains that occur in this area are due to disease or disturbances of the internal organs (such as heart attack, lung cancer, pneumonia, etc.), so it is especially important to see your doctor if you suffer pain in the midback region, even if you think itıs from an athletic injury. For instance, muscle injuries in this area often create pain when you breathe deeply - but so does pneumonia.

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© copyright Ben Benjamin 2001