Hi there. I am seeking advice as my back was sore after I woke five days ago, then a few days later I was lifting a bag of shopping and felt a little twang and was then in agony! Five days later and it's still bad - not like the first day, but after I try to do cat and cow tilts, or a gentle five minute walk, it feels worse. It felt better yesterday but today bad again. The pain and stiffness is coming from my mid back on the right. When I feel with my hands, there is also pain around to the right sight of my ribs in my back, in-between the ribs towards the bottom of the rib cage. At the top of a full inhale, I can also feel the pain here -in the right side of my back / rib area. What should I do? Rest? Ice? Heat? Physio? Osteopath? Let it heal on its own? I am a yoga teacher and otherwise very fit! Thank you so much for any advice you can offer. Jemima.

Hi Jemima I think what you are describing is actually referred pain from your neck and not the bit of body where you are feeling it! Walking is good, but cat/cow are probably a step backwards hence not really getting better. I think what you’ve got in most basic terms is a stiff mid bit of your back but a cheating strategy in your mid neck - due to the lack of motion. Try controlling your neck movement especially poking your chin out - phones, laptops, slouching etc and try to get your thoracic spine moving - foam roller straight down the spine, thread the needles, arm openers etc and see what gives after 24 hours. Loads of videos here https://www.sixphysio.com/videos/back-pain The Guru