Below the cervical spine, the middle back, or thoracic spine, is made up of 12 vertebrae (T1-T12). The ribs connect to these vertebrae to form the back wall of the thorax – the part of the body between the neck and diaphragm, which contains the heart and lungs. This region of the spine contains narrow intervertebral discs, which allow significantly less movement between vertebrae than in the lumbar or cervical regions.

The vertebrae that make up the thoracic region of the spine also provide less space in the spinal canal for nerve tissue. The thoracic spine curves backward, forming what is anatomically referred to as a kyphosis, or kyphotic curve.

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