. 2019 Jan 18;20:29. doi: 10.1186/s12891-019-2408-4

Table 1.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Criteria	Participants with chronic thoracic pain
Inclusion criteria	▪ 18 and 60 years old. ▪ Thoracic pain * for at least 3 months (constant or recurrent). ▪ Pain within T6 to T8 region indicated on the pain diagram and/or during physical examination at the start of the first session. ▪ Pain intensity at the start of the first session ≥5/100.
Exclusion criteria	▪ Having a history of thoracic surgery or fracture. ▪ Diagnosed with a non-spine-related condition that might refers pain to the chest wall (e.g. heart, lung or oesophagus conditions). ▪ Diagnosed or suspected with one of the following conditions: spine-related inflammatory arthritis, aorta aneurism, advanced osteoporosis, neuromuscular disease, myelopathy, malignant tumors, uncontrolled hypertension, radiculopathy, neurologic deficit, thoracic herniated disc, current infection, thoracic scoliosis (Cobb’s angle > 20°). ▪ Being a pregnant woman.

Criteria

Participants with chronic thoracic pain

Inclusion criteria

▪ 18 and 60 years old.
▪ Thoracic pain * for at least 3 months (constant or recurrent).
▪ Pain within T6 to T8 region indicated on the pain diagram and/or during physical examination at the start of the first session.
▪ Pain intensity at the start of the first session ≥5/100.

Exclusion criteria

▪ Having a history of thoracic surgery or fracture.
▪ Diagnosed with a non-spine-related condition that might refers pain to the chest wall (e.g. heart, lung or oesophagus conditions).
▪ Diagnosed or suspected with one of the following conditions: spine-related inflammatory arthritis, aorta aneurism, advanced osteoporosis, neuromuscular disease, myelopathy, malignant tumors, uncontrolled hypertension, radiculopathy, neurologic deficit, thoracic herniated disc, current infection, thoracic scoliosis (Cobb’s angle > 20°).
▪ Being a pregnant woman.

* Thoracic pain was defined as pain in the region bounded superiorly by the T1 spinous process, inferiorly by the T12 spinous process and laterally by the lateral margins of the erector spinae muscles [17]