Your 45-year-old male patient presents with mid-back stiffne…
Your 45-year-old male patient presents with mid-back stiffness and pain for the past 3 months. Pain is worse in the morning and after sitting at a desk for long periods, and slightly eases with walking or stretching. He describes a dull, achy sensation along the thoracic spine without radiation to the arms. No numbness or tingling reported. PMH: Hyperlipidemia. Social history: Office worker; plays golf occasionally. Functional limitations: Difficulty sitting upright for long periods, limited endurance for desk work, and discomfort during recreational golf. What is your initial hypothesis? Tissues involved?