Unfortunately the movement of these ribs can become fixated, causing pain while breathing in. This can happen after rotational stress from an activity, such as playing tennis or turning while sleeping. The muscle and the rib joints can become irritated, reducing the rib’s movement. The stuck rib can also be accompanied by a strained rib muscle, which can cause sharp and focused pain. This pain is usually located about an inch to the left or right of the spine, or in the front near the breastbone.
Luckily, treating rib subluxations is quite straightforward, and results are usually immediate. A chiropractic adjustment can help restore rib motion by applying a small amount of force to free up the rib joint. The muscles around the rib are treated with various therapies, such as massage therapy, or using a technique called graston therapy. This therapy involves massaging the muscles with stainless steel instruments. To learn more about graston therapy, visit our page here.
Home remedies can involve stretching the mid-back region. Here are few of my favourite stretches for the mid back: