At Blackberry Clinic our practitioners take a comprehensive history and do a physical examination to determine the cause of your pain. One of the conditions they are able to treat is costovertebral joint sprain which can cause a lot of discomfort. Chiropractic, osteopathy and physio treatment methods can all be beneficial in treating this painful condition. Our chiropractor, Shelley Terry, explains the condition in more detail here.
Costovertebral Joint Sprain
A Costovertebral joint sprain can be defined by an irritation, dysfunction, rotated or compressed joint where the vertebral bodies in the thoracic spine connect to the ribs.
There are 12 thoracic vertebra which are each connected to each other above and below by facet joints and the intervertebral discs in-between. These joints allow for movement and support our upright posture. Each of these vertebra are connected to their corresponding ribs via the costovertebral joint on either side. The actual amount of movement in the costovertebral joint is very small, however it has a high frequency of movement due to the rib’s involvement in breathing.
Causes of rib sprain can be activities such as sudden or poor bending, lifting and/or twisting motions. Often poor breathing patterns lead to a greater susceptibility of a sprain in this area and a poor posture or sedentary lifestyle can also contribute. Costovertebral joint dysfunctions typically happen very quickly and are usually associated with a sudden pain in the upper back and rib while actively bending, twisting, lifting, or arching. This is then followed by muscle spasm, pain and stiffness that occurs after the activity and may not be felt until the next morning.
Diagnosis is made through a thorough case history, looking at aggravating and easing factors, mechanism of injury, previous pathologies, training regime and many other potentially contributing factors. This is then followed by a physical examination to assess range of motion, review posture, assess breathing patterns, palpate for pain and stiffness alongside other specific tests.
Signs and symptoms that can indicate a costovertebral joint sprain are:
- Poor breathing patterns
- Pain on deep breathing
- Tightness through the chest
- Inability to stand up straight
- Pain on coughing, sneezing or twisting
- Decreased range of motion
Treatment can include:
- Deep tissue massage
- Joint mobilisation
- Joint manipulation
- Muscle energy techniques
- Home exercise program
- Dry needling
- Postural strengthening program
- Stretches
- Breathing pattern retraining
If you are suffering from any kind of musculoskeletal pain including back pain, neck pain, rib pain, joint pain, hip pain or suffer from headaches or other painful symptoms it is very likely that our team of doctors and other practitioners can help you make a good recovery. We also have a Connect Therapy and Thoracic Ring Approach practitioner at our clinic in Milton Keynes. Call us now or contact us on our website www.blackberryclinic.co. uk We have nationwide clinics so there is likely to be one near where you live!
