Have you been struggling with rib cage pain when reaching down to get your shoes or socks on?
Did you think it was just because you put on a little weight or because you are getting older?
When you have an injury, your body will compensate to try and unload the injured area. Once the pain is resolved and you have recovered, your body doesn’t always go back to the optimal way of doing things. This results in the overloading of some structures and deconditioning of others and often a reduction in range of motion for a particular joint.
It may be a rib cage problem that isn’t allowing you to reach your feet any more.
Past injuries such as car accidents or having a prolonged bad cough, such as pneumonia, can cause rib issues. Fracturing the ribs or lifting and loading in an awkward position can also load the rib area. If your ribs aren’t allowed to move then you will lose range of motion in your pelvis as well, which will eventual lead to reduced range of motion in your hips and your lower back. This results in you not being able to put your shoes on!
How do you know if it’s your ribs?
Often the ribs themselves don’t hurt, but affect other areas without you knowing it. You can check a few things at home to see if they might be the issue.
- Lay on your back in a comfortable position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor or bed
- Place your hands on your lower rib cage, ensure you are on the ribs and not your stomach
- Breath slowly in and out for a few breaths and note what happens to your hands
If you hands don’t move very much try and increase the amount you breathe in.
What are the issues?
- You notice that most of the movement is in the upper rib cage – near you collar.
- You notice that your hands don’t move – there should be some movement happening here
- You notice that your hands move down and toward your hips only.
- When you try to increase the amount you breath in or out you find it very difficult to do.
How do we fix it?
- We will assess you entire body to find out why your ribs aren’t moving.
– Our initial assessment goes for an hour so that we can get to the root cause of your problem and start addressing it. - We will desensitise areas that aren’t loading correctly or optimally, so that you can start to mobilise your ribs better.
– This can be a little uncomfortable, please let your physiotherapist know if its not tolerable.
– Heat is a good way to help relax the muscles after and between treatments - We will show you have to increase your rib mobility
– There are a few simple exercises that we love for keeping your ribs mobile - We will give you some simple exercises to increase your strength around the area so that you can maintain your rib mobility.
– These exercises will be tailored to your goals and current fitness level.
Book an appointment
If this sounds like what you have been looking for then book online or phone 0410 559 856 to book you initial assessment today. And look forward to being able increase your independence again.
For more information, please see our FAQs or contact the clinic.