Slipping rib syndrome

[Christy]

Do anyone's floating ribs get out of place? It seems like this is called a lot of different things. I'm told you can even displace rib tips with a sneeze. If so, what do you do about it?

I'd had some pinching and achiness in my back for a while and I had a great massage recently and the therapist told me I had two rip tips out of place. She popped them back in and it felt fantastic! But now I have the same pain again so I guess they have slipped out. I'm seeing a fantastic physical therapist next week but it sure is achy right now. I'm wondering what people usually do about this. It sounds like there's a number of different ways to deal with it.

 

[Obrules15]

Sorry, I got nothin'.

 

[LKillick]

Interesting -- hadn't heard about them needing to be adjusted in that manner. Sorry, that doesn't sound fun to have it linger. I would think your PT sessions will be beneficial.

I likely have this -- but for me it manifests with an MS hug like sensation upon a deep twist or bend. I don't have MS, but apparently the hug is sometimes present with other conditions of this sort. Initially mine was thought to be costochondritis, but this is a chronic issue for me, one I've had for many years, and I don't have the associated inflammation. I just try to avoid the triggering movements and breathe through it when it occurs.

 

[geargrrl]

I get it - a rib gets out of place under my scapula. The only thing that fixes it is chiropractic.

 

[Jenny]

I get it - a rib gets out of place under my scapula. The only thing that fixes it is chiropractic.

I think this may be what I have - massage hasn't helped, PT did temporarily, never been to a chiropractor but was thinking about it. Just kind of stuck at how to pick one.

 

[geargrrl]

Ask your friends for a referral. Chiropractic treatment is all over the place and I find WOM is the best way to find someone wellness oriented.

 

[Jenny]

I've been trying that, but no one goes!

 

[Littlesonique]

My husband had a floating rib. It healed after a few months. He refused chiropractic but did get a massage (that did nothing it heal it)

 

[Christy]

Thanks for the responses. My PT was able to move my appt up to tomorrow morning and I'm eager to hear what she says. She is pretty different than other PTs I've seen. She is her own business and just has a tiny little studio--you don't do your exercises there. But, she was able to figure out what was going on with my knee a few years ago when the fancy UW Sports Medicine Clinic--one of those places whose walls are lined with autographed head shots of the pro sports stars that go there--was not. The LMT I saw at Sun Valley also mentioned chiropractors. I've never seen one but I'm sure I could find a good recommendation.

 

[MI-skier]

Ask your friends for a referral. Chiropractic treatment is all over the place and I find WOM is the best way to find someone wellness oriented.

As a chiropractor, I endorse this :-) !

 

[MI-skier]

I've been trying that, but no one goes!

If you would like to pm me, I may know of a referral.

 

[MI-skier]

Thanks for the responses. My PT was able to move my appt up to tomorrow morning and I'm eager to hear what she says. She is pretty different than other PTs I've seen. She is her own business and just has a tiny little studio--you don't do your exercises there. But, she was able to figure out what was going on with my knee a few years ago when the fancy UW Sports Medicine Clinic--one of those places whose walls are lined with autographed head shots of the pro sports stars that go there--was not. The LMT I saw at Sun Valley also mentioned chiropractors. I've never seen one but I'm sure I could find a good recommendation.

Happy to see if I can get you a referral. I know quite a few nationally. PM me if you want.

 

[MI-skier]

Ribs do come out of alignment and respond wonderfully to a chiropractic adjustment. I like to look and see if it is chronic or isolated. The pain can take your breath away and is not fun to endure. I've had them myself. Good luck.

 

[Christy]

I went back to my awesome PT and she was horrified at my alignment issues. She showed me in the mirror how one side of my waist is long and the other is noticeably more concave. I can't believe I never noticed that. She did some manipulation to get my pelvis unstuck and prescribed exercises to, among other things, realign the top of my spine which is rotated left and to help the external rotation of my tibias to try to straighten my legs. @MI-skier I've never seen a chiropractor. What would that approach be for a spine where the top vertebrae were not aligned? I'm just curious.

 

[MI-skier]

I went back to my awesome PT and she was horrified at my alignment issues. She showed me in the mirror how one side of my waist is long and the other is noticeably more concave. I can't believe I never noticed that. She did some manipulation to get my pelvis unstuck and prescribed exercises to, among other things, realign the top of my spine which is rotated left and to help the external rotation of my tibias to try to straighten my legs. @MI-skier I've never seen a chiropractor. What would that approach be for a spine where the top vertebrae were not aligned? I'm just curious.

Something to consider is if you are structurally not in alignment, and the nerves exiting from your vertebrae are impaired, preventing full function to muscle, you can exercise or try to strengthen all day long but it won't restore nerve conduction/communication to the muscles/soft tissue. Rehabing soft tissue only goes so far when done solo. Many of my patients already come to me having done PT and it was only when we added the structural correction that it fully was addressed. In our office we do a complete chiropractic exam incl ortho and neuro, xrays if necessary and a care plan protocol to obtain specific functional and structural outcomes. Let me know if you'd like a referral. I know great docs across the nation. PS...it is also not enough that the posture is addressed, individual joint movement needs to be looked at too. I've seen people initially look ok but then their xrays showed individual segments locked and degenerated. If they don't move, they decay and DJD sets in.

 

[Christy]

Thanks for that explanation. I will absolutely take a recommendation.

 

[MI-skier]

Thanks for that explanation. I will absolutely take a recommendation.

If you want to send me (privately-your choice) your hometown/city/zipcode, I'll see if I have a match with one of my colleagues.

 

[sorcamc]

oh man, I thought I possibly injured some lower ribs and came searching ski diva to see if anyone here had it. After reading about this post, I suspect I have it, just had several x-rays today and have an ultrasound on Tuesday. I had an impact injury to ribs last week and it was ok, or so I thought, but when I pulled new ski boots on the other day, I felt my rib popping when I bent over and was like, oh no..and the muscle pain since then has been awful. I also realized that wearing high waisted leggings was REALLY painful. I think the ribs are not connected to the cartilage they are supposed to be attached to and the compression clothing just presses the loose ribs into stuff they are not meant to press into. UGHHHHHHHHHHH, I wouldn't mind but it was the dumbest impact accident ever, I dont want my ribs to fold under one another, it is SO uncomfortable! I actually pulled the ribs out to their normal position the other day and that is what caused the pain to start up. how long did it take to heal for you

 

[newboots]

Holy Ribcage, @sorcamc ! This sounds awful! So sorry to hear about it.

I never heard of it, so nothing to offer except healing thoughts and words of comfort.

 

[sorcamc]

Thank you. I have been working on my Dr Google thoracic doctorate this weekend. I've learned a lot and learned how to help it. I can feel where a rib is out of place (its not broken), but think it may have separated from cartilage. I've already researched the best specialists and will figure it out, but I am really hoping some PT, some taping/bracing and time will fix it