Expert: Dr. Man Tran, Ph.D., D.C., L.Ac. - 9/14/2006

Question
About three months ago, while doing a rapid twisting motion to the left, I dislocated a rib at the rib/sternum joint. According to the physical therapist I have seen, the end of the rib appears to be riding up on the sternum, causing it to twist inward, and the end of the rib is also twisted. She was unable to move it back to where it belongs, or even to dislodge it, and no amount of heat, stretching, etc., has made a difference.Initially, the pain was severe, but the rib is not excessively painful anymore, though the muscles above and below it tend to hurt. I'm concerned about the long-term effects of my rearranged anatomy.  I'm wondering what my options are, and appreciate any suggested courses of action. Thanks,

- David

Answer
Dear David,

It seems your body has healed itself around the "dislocated" rib.  This is the reason why you don't feel much pain at the area except at the muscles above and below with movements involving the rib.  The reason why the pain continues to hurt is because the "new position" of the rib is scraping against the muscles.  In order to prevent or fix this, the rib must be "adjust" back in place.  If this condition is not taken care of, you may have pain down the road and the movements of your trunk will be restricted and compromised.

My advice is to have an X-ray taken of the rib/sternum area to see how much it has "dislocated."  This is the call of a Chiropractor.  Visit a Chiropractor who will do a complete examination to determine if x-ray is necessary.  The Chiropractor may work on the surrounding muscles to break the scar tissues in order for him to adjust the joint back into place.  This may take a few visits to accomplish since the condition has been 3 months.

Final suggestion:  Visit a Chiropractor with a good chance it can be fix to avoid pain down the road.

Good luck,

Dr. Man Tran
www.DrManTran.com