Rib Movement

I would like to know how to get movement back into my 3 upper ribs on the right side? I was injured pushing on a window a few years ago. Since then I have had cervical disc surgery. I have undergone PT, and am currently seeing a chiropractor.  Recently I went to a new doctor and he told me my upper three ribs had no movement which was causing me my pain. Any suggestions?

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Gail:

I am not sure which type of physician told you that your upper three ribs had no movement, and was meant by that statement.  Generally, the ribs do not move much anyway.  The facets near the spinal column move ever so slightly as the joint (facet) is articular in nature.  If they moved too much, they would dislocate and then you would really know what the word pain meant.  The movement back there is only fractions of mm in distance.  The sternal joints are pretty immoble as the ribs meet the sternum (ribs 2 and others).  The first rib does not meet the sternum as the others but joins the top of the sternum.  None of these joints move much.  Pain could arise if you had inflammation of the joints which would limit movement.  But, no one has suggested this.  The pain would be from the inflammation process itself and not the lack of rib movement.

Have your physician to better explain the rib movement/non-movement scenerio concerning pain. There doesn't seem to be much physiological reasoning behind simple non-movement causing pain.  One would think that it has to due with the etiology, in your case trauma.  But since you did not indicate that you broke your ribs, an explanation should be given.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD