Strange "back" pain

[TheFlash]

Hello.

I have a question about what I think is back pain. It is very difficult to describe, so I hope that you understand from my explanation. Do you know the feeling of discomfort you get in your upper torso when you lay on your side, propped up on your elbow too long - like something's out of place and it takes several seconds for your body to work out the kinks so you can stand up again without discomfort? I get this more and more lately - without really leaning on my elbow much - sometimes from sitting with my legs facing one direction or the other - or sitting with bad posture. As long as I'm up and moving, it is fine. I have always noticed this, but as it has gotten worse recently ...

Here is my real problem ... one day while lifting - doing upright rows - I felt a pop. This is where it is difficult to describe ... it felt like it was inside my chest cavity - not in the front by my ribs, but not quite my back either, and kind of just off-center to the right, just below my shoulder blade. When it happened, at first I had a hard time breathing and I couldn't move my shoulders - it felt like a had a charlie horse, so I grabbed onto a machine to try and stretch it out, but I couldn't quite find the right angle to make it go away. It felt like the feeling I described above - leaning on one elbow too long - but much more severe.

I was stiff for the rest of the day, slept fine, and the next day it only was a little stiff if I moved it just right - trying to find the spot. I took the next week off, just in case. I've been back lifting for a couple of weeks with no problems at all, but I haven't dared push it too hard either.

The fact that I am getting that feeling of leaning on one elbow too long worries me - makes me wonder if that pop was some actual damage to a muscle that is attached to my spine and that lifting might make it worse - by developing the side opposite the damaged side, making it more unbalanced. I don't have insurance right now, as I was laid off recently by a Dell site closure, so I don't want to go in for a bunch of expensive tests, yet I definitely don't want to make it worse either.

Can you help me understand what structure may be affected, what might have happened, and what I might do about it, and if indeed there is something I should worry about?

Thank you for your time and your advice.

Greg

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[alophysio]

hi The Flash or Greg - which do you prefer?

From your description, it sounds like a sprained rib.

When you lie on your side leaning on the elbow etc...that is stretching your ribs and the few seconds for your body to iron out the kinks is just all those joints back into place.

Obviously it is hard to work out what is exactly wrong with you without assessment but...

1. I would be at least 90% certain you have either a sprained rib or a strained little muscle next to your rib joint
2. No specific medical test (think X-ray, MRI, CT scan, ultrasound etc) would sort that out for you.
3. I suggest you see someone who is good at diagnosis and treatment of rib problems - believe me when i tell you that few are truly good at it
4. If you want to try solve it on your own (not recommended), then i would suggest that 3-6 weeks should do it...at 3 weeks a lot of the pain will have subsided but would be easily aggravated. You would need to lay off the weights for the upper body - even push ups etc. This is because i haven't assessed you to be able to tell what is ok and isn't...which is why seeing someone can be worth the time and money. Leaving it to "get better" on its own doesn't guarantee that it will be able to cope and may possibly become a "weak spot" in your back which is easily sprained again.

I would suggest that you ring around, ask them if they can fix rib problems and how. Explain that you have enough money for 1 x1hr session and no insurance. You would want an assessment, explanation, treatment and a home program with progressions so you can take care of it on your own. Take a video and record how to tape your rib if it is applicable - i love these new smart phones...no more fiddling with cameras and webcams and permission and transferring to CD etc!

Hope that helps - not such a strange back pain after all!

[msk101]

Hi there!
I agree - sounds like a costovertebral subluxation to me. Which basically means the small joints that connect your ribs to the lateral edge of your spine can "pop" out - this occurs with increased or sudden muscular effort (i khow someone who did this with a throw in judo and also someone pulling weeds in the garden).

It can take a few weeks to settle and i would suggest not straining too hard with weights for about a month then gradually work back up to your usual lifts. if it's still being irritable you can see a physio to mobilise or manip the joint but you can effectively do this yourself leaning on a tennis ball on the wall and rolling slowly and gently on the ball around the sore spot. Also agreed that no expensive tests will really show you what's wrong (unless the rib is physically displaced but it doesn't sound like it is - sounds more like it relocated immediately). Physio can assess the rib, the costo-vertebral joints and your muscle structure as well as your lift technique to ensure you're not going to do any further injuries.

good luck with it
msk101