Rib cage injury

[HOOLIGAN]

I've just suffered a strange spontaneous rib cage injury for the 3rd time in the last 3.5 years. I've been to my primary Dr. and have appointments with an endo and PT to try and figure this out.

1st time - I was leg pressing and something popped in my ribs. It hurt but not too bad. The next morning I woke up and could hardly move - tremendous pain. X-Rays showed no fractures. They told me it was a cartilage tear or strain and to take it easy and it would heal in 6-8 weeks.
The pain got progressively worse for the first week and didn't really subside until the fourth week. It did heal within 8 weeks.

2nd time - 1 year after the 1st - same scenario, different rib. Same explanation/diagnoses from the Dr's. Same pain, same healing time.

3rd time, last week. I was doing leg curls. POP!! different rib again. X-Rays show no fracture so it has to be soft tissue damage (coastal cartilage?).
I beleive that there has to be an underlying problem causing this. My Dr. is trying to figure it out but I was hoping I could get some insight here at Pro M.
Any ideas/comments/experience with an injury of this type?

 

[Lumber-Yard]

I had a similar scenario last spring only it was something I woke up with one morning. I must have twisted or something in my sleep and strained something.
Intense pain when I would lift my arms overhead or twist to look behind me web I would back the car up. I couldn't even sleep on that side for a month or more

I finally went to the doc and they couldn't find anything wrong. He manipulated my back a bit and got some cracks out of it but it didnt help. Healed up on its own after about two months. I've been lucky that it hasn't happened again.

I don't know if it was a serratus strain or a dislocated rib or what. Is the pain isolated in one spot? Depending on how I would move the pain could be in the front or the back

Best of luck on a quick recovery!

 

[dougisbig]

I have dislocated a rib 2 times. Luckily both times were during the office hours of my chiro and I went directly to her (I trusted her to diagnose it more so than my family dr, whom I also trust). We took x-rays and it showed no fracture/break. Long story short-it hurt popping out and it hurt like a motherfucker when she adjusted me to get it back in place. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain but that didn't stop me from vomiting all over her floor the first time....
She didn't have any suggestions on attempting to prevent it going forward as some people are apparently more prone to this injury.

 

[nikehotel]

I popped a rib on each side, the lower floating ribs are more prone, cuz the attachment point is just 1 side. My Chiro couldn't get mine back in. Over time it will harden back up, but you will have a bump where the rib head is displaced to. Google Chael sonnen, he has same injury. It hurts, but it isn't terrible serious.

 

[ktjn]

I have had happen several times. Chiropractor is only relief. It hurts to get put Back in but well worth it.

 

[maldorf]

I had that happen to me 2x leg pressing also, hurts for a long time. I am pretty sure it happens when you come down really low with the weight and your thighs come down hard on your ribs. Once I stopped coming down so low I never had it happen again. Another bad thing about coming down so low is that you often strain your lower back too because it raises up off the pad.

 

[HOOLIGAN]

After happening 3 times I'm concerned that there is an underlying problem. It really sucks to be sidelined for 6-8 weeks.
I'm 43 now and I don't lift nearly as heavy as I did say 10+ years ago and I never had any problems like this when I was younger.

I'll get to the bottom of it eventually. I have a few appointments scheduled starting next week with a sports medicine doc and then with an endo.