Ribs are the long curved bones, running from the spine around to the sternum, protecting the thoracic cavity and its organs. There are 12 pairs, the first 7 are ‘true’ ribs as they attach directly to the sternum through cartilage, while the last 5 are termed ‘false’ ribs as they either share a common cartilaginous attachment or do not attach to the sternum at all. A sprained rib occurs commonly when doing heavy lifting/twisting movements or trauma whereas a fracture happens almost exclusively following trauma.
Signs and Symptoms:
- Sharp pain at the injury sight.
- Occasional referral around to the front of the abdomen.
- Swelling
- Pain/difficulty breathing, coughing and sneezing.
- Limited movement of torso especially twisting and extenison.