This is the correct way to resolve a rib block

introduction

Rib blockage occurs when the joints between the ribs and the thoracic vertebrae become rigid.
The main symptom is pain, which occurs depending on movement and accordingly restricts the person concerned in everyday life.
There are many triggers for a rib block: They range from carrying a heavy bag on one side to incorrect posture when working at a desk or tense back / chest muscles.

In the following you will learn how you can solve a rib block correctly yourself and which exercises can help you with it.

How you can distinguish a rib block from a heart attack and what other symptoms are typical for a block, read in our appropriate article:
Rib blockage - causes, symptoms and therapy

What options are there to resolve a rib block?

A rib blockage can only be released mechanically.
This means that the blocked, joint-forming parts between the affected rib and the associated vertebra must move back into their correct, original position.
How this mechanical maneuver is achieved, however, is left to the patient and his / her therapist.

Most often, a rib block will resolve itself with random movement.
It is therefore important that those affected are adequately covered with painkillers so that they do not adopt a relieving posture.
Only then do they move freely and a spontaneous "straightening" of the affected rib joint is possible.

In order to achieve freedom from pain faster or to have an alternative to painkillers, heat can also be used.
The warmth supports the blood circulation in hardened muscles and thus releases the tension around the affected rib joint.
Thereupon more play of the joint-forming partners is possible and the rib can more easily assume its original position in relation to the vertebral body.

If rib blocks are very persistent, manual straightening is of course also possible.
However, this procedure is more suitable for difficult rib blocks and should not be repeated too often, as it can also injure ligaments or surrounding structures.

manual therapy / chiropractic

Manual therapy is one way of releasing a rib block.
The principle of this therapy procedure lies in the treatment by the therapist's hands.
Joint partners are mobilized and possible blockages are released by means of supported movement or pressure and tension.
In the case of a rib block, manual therapy can include both movement exercises and massages.
It is only important that the musculoskeletal system and its associated structures, such as bones or muscles, take up their actual position and function again by means of physiological movement patterns - regardless of whether they are actively or passively exercised by the person affected.

The use of medication is therefore not part of traditional manual therapy, but can be prescribed by a doctor to support it.
In addition, it is important to precisely define the term “manual therapy”.
It is a branch of classical physiotherapy and includes various techniques such as chirotherapy or osteopathy.
If a prescription from the family doctor says “manual medicine”, the practitioner in the practice is more or less free to decide which technique he or she considers to be the most effective for the person concerned.

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Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)

In order to be able to treat successfully in orthopedics, a thorough examination, diagnosis and a medical history are required.
In our very economic world in particular, there is too little time to thoroughly grasp the complex diseases of orthopedics and thus initiate targeted treatment.
I don't want to join the ranks of "quick knife pullers".
The aim of any treatment is treatment without surgery.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

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• Lumedis - orthopedic surgeons
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You can make an appointment here.
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For more information about myself, see Lumedis - Orthopedists.

What is chiropractic?

Strictly speaking, chiropractic is a manual therapy of the spine.
It is well suited for resolving a rib blockage, as this clinical picture involves a functional disorder between a rib and the associated vertebral body.
If all vertebrae are in the foreseen position to one another and the curvatures of the spine are physiological, they form optimal joint partners for the ribs and normally there should not be a (new) blockage.

What does osteopathy do?

The name "osteopathy" already reveals that this form of treatment is primarily about the topic of bones.
Both the ribs and the vertebral bodies are bones.
The aim of osteopathy is to remove the restriction of movement caused by the rib block and thus to achieve freedom from pain or at least a reduction in pain.
It also achieves this in almost all cases when the bony malalignment between the rib and vertebral body is corrected using special grip techniques.

You can find out which diseases can cause rib pain in the following article: Rib pain - these are the causes

How can you solve a rib block yourself?

For those affected, it is important to keep calm and create optimal framework conditions in the event of a rib blockage.
This means that they should retreat to a place where they can sit undisturbed.
Since experience has shown that pain also dominates the acute clinical picture, a pain-relieving measure such as the application of heat or the use of painkillers should be carried out before each attempt to solve the blockage independently.

If those affected feel able to move again with less pain, they can do this simple exercise:

• sit on a chair
• place your stomach on your thighs (similar to when you lean forward to tie your shoes)

This movement stretches the back muscles and widens the intervertebral spaces to the maximum.
In the best case scenario, this is sufficient to spontaneously straighten the affected rib on the associated vertebra.

If this maneuver did not work, those affected can do the following exercise:

• sit on a chair
• try to move left and right in a sitting position (similar to when you want to pick up a fallen object from the floor)

The purpose of this exercise is to mobilize the spine in the lateral plane along with the ribs.

If this exercise does not work either, it is important to be patient, to move as normally as possible and, if necessary, to repeat the exercises.
If the blockage persists, however, a therapist must be consulted.

What do exercises do?

When talking about exercises in the context of a rib block, one has to distinguish whether they are preventive movement measures or active applications to release an acute block.
Exercises make sense above all to prevent a new rib blockage, as their goal is to strengthen the back muscles and correct misalignments of the spine and thus the ribs as well as possible through conscious posture patterns.
If the physiological position of the skeleton is regained through exercises, the risk of a new deformity is rather low.

Exercise can lead to rapid pain relief in the acute clinical picture.
However, every person affected should be aware that only the bony problem has been solved by means of an exercise and spontaneous straightening and, for example, the surrounding muscles may still be tense.

If the muscular balance is not restored, there is a risk of new bone misalignment.
Exercises to solve a rib block are therefore important for a quick correction, but should always be followed by long-term exercises in order to correct the basic cause.

Does heat application help?

Heat applications can be used as a supportive measure for rib blocks.
If heat is applied locally to the painful area, it promotes blood flow to the muscles in this area and can help relieve the tension there.
When the muscle relaxes, the pull orPressure on the joint-forming parts and they are more inclined to return to their natural position in relation to one another.

How often can a rib block be released?

Basically, every blockage must be resolved so that the joints and the associated muscles can function properly.
However, it is important to pay attention to how to break a rib block.
It should always be carried out as gently as possible, as this can damage neighboring structures as little as possible.
The solution of a rib blockage by means of specially performed exercises without the intervention of third parties from the outside can therefore be regarded as harmless.

Any measure that involves an unfamiliar external force can potentially damage structures, so these measures should only be used in individual cases.

Physiotherapy after a rib block

The goal of physiotherapy is to restore natural movement patterns.
If there is a blockage in the ribs, neither breathing nor the movement of the spine can take place undisturbed, so that physiotherapy is appropriate here.

Whether it is used in the form of manual therapy or chiropractic is left to the experience of the practitioner and the wishes of the person concerned. It can be seen as an acute treatment as well as a long-term preventive measure.