What people often don’t realize is that “back pain” might be rubbing ribs. If pushing your ribs in on one side seems to help your back pains, consider rubbing ribs.
Despite using a 4″ memory foam to boost up my pelvis at night ( Nocturnal Rib Impingement
http://painmuse.org/?p=4682
I still got painful ribs under my crest bone by morning. I pulled mine up by hand but I have strong fingers and have high bone density. Someone osteoporotic would have to go really slow about it. This is version 1.0 of my efforts:
- What blows my mind is the fact you can feel the lower margin of you rib cage clear of the pelvis and think you are fine – there might be a space for 1-2 fingers between rib and pelvic edge. Only thing is, the lowermost two ribs are FLOATING ribs – are separated out from rib cage and can be dragged down while others are clear.
- I had been able to coexist with my ribs going into my pelvis bu that changed when I fell ill with something abdominally – If you ribs don’t bother you, then you could leave them alone. Sometimes, a few hot spots can appear and you can stand, bend to opposite side and hold ribs up as you bend back. I also found just rotating your hips while you press on hot spots can melt them and subside the pains if there is just a few spots
- First thing you should know is that the rib you will be pulling up will NOT be the lowermost. I have found that on several occasions – always disappointing.
- Might have to wear rubber gloves if you have nails
Procedure
- I lay on my side with bad side up and drop my top leg over bed.
- Then I cradle my top hand fingers by the spine – if rib is impacted it will be tender
- Try to relax this could take some time
- As the rib starts to rise, hold it up with your innermost finger and see if you can more your outermost out to where rib is still above iliac crest ( note: the top margin of iliac crest will feel like a rib because it is scalloped edge). ( Sometimes I can just slide my fingers along rather than walk but haven’t figured out which works best. Lubricating to make it move easier could affect your grip.)
- Keep moving your finger out – the pain should be dissipating in areas raised up
- After about 10-15 minutes you should be out laterally so next phase begins.
Pull up Ribs Anteriorly
- You will not believe how low your ribs might be in pelvis anteriorly
- You might be able to tell where it is by tenderness and get under it with curved fingers
- If not, just guess, – as you work it up, it will become more clear
- Pull is up slowly ( if osteoporotic, might not be good idea or if necessary do very gently over some time).
- Breathing in and out deeply might help from time to time
- Gently pull up over 10-15 minutes while relaxing deeply
- As anterior moves over top of iliac rest, move your fingers laterally
- As spasm reduces under your fingers, it will release some and you can pull up more laterally
Final Push – Lateral edge
- Though awkward, I was able to get my fingers anteriorly and posteriorly simultaneously and continue pulling them out.
- Breathing and sidebending to opposite side helps
- Finally, when rib is up, you will find deep where rib meets back at lower end it will be tender – that will be the lowermost rib you can do the same way. :(
Fine Tuning
- spread you thumb/index fingers apart and engage hand at flank and pull newly released ribs up
- engage the base of your hand on the edge of your pelvic brim and push down (leg is dropped over edge of helps). Is a quadratus lumborum stretch
Quadratus lumborum stretches
- this is the muscle that goes from 12t rib to the pelvic rim and is squished when ribs get pulled down
- stand 1-2 feet from wall with bad side facing in. Support inner hand on wall. use outer hand to push your pelvis towards wall sidebending pelvis. At same time, push ribs in on outer side so when they crowd down, they don’t actually rub too hard on pelvis. Another version is just to relax and allow your body to slump over, stretching side you are treating. You will still need to push ribs in so they don’t rub too bad as they go under pelvis.
Followup –
- next morning, ribs were down again, but didn’t take half then time to bring them up. Thereafter the rubbing was not bad
? rib brace
Having a back belt band to hold ribs in can help prevent them from rubbing – I wrote about it here:
Rib belt for Rib-Hip Crest Impingement Back Pains
http://painmuse.org/?p=9209
Comment – my rubbing ribs came with irritated cluneal nerves that made my gluteal muscle spasm, and a piriformis syndrome so if you have buttock pains and trouble sitting welcome to my previous world. I would be grateful for anyone’s response to these suggestions.