What is it?
Localised unilateral mid back pain with altered range of motion
What are the causes?
Generally a sudden and unguarded movement.
- May have a history off sudden, explosive coughing and sneezing with pain on inspiration or report a sudden stabbing pain following lifting, this is indicative of thoracic facet joint sprain.
- A crushing blow to the chest (eg. motor vehicle accident) can also precipitate dysfunction.
- Heavy lifting or prolonged pulling of the shoulder can also cause dysfunction.
- Flexion/rotation injuries or the trunk are common causes of lower thoracic rib dysfunction (eg. motor vehicle accident)
What are the symptoms?
- Unilateral pain is the most common symptom.
- Pain is commonly described as sharp and stabbing, accentuated by inspiration and coughing
- Rib head dysfunction commonly accompanies thoracic dysfunction as do intercostal muscle spasm.
- Other common complaints are continuous soreness at the costovertebral junction resembling intercostal neuralgia.