One of the most common reasons massage therapists refer their clients to our practice is because they suspect a rib is out of place. In chiropractic terms, this means that the rib is misaligned.
Your body has 24 ribs, each playing a crucial role in breathing mechanics and protecting your vital organs. When a rib becomes misaligned, it can cause significant discomfort and even make simple movements and breathing difficult.
Rib misalignments most commonly occur either in the front near the chest or in the back along the spine. If left untreated, a misaligned rib may heal in an incorrect position, making you more susceptible to future injuries in the same area.
Chiropractors are trained to identify and correct misaligned ribs through targeted adjustments. These adjustments can help restore proper alignment, alleviate pain, and improve overall function.
In some cases, manual adjustments involving a controlled force may be used to realign the ribs. This technique often results in a popping sound as the rib returns to its proper position.
For patients with extremely tender ribs, we also offer gentle adjustment techniques that do not involve manual force. These techniques are designed to provide relief and promote healing without causing additional discomfort.
In addition to the ribs, the collarbones (clavicles) also play a crucial role in maintaining balance throughout the body. When the collarbones are misaligned, it can lead to a cascade of issues in other areas.
Our chiropractors are skilled in assessing and adjusting the collarbones to ensure they are properly balanced, promoting overall musculoskeletal health.
If you're experiencing rib or collarbone pain, don't let it continue to impact your quality of life. Seeking chiropractic care can help you find relief, restore proper alignment, and prevent future issues from developing.
Contact our team today to schedule a consultation and discover how our targeted approach to rib and collarbone chiropractic care can help you feel better, move better, and breathe better.
Yes, chiropractors can adjust your ribs and collarbone. Chiropractors are trained to adjust every joint in the body, which includes your ribs and collarbone. There are many ways to adjust the ribs depending on how you are misaligned. Some adjustments are done from the anterior (front) side of your body near your sternum (breast bone) while some adjustments are done from the posterior (back) side of your body near your spine. Some rib adjustments are even done on the outside of your body where your rib wraps around to the front of your body. Adjustments can be performed manually using the chiropractors hands, or with the use of a dropping mechanism on the chiropractic table, or even with different handheld spring loaded instruments. The amount of different adjustments to the ribs and collarbones are almost endless. Since there are so many ways to adjust the ribs and collarbones, the chiropractor will choose what adjustment will work best for you and which adjustment makes you feel the most comfortable. So if you've been struggling with rib or collarbone issues, then be sure to schedule your first appointment HERE.
Ribs get out of alignment through a variety of mechanisms. Some mechanisms involve a fall or traumatic injury while others may be a slow progression of poor posture and movements over a long period of time. Some people even get a rib out of alignment through improper breathing. You'll know your rib is out of alignment if the area feels achy with possible swelling. It may even be difficult to breathe due to rib pain. Lots of people then focus on relaxing the muscle surrounding the misaligned rib for temporary relief. This can be effective for a short amount of time, but at the end of the day, the rib alignment needs to be corrected in order for the symptoms to be alleviated. So if your rib is out of alignment, be sure to schedule HERE so we can help realign your rib.
Chiropractic can help make your collar bones level to a certain extent. Of course, it depends on a variety of factors, such as how far off is the alignment, how long has it been there, are there any surgeries involved, etc. Chiropractic is designed to bring balance to the body. When there is balance, gravitational force is able to be evenly distributed through all your bones, muscles, and tissues. When you are unbalanced, then gravitational force will not be evenly distributed causing areas of compression and muscle compensations that can lead to issues down the road. So if you're already noticing imbalances in the body and can even see that your collar bones don't line up, then be sure to schedule HERE.
Chiropractic is great for rib pain. In fact, the number one reason why massage therapists refer their clients to chiropractors is because they feel a "rib out of place." When a rib is out of alignment, the muscles around it tighten up to protect the area from falling further out of alignment. Muscle tightness is a smart response by the body but it can lead to pain and discomfort. Focusing only on the muscle to relieve the pain is a temporary relief. Chiropractors focus on correcting the alignment of the ribs so the muscles can automatically relax and therefore pain reduces. So if you've been suffering with rib pain, then be sure to schedule HERE so we can help correct the alignment.
There are several ways that a chiropractor adjusts the ribs. Some adjustments are performed manually where a pop or crack sound can be heard, where other adjustments are performed gently and still get the same results. Overall proper alignment is most important. Since the ribs play such a large role in how you breathe, certain adjustments are performed on full inhalation or exhalation to improve the way that you breathe. When the ribs are adjusted, you'll start to notice that breathing becomes easier, muscle tension starts to relax, and that it is easier to maintain good posture. So if you've never had your ribs checked by a chiropractor and you have a feeling that they are out of alignment, then be sure to schedule HERE.
If taking a deep breath causes pain in your ribs, then you most likely have a misaligned rib. Your ribs can call out of alignment due to a variety of different reasons. When your ribs are misaligned it causes pain during inhalation. This is because you put more pressure on the joint where the rib attaches to the spine. The way to correct the alignment of your rib is through a chiropractic adjustment. When the alignment of your rib is restored, you can start to breathe easier with less pain. So if you notice that it is painful to breathe, then schedule HERE so we can make sure that your ribs are in proper alignment.