Why would the muscles along my ribs be sore?

July 17, 2017 5:29 AM

I've noticed for some time that if I press firmly on just about any of my lower front ribs, it's likely to be sore and tender. It doesn't make sense that this would be from an injury, it's just a constant state for that section.

Could this be related to posture? I spend most of my day at a computer, and I have a tendency to hunch when I'm not thinking. If it's posture, then strengthening my core and improving my posture seems like the obvious answer. If it's not posture, what might address it?

posted by bunderful to Health & Fitness (9 answers total)

I've had a similar hurt from 1. Laughing a LOT 2. Puking/dry heaving when hungover.
posted by raccoon409 at 6:51 AM on July 17, 2017

I've been diagnosed with costochondritis, which is annoying, but not serious. This sounds similar.
posted by FencingGal at 7:14 AM on July 17, 2017 [2 favorites]

I've had soreness just like this (when I press), when I've been really tense. I sit at a computer all day and I hunch sometimes... so add in tension (for me) and it happens.
posted by jdl at 7:18 AM on July 17, 2017

Yes, sounds like either posture or costochondritis. I've had both. Massage helps, and stretching, and strengthening your core/improving your posture. I would address it now - the longer you wait the more it will hurt, in my experience!
posted by john_snow at 7:20 AM on July 17, 2017

Do you do yoga? I once pulled a muscle along my ribs from overstretching when I first started yoga.
posted by kevinbelt at 9:12 AM on July 17, 2017

Response by poster: I took a yoga class recently, but I've been noticing the soreness since before then and it doesn't seem to be tied to the muscles that get stretched in yoga, just the right-on-the-rib material particularly in the lower ribcage. It also doesn't change/improve over time in the way that muscle soreness from working out does. I don't notice it unless I happen to poke at a rib and then holy shit, that freaking hurts.
posted by bunderful at 4:31 PM on July 17, 2017

I've experienced similar pain in both the situations raccoon409 mentions above as well as after having lots of orgasms, and after a long, challengingly hilly and hot bike ride.
posted by rhiannonstone at 6:10 PM on July 17, 2017

Have you been coughing a lot, from either a cold or asthma?

This can cause this.

A physiotherapist can help *a lot*.
posted by Murderbot at 4:40 AM on July 18, 2017

Response by poster: No, I'm familiar with the kind of abdominal soreness that comes with vomiting or lots of coughing and this is different. This has been going on for months and I would have to have been continually ill for that to be the cause, and I'd feel pain every time I coughed lightly - I don't. As stated above, I only know that there's a problem when I poke directly at the ribs.
posted by bunderful at 5:13 AM on July 18, 2017