What causes it?
Rib Cartilage Injury can be caused by a variety of conditions that include but are not limited to:
Sports injury due to constant pressure on the rib cage especially in sports that require vigorous swinging of the arms or sudden jerking of the chest.
Work injury due to the direct impact of heavy equipment on the wall of the chest causing fracture or dislocation of the rib cartilage.
Car injury which occurs during high impact accidents.
Domestic fall following direct trauma on the front of the rib cage.
Fracture or dislocation which results from direct blows to the chest by solid objects.
Forceful coughing in which the ribs separate from its attachment.
People suffering from Rib Cartilage Injury often feel pain with deep breaths, pain with coughing and pain with sneezing.
A medical condition associated with rib cartilage injury known as Costochondritis is characterised by the inflammation of the costal cartilage and could result in pain that usually worsens with movement and exertion. The affected individual is likely to feel chest pain with deep breaths. The affected person will also experience pain with coughing or pain with sneezing due to the vigorous motions these actions have on moving the ribs in the torso.
Some affected individuals may experience muscle spasms in the area of the ribcage. In severe cases, the ribcage may be deformed, resulting in pain with coughing and sneezing.