Have you ever noticed how, after a long day of stress or physical exertion, you experience a dull ache or discomfort around your ribs? Sometimes, even taking a deep breath can feel painful or tight. While rib pain is common, what many people don’t realize is how much their breathing patterns can affect it. This discomfort might come on gradually, or suddenly after a specific event like lifting something heavy or sitting in a slouched position for too long.
If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Many people in Saskatoon struggle with rib pain caused or worsened by improper breathing patterns. At E3 Chiropractic + Wellness, our team of professionals frequently addresses this issue by helping patients correct their breathing techniques, relieve rib pain, and improve overall health.
In this blog, we’ll explore how breathing patterns directly impact rib pain and what you can do to fix it.
Understanding Rib Pain: What Causes It?
Rib pain can be alarming, as it’s often mistaken for more serious conditions like heart or lung problems. However, in many cases, rib pain is mechanical or musculoskeletal in nature. This type of rib pain is often linked to tension, strain, or misalignment in the muscles, joints, and tissues surrounding the ribs, and is influenced by how you breathe.
Common causes of rib pain include:
Poor posture: Slouching or hunching over tightens the chest muscles and puts strain on the ribs.
Muscle tension: Tight muscles in the upper body can lead to tension in the ribs and diaphragm.
Injury: Physical trauma, such as a fall or lifting a heavy object improperly, can cause rib misalignment or bruising.
Incorrect breathing patterns: Shallow breathing or over-relying on certain muscles can strain the ribs and diaphragm.
Rib pain can feel sharp or achy, and it can even cause difficulty breathing, making the situation more uncomfortable.
How Breathing Patterns Contribute to Rib Pain
When we think about breathing, we tend to picture a simple, automatic process. However, how we breathe—whether we are using our diaphragm effectively or relying on our upper chest muscles—can have a significant impact on the ribs and the surrounding muscles.
1. Shallow Breathing and Rib Strain
Many people, especially when stressed or anxious, engage in shallow breathing. This is when you take quick, shallow breaths primarily from the chest rather than from the diaphragm, which is a large, dome-shaped muscle at the base of the lungs. Shallow breathing places more strain on the intercostal muscles (the muscles between the ribs) and the upper chest muscles. Over time, this can lead to rib pain, tightness, and discomfort.
2. Overusing Upper Chest Muscles
When we breathe incorrectly, the muscles in the upper chest, such as the scalenes and sternocleidomastoid muscles, take over much of the work that should be done by the diaphragm. These muscles aren’t designed for continuous heavy use in breathing, which can cause them to become tight and fatigued, leading to pain that radiates into the ribs.
3. Lack of Rib Movement
The ribs need to expand and contract fully with each breath. Proper diaphragmatic breathing encourages this movement, promoting healthy circulation and reducing stiffness. When breathing is shallow, the ribs don’t move enough, which can cause the muscles and joints between the ribs to become stiff or inflamed, leading to pain.
How Can You Tell If Breathing Patterns Are Contributing to Your Rib Pain?
If you’re dealing with rib pain and suspect that your breathing might be the culprit, there are a few signs to watch for:
Pain or tightness in the ribs when taking a deep breath: This can indicate restricted rib movement or tension in the intercostal muscles.
Frequent feelings of tightness or discomfort in the chest area: Upper chest breathing often creates tension across the chest and upper back.
Tension in the neck and shoulders: Incorrect breathing patterns can lead to overuse of muscles in the neck and shoulders, which can radiate pain to the ribs.
If these symptoms sound familiar, your breathing patterns may be at the root of your rib pain.
How E3 Chiropractic + Wellness Can Help
At E3 Chiropractic + Wellness, we understand how interconnected the body’s systems are and how a seemingly simple action, like breathing, can have a major impact on your health and well-being. Our team of professionals specializes in assessing and addressing rib pain caused by improper breathing patterns. Here’s how we can help:
1. Breathing Assessments
We start by evaluating your breathing patterns to identify whether you're engaging in shallow or upper-chest breathing. Our chiropractors can show you how to activate your diaphragm properly, which will reduce strain on your upper chest muscles and allow your ribs to move more freely.
2. Chiropractic Adjustments
If your rib pain is caused by poor rib joint motion, our chiropractors at E3 Chiropractic + Wellness can perform gentle adjustments to ensure that your ribs, spine, and surrounding structures are moving properly. This helps restore normal rib movement and reduces inflammation and tension in the muscles.
3. Posture Correction
Your posture plays a critical role in how you breathe. By helping you correct your posture, we can alleviate the pressure on your ribs and upper chest muscles. Our team will guide you through exercises and stretches to improve posture and enhance breathing efficiency.
4. Muscle Release Techniques
If tight muscles are contributing to your rib pain, our chiropractors can use myofascial release techniques to relieve tension in the chest, neck, and upper back. This reduces strain on the ribs and encourages proper breathing patterns.
5. Breathing Exercises
We’ll teach you diaphragmatic breathing techniques to help you engage your core and take deeper, more effective breaths. These exercises can reduce stress on the ribs and help prevent future pain.
Take a Deep Breath and Find Relief
Breathing is essential, but it’s easy to take it for granted—until it starts causing pain. Rib pain related to breathing patterns is a common but treatable issue. At E3 Chiropractic + Wellness, we have the expertise to help you correct your breathing patterns, improve rib mobility, and relieve pain so you can breathe easier and live more comfortably.
If you’re in Saskatoon and struggling with rib pain, don’t wait for it to get worse. Visit E3 Chiropractic + Wellness to learn more about how we can help. With a personalized treatment plan that focuses on addressing the root causes of your pain, we’ll guide you on the path to recovery.
Click HERE to schedule a FREE discovery call today and take the first step toward pain relief and better breathing.
Your ribs—and your whole body—will thank you!
