Costochondritis

[Chad Cilli]

Does anybody else suffer from costochondritis occasionally? Mine seems to come and go, but there seems to be a correlation with shoulder presses. This seems counterintuitive to me, since I'd expect bench presses to be the problem, but instead, I find that after a shoulder press workout, my chest hurts like hell. And anytime I stretch my arms overhead, pull my shoulders back, or take a deep breath, my chest will actually pop. I think it's just a rib or two, but man does it hurt like hell. Oddly enough though, I don't find this happens after heavy jerks.

I've been looking for a solution for years, but my doc always just tells me to take 800mg 3x a day of motrin, which I never do since I've read ibuprofen actually slows healing. So, I just suck it up and wait for it to stop hurting.

Anyone else have any experience with this? Or advice on how to get rid of it? I do a ton of pullups, so I don't think it's a shoulder imbalance, but I could be wrong.

[Steven Low]

I have a "templated" post for this which may help:


costchondritis/tietze syndrome:

So you can give yourself costcondritis/tietze syndrome/etc. by aggravating your costal cartilages by doing this.

Since the origin of the pecs is on the sternum and partially on the costal cartilages, if you haven't used your chest in resistance trainig much before the connective tissues aren't as strong. Thus, when you do a deep movement where you erally stretch out the pecs like dips, the origin of the muscle on the costal cartilages can start to pull them away from the costal facets on the sternum

Obviously, this creates inflammation and in general can lead to some popping and hurting.


Best thing you can do is REST AND LET IT HEAL. Take your anti-inflammatories to help decrease inflammation and allow healign to occur. Fish oil is always good. Massage to teh area works as well.

Ice if it helps. Otherwise, once it starts feeling better use heat to stimulate more blood flow to encourage faster healing from the body since the area does not get a lot of blood flow as it is bone/cartilage in that area.

Keep the muscles working through full but non-weight bearing and non-painful range of motion so that the muscles don't tighten up on you, and the muscle movement will also help stimulate blood flow to the area as well.

Usually, if you didn't chronically aggravate you should be able to get back to exercising within a week.

Just avoid the exercise that aggravates it for a while, and focus on other exercises that are less intense of the chest... and then work your way back into these SLOWLY so you don't reaggravate your condition.

[Derek Simonds]

My wife has had that twice, last time being this month. Both times were from bronchitis. Never thought it could exercise related. Interesting.

[Garrett Smith]

You ever try getting a lacrosse ball deep into your pecs, especially up near the clavicle? It's been on the MobilityWOD a couple times, I always get trigger points to release when I do it, it could be related to some sort of upper pec and/or subclavius tightness.

Prolotherapy to the joints that are typically affected could help to tighten up the ligaments. Nightshade avoidance can help to reduce pain and popping quite a bit for sensitive folks.

[Chad Cilli]

Originally Posted by Steven Low

I have a "templated" post for this which may help:


costchondritis/tietze syndrome:

So you can give yourself costcondritis/tietze syndrome/etc. by aggravating your costal cartilages by doing this.

Since the origin of the pecs is on the sternum and partially on the costal cartilages, if you haven't used your chest in resistance trainig much before the connective tissues aren't as strong. Thus, when you do a deep movement where you erally stretch out the pecs like dips, the origin of the muscle on the costal cartilages can start to pull them away from the costal facets on the sternum

Obviously, this creates inflammation and in general can lead to some popping and hurting.


Best thing you can do is REST AND LET IT HEAL. Take your anti-inflammatories to help decrease inflammation and allow healign to occur. Fish oil is always good. Massage to teh area works as well.

Ice if it helps. Otherwise, once it starts feeling better use heat to stimulate more blood flow to encourage faster healing from the body since the area does not get a lot of blood flow as it is bone/cartilage in that area.

Keep the muscles working through full but non-weight bearing and non-painful range of motion so that the muscles don't tighten up on you, and the muscle movement will also help stimulate blood flow to the area as well.

Usually, if you didn't chronically aggravate you should be able to get back to exercising within a week.

Just avoid the exercise that aggravates it for a while, and focus on other exercises that are less intense of the chest... and then work your way back into these SLOWLY so you don't reaggravate your condition.

I have never heard of tietze syndrome before your post. I looked it up and that's what it sounds like. What I can't understand is what I'm doing when I shoulder press that irritates it. I'm fine with dips, bench press, pushups, etc, but something about shoulder presses must just hit it right. I can even jerk without irritating it. I'll try heat because ice did nothing for it all day.

Is there anything I should be worried about? Like the muscle ripping off the bone or popping a rib out or something? Is this a warning sign for something more serious?

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

You ever try getting a lacrosse ball deep into your pecs, especially up near the clavicle? It's been on the MobilityWOD a couple times, I always get trigger points to release when I do it, it could be related to some sort of upper pec and/or subclavius tightness.

Prolotherapy to the joints that are typically affected could help to tighten up the ligaments. Nightshade avoidance can help to reduce pain and popping quite a bit for sensitive folks.

I've been completely avoiding nightshades since we talked. Especially difficult since we had a great late tomato crop this August and September. But I stayed away from it.

I keep reading about prolo, but it is just unreasonably expensive everywhere I've looked out here. And absolutely no one that does it will work with insurance. I did however find a post where a guy was doing his own prolo. Not sure I'm up to the task though....

I've been talking with Jeff Alexander about SMR in my shoulders, pecs, and neck. It seems like it loosens things up. But, what I find strange about this is I really have almost no muscle on my chest, so where the pain is, is nothing but bone. I'm not even sure I can stand to press a ball into the bones, and I'm not sure how much benefit I'm getting staying out by my shoulders.

[Allen Yeh]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

You ever try getting a lacrosse ball deep into your pecs, especially up near the clavicle? It's been on the MobilityWOD a couple times, I always get trigger points to release when I do it, it could be related to some sort of upper pec and/or subclavius tightness.

The one where you put the ball against a rack and then move the arm of the pec being nailed by the ball = ouch.....

[Garrett Smith]

I'm not one known for big chesticles, and I get a lot out of the ball. Rolling on the clavicle = bad, rolling under the clavicle (even if it feels like it's on the ribs) = good.

[Chad Cilli]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

I'm not one known for big chesticles, and I get a lot out of the ball. Rolling on the clavicle = bad, rolling under the clavicle (even if it feels like it's on the ribs) = good.

Roger that. I'll try some more then. I just really have very thin pecs. I would be exaggerating if I said there's a quarter inch of muscle/tissue over my ribs.


And Steven, the heat seems to be offering more relief, both for pain and tightness.


Thanks!

[Steven Low]

Yeah, if ice doesnt work for stuff dont bang your head against the wall using it.

Try heat or other modalities too.

[Chad Cilli]

Originally Posted by Steven Low

Yeah, if ice doesnt work for stuff dont bang your head against the wall using it.

Try heat or other modalities too.

Did you see Yael posted a link to Robb Wolf about how ice may actually slow healing?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/he...w-healing.html