Muscles
Intercostal muscles
Move ribs during breathing and stabilize the rib cage.
Overview
Move ribs during breathing and stabilize the rib cage. Trigger points here are common in everyday and athletic populations and frequently contribute to the referred pain patterns described below.
Trigger point locations
Between adjacent ribs.
Referred pain pattern
Sharp local rib pain that worsens with breathing or coughing.
Palpation & testing
Palpate the muscle belly along its accessible course. Reproduction of the patient's familiar pain on palpation supports involvement.
Common causes
Persistent cough, prolonged rotation, post-thoracic surgery, rib injury.
Self-care & clinical treatment
Rib mobility, breathing retraining. Clinically: needling along intercostal spaces, with care.
Symptoms commonly linked
References
- • Travell & Simons — Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction