Back pain from exercise

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Thursday, 18 March 2010 00:00

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Aw no, it's back!

by Dr Grant Harper

Have you ever felt a sharp knife-like pain in your mid-upper back?

The cause could be a dysfunctional rib joint that is most often due to bad postural habits. Office workers are not the only ones affected.
We often see these types of injuries in cyclists (after spending hours hunched over the bars), in swimmers and paddlers (after excessive amount of trunk/body rotation).

Quick anatomy lesson

The ribs attach to the spine at the back (costovertebral joints). Each of these rib joints permits a small amount of movement allowing the ribs to rise and fall as we breathe, and accommodate small movements as we perform other activities. Pain occurs as a result of a sudden traumatic movement or long term repetitive strain that causes a restriction of normal movement and or a displacement (subluxation).