Although pulled muscles and bruised ribs can be painful, knowing a few ways to tell them apart can help you manage the pain and stay comfortable. Understanding the way you got the injury will also help you avoid irritation or reinjury of the area....
Rib muscle strains present an injury location that is more difficult to treat than other pulled muscles. Internal and external oblique muscles are most likely to be affected when the ribs are strained. The range of motion in the torso depends...
People experiencing sharp chest pain when working out might feel fearful and alarmed. Because some cases of sharp chest pain result from life-threatening medical conditions, people with this symptom should seek medical evaluation. Fortunately,...
If a child is having difficulty breathing, it can be scary for everyone involved. The medical term for difficulty breathing is dyspnea. Although some minor colds and viruses can cause pediatric dyspnea, the UC Davis Children's Hospital states that...
Rib pain can force you to end your workout early. If it persists after your stretching session, it can affect your mobility, making it difficult to engage in your normal daily activities. As long as the pain is mild and concentrated in your rib...
A baseball bat is more than just a piece of equipment you take to the plate to hit a baseball. It can be a valuable piece of equipment when exercising. It is a particularly effective tool when stretching to get ready to play a game of baseball (or...
All exercises in Pilates emanate from the powerhouse--the area of the abdominal muscles. These stomach muscles go deeper than just the six-pack of bodybuilders. The muscles referred to in Pilates here are beneath and behind the six-pack muscles....
Feeling the burn in your muscles means you are working your hardest. However, feeling the burn in your rib cage can mean that your muscular fitness isn't limiting your exercise program; you may need to train your respiratory muscles. Burning in...
The intercostal muscles play an important role during exercise. These muscles facilitate the changes in respiration that accompany exercise. The intercostals act on the ribs to change the pressure inside of your lungs to aid in breathing.
If your ribs hurt while stretching, you've likely experienced a recent traumatic blow to the chest or have been lifting more weight than your muscles can handle. Some rib injuries are potentially life-threatening, since the ribs protect vital...
There are many substances that can cause or trigger asthma attacks, including exposure to Western Red Cedar dust. Asthmatic reactions can occur in individuals who are allergic to the plicatic acid found in Western Red Cedar. Individuals at the...
Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people call for emergency medical help and, according to MayoClinic.com, the reason for millions of visits to the ER each year. Although heart issues are at the forefront of most people's mind when they...
Wrestling is a combat sport. It comes with its own assortment of bumps, bruises and miscellaneous injuries. Pulled muscles, bruised ribs and nosebleeds are common and expected "prices of admission" for this rigorous sport. Because of the close...
Crunches are the main exercise for targeting your rectus abdominis, the main abdominal muscle, and your obliques, or side abs. Most crunches involve lying on your back on the floor; however, if getting up and down off the floor is difficult or not...
Core strength training can be an important part of an exercise routine designed to treat back pain, according to the online site Spine-Health. Before you start a new exercise routine, talk to your doctor or a physical therapist to be sure that...
The respiratory system, in coordination with the cardiovascular system, makes it possible for your body to do work. While the heart is responsible for an increase in circulating blood, the lungs are responsible for the increased exchange of carbon...
Chair exercises can provide helpful modifications or options if you need some extra support or a little assistance with your balance. When performing chair exercises that target the abdomen, contract the muscles of your torso so that they are...
Just about everyone will experience back pain at one point or another, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, or AAOS. Whether the pain is shooting or a dull ache, it can be debilitating. The good news is that exercise provides...
Storing fat in the abdominal region is not just unsightly---it can be dangerous. According to a study published in 1998 in The Lancet, excess belly fat increases your risk for both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, where...
Many things are happening to your stomach during situps. Motor nerves are stimulating muscle fibers, and muscle fibers are contracting and relaxing. Chemical and mechanical interactions are occurring. Different types of contractions happen in...
Trainers perform dumbbell fly presses by lying on a bench with arms extended above the body while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Elbows are then slightly bent before the trainer proceeds to lower arms to the sides of the bench until dumbbells...
The lower chest and rib cage can be a difficult area to train. The inferior portion of the pectoralis major and your rib cage muscle, known as the serratus anterior, are both prime movers in horizontal arm movements, such as pushing and punching....
The lower back muscles support upper body weight, protect body tissues and stabilize the spine. Since this area bears much of your weight and stress, it is the most likely part of the back to become injured. By understanding what these muscles do,...
The serratus anterior muscles are located on your rib cage under your arms. They are anchored to the top eight or nine ribs. They attach to the scapula -- or shoulder blade -- between the ribs and scapula, on the edge near the spine. When you...
Your external oblique muscles are the largest group of external abdominals in your body that works with other muscles in your torso, shoulders and anterior hips to move your torso in various directions, such as turning and throwing. It is a large...
Biceps curls are one of the most commonly performed weightlifting exercises because they are a simple way to increase the size and strength of your biceps. However, you can also injure your upper back while doing biceps curls, especially if you...
To work the upper part of the abdominal muscle, perform crunching exercises that pull your ribs towards your pelvic bone. Do 12 to 20 repetitions, two to three sets, every other day or three days per week. Continue challenging your abdominal...
Routine exercise improves your capacity to take in oxygen by gradually promoting physiological changes in your body. But these changes don't include increasing the size, breadth or length of your lungs. Exercise causes changes in your cardiac,...
Nutrients fall into two major classes: macronutrients, which are energy-providing compounds that your cells need in large amounts, and micronutrients, which include vitamins and minerals. Your body depends upon macronutrients as well as certain...
