Before we get into the assessments and exercises, we need to talk about what Costochondritis actually is. By doing so, I want to take away as much mystery about the condition as I can.

Obviously, you'll already have a strong understanding of its connection to the rib joints at the front of the rib cage. But from what I find clinically, we need to stop thinking of Costo as just an issue with the front of the rib cage. Instead, we actually need to think of Costochondritis as a consequence of hidden upper back dysfunction.

This may sound strange considering many don't have obvious upper back pain, but the stiffness, tightness, and restriction in this area changes the way we use and load our entire rib cage - setting the front up to fail when it does. So if we want to fix your Costo, we at the very least need to make sure we're addressing this hidden dysfunction.

Similarly, we often think of Costo as just a musculoskeletal issue. Yet so many with Costo are left feeling invalidated when their pain level exceeds any observable physical damage or dysfunction. Perhaps you've been told to suck it up or that it's 'all in your head'? If so, shame on our medical system. This line of thinking represents a huge gap in both our understanding and perspective of not just Costochondritis, but how pain works. And at the end of the day, it's you who continues to suffer without permanent respite.

In this video, I discuss these crucial factors and try to take away as much mystery behind what Costochondritis is, why you might be finding it hard to fix, and why your pain is exactly what it is. And with this perspective, we can start to see exactly what we need to change to meet your rehab goals.