Q: I was diagnosed with slipping rib syndrome in 2008 that was followed by two surgeries to shorten rib 8 on both the left and right side by about three inches. In my last X-ray it was found that my floating rib cartilage is calcifying. My doctor didn’t give me a lot of information about it but he was disturbed that it was happening and he doesn’t know what is causing it for me.
I’m 18, in good health besides my ribs, and scared with what is happening. Any information would be helpful.
A: The ribs are attached to the spine and the flat bone in the center of the chest known as the sternum. Floating ribs are normal. There are instances when floating ribs can indeed slip out of place, putting pressure on internal organs. This may occur because of fracture, trauma, or because of other reasons. When a rib becomes dislocated and slips out of its socket, the condition is known as floating rib
syndrome.
There are ordinarily 12 pairs of ribs. Each is attached to the vertebrae in the back. The first seven are attached to the sternum in the front and are referred to as sternal or ‘true’ ribs, while the lower five actually do not connect to the sternum in the front of the body and are referred to as ‘false’ rib with the upper three false ribs connecting to the costal cartilages of those ribs just above them. However, the last two are not anchored in the front and are therefore referred to as floating. Floating ribs may cause pain that comes and gos. It may modify in intensity when an individual simply changes positions.
Calcium can build up in bodily tissues, causing that tissue to harden. Ninety nine percent of all calcium that enters the body is deposited in our teeth and bones. The remaining one percent is dissolved in our blood. A variety of factors can lead to that 1% of calcification in other bodily areas, including an injury, a genetic or autoimmune disorder that affect connective tissues and the skeletal system itself, osteoporosis or hypercalcemia (too much calcium in the blood), infection of the breast, the normal aging process, and more. If your physician has concerns, he may choose to have a tissue biopsy performed that can determine if the calcifications are benign or not. Calcifications may require follow-up monitoring with the outlook depending on the severity of the calcifications and their location. Your physician is the one to determine whether or not your particular case warrants further investigation. Or, he or she may also refer you to an orthopedic specialist or even to a chiropractor who can explain specific exercises to prevent your problem from recurring.
