Question
I twisted really hard to get a ball crosscourt and behind me in a game of tennis.  I had a pain in my back that took my breath away.  My back left muscles started to spasm, and it would hurt to breath as I stood. When I stood still and did shallow breaths it was not so bad.  When I got off the court I went to a Chiropractor friend (I've never went to a chiropractor in my life). I was icing my back till I got to his office, he hooked up two different machines to loosen up my back so he could adjust my "rib head".  He said that I pulled my #5 rib head out and it was most likely pinching my nerve or angled incorrectly.  He got me on his moving bed and did who knows what and I cracked like a fourth of July show.  It hurt like a ?????  He sent me home with a supplement to help with relaxing my spasms and said to keep heat only on it.  I could instantly breath deep without any pain, but my back still hurts, soreness, like there is not relief.  I can't even lay down at all with out it hurting.  I have slept sitting up in a chair for two days with a heating pad on my back and a neck support to I can doze off.  I can feel the pain subsiding each day just a little, but what else can I do to make the pain stop. I didn't play tennis today for fear of re-injury, and I am to go back to see my chiropractor after the weekend, three days.  I will take any advice you have to offer.  I want to play tennis, but I want to heal correctly.  I would also like to know what to do in the future to prevent this kind of injury.  It's been awful pain!  Looking forward to any and all your advice.
Lilly

Answer
Lilly,

If you significantly sprained the rib joint, there is tissue damage.  It takes time for this to heal and it will be painful all the while it is healing up.  If you are an osteoporotic female, maybe there is a chance you fractured the rib or spine as well.  If not, odds are it's just a sprain.   Pain from sprains can take a few weeks to resolve.  The fact that you could take a deep breath is a good sign that you were made better and not worse by the treatment.  The next thing to do treatment-wise is to get some soft tissue massage through the area, possibly blast it with cold laser, and then exercise the area with slow, light-resistance (light weight)exercises.   For pain relief only: drugs work best.  If you don't want to numb yourself with drugs, then understand that tissues take time to heal and will remain painful for a while.  If your pain becomes manageable and you want to get back on the court, ask your DC friend to lay on some KinesioTape.  That will help.   As for the nutritional side, healing could be impaired if you are vitamin-d deficient (most folks are; see www.vitamindhealth.org).   

'Hope this was helpful.

Dr. G