Anderson Injury Lawyers | December 4, 2025 | Personal Injury
An intercostal muscle strain happens when the muscles that lie between the ribs get stretched or torn. These muscles play a vital role in breathing and protect your rib cage. When they get injured, doing something like twisting or taking a deep breath can be painful. You can suffer this type of strain from a bicycle accident, a fall, or something as simple as lifting up a box.
Continue reading to learn more about intercostal muscle strains and when you may have a personal injury claim after suffering one.
What Are Intercostal Muscles?
Your intercostal muscles link each rib to the adjacent ribs. They work in sets. Intercostal muscles can make your ribcage shrink or expand, depending on which set is activated. The intercostal spaces are the gaps between your rib bones, where these muscles are located.
They are grouped into three types:
- External
- Internal
- Innermost
The external and internal intercostal muscles work together most closely. The innermost intercostal muscles support the internal set of intercostal muscles when you exhale.
Common Causes of Intercostal Muscle Strains
Intercostal muscle strains can occur due to lifting, overuse, or a variety of other incidents. Accidents that involve abrupt force or twisting motions can cause these muscles to be strained or the fibers to tear.
Examples include:
- Workplace accidents
- Motor vehicle collisions
- Sports injuries
- Sudden falls
- Heavy lifting
- Repetitive twisting motions
Traumatic incidents can also damage your intercostal muscles. For instance, if you are involved in a car crash and the airbag strikes your ribcage, it could strain your muscles. Regardless of the cause, an intercostal muscle injury can be painful and take weeks or months to recover from.
Signs and Symptoms of an Intercostal Muscle Strain
Symptoms usually appear immediately after your injury, but they may get worse over the next 24 to 48 hours.
You may have suffered an intercostal muscle strain if you are experiencing any of the following:
- Sharp or aching pain along your ribs
- Pain when twisting your torso
- Tenderness along the ribs
- Muscle spasms
- Increased discomfort when you cough or sneeze
- Stiffness in your ribs when you lift your arms
These symptoms can be similar to fractured ribs. Therefore, you’ll need a healthcare professional to evaluate you. They may order an X-ray to rule out any fractured ribs.
Treatment Options
There is good news and bad news when it comes to intercostal muscle strains. The bad news is that it can be very difficult to rest your intercostal muscles, as you may inadvertently activate them when turning, twisting, sitting, standing, or walking. That lack of rest can lead to a prolonged healing process.
The good news is that most strains will improve with rest and conservative care, and typical treatment options include:
- Ice and heat
- Anti-inflammatory medication
- Gentle stretching
- Physical therapy
- Limiting twisting, lifting, or overhead movements
- Breathing exercises to reduce stiffness
If you suffer a severe strain, you may require prolonged rest for several weeks.
What to Do After Your Muscle Strain
If you suffer a muscle strain and believe it’s minor, you can usually address it with rest and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. However, if you believe the injury is severe or is interfering with your ability to perform your daily routines, you should seek medical treatment. It’s important to rule out fractured ribs and other conditions.
Make sure you follow the provider’s recommendations and stay within any limitations they give you. Overexerting yourself can worsen the injury and prolong your healing time. In most scenarios, rest is all it takes to recover from a muscle strain.
Contact the Austin Personal Injury Lawyers at Anderson Injury Lawyers for Help Today
If you’ve suffered an intercostal muscle strain because of someone else’s negligence, Anderson Injury Lawyers is here to help. Our Austin personal injury attorneys will fight to get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Fort Worth, Dallas, or Austin and need legal help, contact our personal injury lawyers at Anderson Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation. We proudly serve Tarrant County, Dallas County, and throughout Texas.
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