Why Your Ribs Keep "Going Out" — And What to Actually Do About It: Costovertebral and Costotransverse Joint Dysfunction in Hypermobility

If you've ever felt a sharp or burning pain in your upper back — between your shoulder blade and your spine — that gets worse when you breathe deeply, reach overhead, or twist, and sometimes comes with a popping or clicking sensation, there's a good chance you've experienced costovertebral or costotransverse joint dysfunction. And there's an equally good chance no one has ever told you that's what it is.

This is one of the most common conditions I see in people with connective tissue hypermobility, and one of the most consistently undiagnosed. Not because it's rare or hard to understand — but because it requires hands-on assessment of specific joints that most providers simply aren't examining.