WHAT IS A STRAINED INTERCOSTAL MUSCLE?
There are 11 intercostal muscles on each side of the rib cage. They connect one rib to another and work to spread the ribs apart and bring them back together again, effectively expanding and contracting the chest to aid in breathing. A stretching or rotating movement can sometimes tear this muscle, which is what appears to have happened to Hundley. Initially, there may be constant or severe pain, but after a few days, the pain occurs only on stretching, coughing, or breathing deeply. Most injuries heal within a few weeks.
