What is Referred Chest Pain?
Pain in the chest or rib area can sometimes be referred from the thoracic spine. This is the area of the spine which runs between your shoulder blades and down the mid-back. This is a common cause of chest pain in young athletes. Referred pain is when pain is felt in one area but does not originate there. Instead it it caused by a problem elsewhere. Referred pain usually starts at a point higher up than where the pain is felt. In the case of referred chest pain, it can originate from many areas, with the most common being the facet joints or zygapophyseal joints of the thoracic spine. It may also orginate from the Costovertebral or costotransverse joints, where the ribs attach to the vertebrae. Muscular tightness and trigger points can also develop, increasing the referred pain.
