Question
4 1/2 years ago I picked up my son and leaned back as I usually did to relieve his back pain.  Unknowingly, he achieved 265lbs and even though I successfully lifted him, as I leaned back and slightly to the right, I heard a pop in the T7 area.  Within a couple days, I had severe muscle tension up the center of the back and neck, causing pounding headaches.  After 3 months of specialists finding nothing wrong less xrays and MRI's, I went on my own to a chiropractor and after 9 mid back vertical adjustments, the problem went away 100%.  5 months later I stood on a ladder leaning to the right and painting in the overhead.  After a few hours the pain started in all over again.  The chiropractor passed away after I revisited him the second time so I sought the medical field again with orthopedic surgeons (UC Davis, UCSF and Stanford).  An MRI showed a bulge in T8-T9 area- right paracentral and they fused this joint.  The pain and symtoms remained but, focused on the T7-T8 area on the right side.  I have gone back to a chiropractor which I am currently seeing and have had 7 adjustments already with no improvement while focusing on this area using a vertical alignment procedure (laying on back, hand under this area and drive the force towards my head).  I believe this doctor is not as forceful as the first chiropractor was and maybe this is why I'm not improving.  We discussed last night that possibly a rib attaching in this area may be dislocated all along causing this continues pain.  MRI's, xrays and CT Scans don't show anything but, then of course they were looking at the spine and maybe not the close position of a rib.  What are your thoughts and recommendations for validating whether the rib is dislocated and/or torn from it's socket and how to treat it.  Should I proceed with rib adjustments and if not successful go back to the orthopedic surgeon and ask to take a better look into the condition of the rib joint?  Any help you can provide will help in finding this painful and continuous injury.

Answer
Chances are, the orthopedist wouldn't address the rib issue.  I would have the chiropractor "give it a shot" so to speak.  Rib misalignments are common, and can cause all types of problems.  You may also want to look into the use of an exercise ball, appropriate for your size.  A variety of stretches can be performed on them that may help your problem.