Breastbone pain in the child
If children complain about sternum pain, this usually has harmless causes, since serious diseases of the heart organ in children are rather not the cause. As a rule, it is localized pain in the sternum, i.e. pain that can be manually triggered by pressure. This should also be tried out by parents on an experimental basis.
If the child reports stronger pain in the sternum when the parents press lightly on it, it is probably a bruise. The child should be asked whether he or she has bruised or if he or she has been wrestling with another child. Children brought to the outpatient clinic or to the doctor by parents with chest pain must always be examined for child abuse.
Often blows to the upper body by the parents lead to bruises in the area of the sternum and should be clarified. Children are more likely to wait for an X-ray examination and this is only carried out after careful consideration. Depending on the age of the child, an ultrasound examination of the sternum can also be performed to clarify the sternum pain. In some cases, the pain in the area of the sternum indicated is growth pain. However, this should not be relied upon one hundred percent and any pain that does not disappear within a few days should be clarified by a doctor in any case.The following articles may also be of interest to you: Physiotherapy for children, physiotherapy growth spurt
Sternum pain after sport
Dips Sports in general If sternum pain is reported after exercise, the most likely cause is muscular overload of the muscles between the ribs or between ribs and sternum. In any case, it is also important to clarify whether a shortness of breath has been added. Particularly after exercise, the cause of the combination of shortness of breath and sternal pain can also be related to the heart.
In this case, an ECG should always be written and an appropriate blood test performed. If sport-related muscle tension is to blame for the complaints in the area of the sternum, a sufficient warm-up phase before sport and an effort adapted to the level of performance should be recommended in the future (no overloading). For acute treatment, anti-inflammatory painkillers should be taken for a limited period.
Paracetamol or ibuprofen as well as diclofenac are particularly suitable here. A local application of heat can also be attempted. Sports in general
- After sports, especially after strength exercises for the chest, shoulder girdle and arms, sternum pain can occur more frequently.
In the case of dips, the upper part of the body is pressed with both hands, for example, by a bar. This exercise puts a lot of strain on the chest muscles in particular. This stretches over the entire chest and also extends over the sternum.
If pain in the area of the sternum is indicated shortly after dips, a muscular cause can be assumed. It should be noted here that the ribs that pull backwards are connected to the sternum. Between the ribs, numerous strong muscles are stretched, which ensure the smooth raising and lowering of the rib cage during inhalation and exhalation as well as rotation in the upper body.
Similar to an upper arm muscle, these striated muscles can be overstrained and fatigued, even causing a kind of muscle ache. After the dips have been made, this event can occur, and the specified pain then usually comes from the muscles between the ribs. Also, the cartilaginous joints between the breastbone and the ribs may be overstrained, causing similar pain.
- If sternum pain is reported after exercise, the most likely cause is muscular overload of the muscles between the ribs or between ribs and sternum.
In any case, it is also important to clarify whether a shortness of breath has been added. Particularly after exercise, the cause of the combination of shortness of breath and sternal pain can also be related to the heart. In this case, an ECG should always be written and an appropriate blood test performed.
If sport-related muscle tension is to blame for the complaints in the area of the sternum, a sufficient warm-up phase before sport and an effort adapted to the level of performance should be recommended in the future (no overloading). For acute treatment, anti-inflammatory painkillers should be taken for a limited period. Paracetamol or ibuprofen as well as diclofenac are particularly suitable here. A local application of heat can also be attempted.
