Rib Pain - Muscle or Bone?

[johnnysanz3]

28, Male
5'6" 175
Squat: 375x5
Deadlift 395x3
Bench: 235x5
Press: 135x5

About two weeks ago my rib started to hurt, not sure what from. I had gotten a new belt that was much better than my old one. Thicker+4". I'm thinking maybe that but not sure. It's my left rib area beneath my pec, where you can stick your hands under the rib. So I'm guessing that is the last rib down?

- Pain (on a scale of 1-10): Don't feel it normally but when it tightens up, about 4(makes me hold my breath/grimace a bit)
- Describe the pain: I guess sharp? If I breathe in deep I hit a point where everything tightens up and stop me from breathing in more, and that's when I have pain.
- What makes it better? Not twisting or bending in weird ways, and not breathing deep.
- What makes it worse? Breathing deep, twisting/bending.
- How do your symptoms behave throughout the day? Not noticeable really during the day unless I breathe in deep or bend a weird way.

- Signs and Symptoms (describe what the area looks like....swelling, bruising, etc.) and describe briefly what you can or can't do as a result of the injury:

Nothing visible at the area. I can push on the rib to make it hurt, but I'm still not sure if muscle or bone. The "tightening" up makes me think muscle..but idk. It's been two weeks and I can train through it. Getting into deadlift position hurts..but once I'm there I can do my set and it's not so bad. Hurts more during shoulder press honestly..but I can still train through all this..feels better while lifting than resting in between sets.

From what I have read and searched, most things unfuck themselves through training. I'm fine to keep training as long as I'm not going to hurt myself bad I guess. What do you think? Keep training? Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Probably a costal cartilage. SEARCH.

[johnnysanz3]

"costal cartilage" made the search much easier for me. Thanks.