A pulled rib muscle also is another name for a strained muscle. This means the muscle has been stretched or partially torn, which can cause the following symptoms: stiffness, but not just around the ribs–the chest, shoulders and neck also may feel stiff; swelling, especially around the ribs and chest area that results from torn blood vessels; bruising; pain–while it makes sense that a strained rib would cause pain, problems when lifting or picking up objects may especially indicated a strained muscle; trouble breathing.
Strained Rib Muscle
