Costovertebral joint

Organization and role

The arrangement varies by rib. Many rib heads articulate with two vertebrae and the intervening disc; this differs from the costotransverse joint.

Clinical relevance and investigation

Pain with breathing may be musculoskeletal but can also have pulmonary or cardiovascular causes. Acute chest pain with breathlessness requires urgent assessment.

Points to consider

Stability depends on bones, capsules, ligaments, discs and muscles working together. Naming a joint or ligament does not establish injury. After trauma, their integrity must be considered before therapeutic mobilization.

Role of TAGMED care

At TAGMED, assessment aims to understand symptoms, history and functional limitations. Manual care and osteopathy, motorized spinal decompression, laser and shockwave have different indications. The term described in this entry is not enough to select any of these modalities. Their relevance, limitations and possible contraindications should be discussed in relation to diagnosis and individual goals.

Related concepts and distinctions

These concepts belong to the same field, but are not synonyms.

• Uncovertebral joint — Joint in the lower cervical spine between an uncinate process and the adjacent portion of the vertebral body above.
• Costotransverse joint — Joint between a rib tubercle and the corresponding thoracic transverse process, present for the first ten ribs.
• Atlantoaxial joint — Joint complex between the atlas and axis, including a central joint around the dens and two lateral joints.

Medical references

1. OpenStax, Rice University. Anatomy and Physiology 2e — The Vertebral Column.
2. Radiological Society of North America. RadLex Radiology Lexicon — terminology resource.

References document the topic; their inclusion does not imply endorsement of TAGMED services by those organizations.