Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox’s prominent player, has recently suffered a more significant injury than initially thought after further testing. The player’s rib injury has been upgraded from a rib strain to a tear of the cartilage in the area known as costal cartilage. Costal cartilage tears are noteworthy because they differ from bone in that they allow the rib cage to expand during respiration, making the recovery process typically slower due to the area’s importance in baseball-related activities.
The anatomy of the rib cage consists of 24 ribs, 12 paired bones on each side, connected to the sternum (breastbone), spine, and costal cartilage. Most injuries to this area occur in the upper ribs and more frequently in contact sports, although less common in baseball. Comparisons within the sport hint at the severity of these injuries. In past seasons, similar injuries have sidelined players for various lengths of time, highlighting the importance of proper healing and restoration of this critical part of an athlete’s anatomy.
Source: RotoWire