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Sternal tenderness
System: Blood & Lymph Signs · All blood & lymph signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
Pain on firm pressing over the breastbone (sternum).
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with expansion of the bone marrow in some leukaemias; also occurs with local injury and inflammation.
Related signs — Blood & Lymph Signs
Browse the S section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.