Broken Ribs

[Synergy]

hey everyone, i have now got a broken rib thanks to an ice hockey match (got hit into boards) and my bike is currently in nairn (at my girlfriends).

has anyone else broken a rib before and be able to tell me if you can still ride or is it sore?

[Impacted.]

You tell us :( !

Nah, but I don't think you should, last time I broke my ankle I rode way before the doctor advised me to and it took way longer to repair itself and get back to normal, but do whatever you want... :bunny: .

[Josephine]

I say give it a go, but take a tape recorder so you can capture just how loud you scream :bunny:

I tried to ride with bruised ribs once and it wasn't happening, good luck with a broken one!

Joe

[physio]

ok heres the thing

it depends if your ribs are just slightly fractured or they are "displaced fractures" which means that the bones are separated ie theyre completely broken or just cracked (a break and a fracture is the same thing)

if they are just slightly fractured "non displaced fracture" then you wont be in too much pain when breathing in deeply

but if they are displaced then itll hurt to do pretty much everything

however my advice is not to ride for about 4 weeks either way. each time you breathe in deeply you are making your ribcage larger, therefore putting stress on the fractured bones, possibly making the fractures take longer to heal as they are not being immobilised

if you suddenly jolt etc then you can actually make the fractures bigger

take a month out!!! rest and dont exert yourself, the bones will heal quicker

if you stress them then it may take about 2 months for the pain to go rather than about 4 weeks

however i would suggest you seek advice from the fracture clinic you will be going to in a few days, i assume you have a fracture clinic followup appointment??

si

[spangler]

Ive broke three ribs on three seperate occasions riding my bmx.

I found that i couldnt do much of anything for about 3-4days then after that it was a bit painfull to ride for about another 2 weeks but it was bareable for ME, and from the second week till about 2 months later it only hurt when i fell off, sneezed, coffed, tool a deep breath which im sure your feeling now.

do not strap your ribbs up at all because it causes your lungs not to work properly and you will catch pneumonia, well thats what the doctors told me.

If you have had it x-rayed then just check how it has broken because if its broken inward then there is a chance it could puncture your lung so be carefull.

I still cannot take a breath as deep as i could before i broke them and i havent broken any ribbs for atleast 10months now :P

So to sum up ride if it doesn't hurt too much and check your not going to punture a lung :)

Edited October 7, 2005 by spangler

[Simon]

I still cannot take a breath as deep as i could before i broke them and i havent broken any ribbs for atleast 10months now :)

But surely, the reason for this is;

So to sum up ride

Do you not relize this?

Do not ride, your body needs to concentrate on repairing the bone properly, not repairing damaged muscle from riding, or breathing hard to get more bloody around your system.

[spangler]

I can still breathe fine it doesnt cause me any problems its honestly up to you if you ride or not, but for me i really wanted to ride so i did and im ok.

I cannot tell you what hurts and what doesnt but i can only inform you of MY past experiences.

If it hurts to much then dont ride, but if it doesnt then its your choice.

good luck :)