[Closed] How long did your cracked ribs take to heal

Not sure if I actually cracked a rib or not as the chap in A&E said its pointless waiting however many hours it was for an X Ray because even if they were broken there is nothing you can do about it anyway, but they were pretty sore and tender after a slip on ice. Took a good week for me before I could go about my normal business at a tolerable pain level, and another few weeks for the pain and tenderness to fully subside. Didn't render me completely useless but just caused alot of pain and discomfort in that first week.

About 6 weeks for me to be able to move around happily and get back biking etc without pain. That was the first time i did it boarding.
The second time was a bit quicker i think maybe 4-5 weeks

6-8 weeks with my best efforts.

I find that where you are now, coming up to two weeks in, is usually the peak. Somehow in more pain than the days immediately after doing. Then you turn a corner quite quickly and its annoying rather than debilitating.

Top tip: use a pillow pressed against your ribs as a brace when you are trying to do things like sit up in bed.

I'd go with the others on this. I've given my ribs a good walloping on the MTB, Snowboard and once as a kid at Karate training when I went in with my guard to high against that wee git Craig Johnstone.

Each time it's been around 6-8 weeks before I could cough, laugh or sneeze without going cross-eyed with the pain.

C.

I tell people you'll no longer note the pain after 3 months.
I've broken/bruised/whatever ribs loads.

3 months the pain's no longer at the top of your mind!

It takes ages!

DrP

(my GF smashed her ribs up on a ride with me...eek... again..months to heal. years to forgive though..)

I feel your pain OP (literally). It’s a long slow process. Not even sure how many weeks it’s been for me so far this time.

Take pain killers and try to breathe deeply. I know it hurts more but saves your chest 'setting' tight and restricting your chest movement later. I cracked three off the sternum in one crash and broken s few more over the years including 4 of my back ribs which is way more painful and now when I breath my chest barely moves.

Have cracked/heavily bruised them twice (never went to a&e as no point). Difficulty moving and sleeping for 1-2 weeks. Then eased off but could get twangs of pain if any pressure put on the area or certain movements that aggravated it. That probably goes on for another 2 weeks. Then felt able to get back to gentle road riding before another few weeks until I felt able to MTB but some of that probably psychological.

Age dependent innit?! Surely an old fudger like me 2-3 months of still feeling those BPW rocks pressing jaggedly into the chest is normal, but a youthful 20-30 year old will be right again in 4-6 weeks. The git. 😛

6 weeks for me or thereabouts every time I’ve done them (and I’ve done them a lot). You can ride on them but you’ll need a truck load of painkillers and if you’re anything like me your riding goes to pot as all you’re thinking about is not falling off and making them worse. Did mine last on a week trip to the alps with whiteroom and didn’t ride the following day but tried the rest of the week.

Anyway, painkillers to start then gentle mobility, walking and movement help. Deep breathing too as WCA suggests. The worst thing I find is sitting still as getting going again is the worst part.

The first time probably six weeks. The second about 4.

For the first few weeks it limits day to day stuff then it just left me feeling a bit fragile. I eased back in with walking and riding on the road.

The first time I jumped on the turbo at 2 weeks and I think that set me back.

By all accounts it depends on which ones you've done. I cracked a lower rib which meant using my abdominal muscles was a challenge.

There's little you can do. Hug a pillow and take pain killers. If you see a doc you get better drugs but I found it was more low level discomfort outside of sneezing or laughing.

Couple of months for me, but I was still feeling the odd affect for another month after that as I was doing a job that involved a lot of climbing over fences/gates and pulling up on them hurt sometimes when I'd forgotten about it.

Top tip, don't sneeze.....

And when you start to feel a little better and can raise you hand above shoulder height DO NOT unthinkingly High 5 someone.

Just don't do it.

It doesn't look cool at the best of times but when you immediately collapse to the ground like an inflatable with the plug pulled make guttural screaming noises then people stare as you spend 5 minutes just trying to get sat up properly

Can I just check? You think you may have bust your ribs over a week ago, but you haven't gone to a doctor to get any sort of advice or pain relief?

Thanks so far.

low level discomfort outside of sneezing or laughing.

I have a very annoying habit of giggling/laughing when I have a bought of pain - not helpful.

I might be deluded but I am meant to be swimming across the Coryvenken at the end of the month. Money spent. I'm hoping I might be well enough (with the aid of truck loads of painkillers) to do it. I think I'm fit enough to do it with no training between now and then but annoying nevertheless. I guess it'll be a boat ride and splash about until I gain some sense if nothing else.

Also, 49 and only 1 jab so far - getting covid right now and becoming a coughing machine would be seriously unhelpful

Smashed my wrist up in March, had pins and plates put in and in the same crash I must have cracked a couple of ribs. I've been riding again for the last month and the wrist has been ok if a little weak. It's only in the past few days I haven't noticed my ribs at all when doing any exercise. About one month after the crash I thought the ribs were getting better then managed to get caught unawares by a sneeze and heard them crack again and had shooting pains for the next few days when I moved about. They're an absolute pain in the a£$€ to heal.

I did mine last year and the most important thing I learned was let them heal properly. I smashed mine in a fall and  though I was pretty sure Id heard a crack and they felt sore, they didnt hurt as much as people said it would....so after a week or so I stupidly lifted a bike onto the roof of the car for a gentle ride with my daughter....oh my god...the damaged intercostal tore and something twanged and I was in a world of pain for at least two months, not able to laugh cry or hold a cup of tea at first!

Do move around gently but dont be tempted to extend your arms and lift anything heavier than sonething to read.

Can I just check? You think you may have bust your ribs over a week ago, but you haven’t gone to a doctor to get any sort of advice or pain relief?

Yup. Beyond paracetamol.

Cos that's what NHS website says to do unless there is a suspected punctured lung. And a general guidance from everyone I've spoken to that they can do nothing for it.

Glad it's not just me then. 4 weeks in (not sure if I've actually cracked the rib but symptoms sound the same).  First ride back on the mtb last weekend and the road bike was very uncomfortable for the first couple of weeks (and no chance of getting out of the saddle to crank a climb.  I had a mild cough for the first week, that was unpleasant.

Broken/Bruised them dozens of times (im clumbsy) usually take about 4 -6 weeks to heal. One of the few times I went to the hospital for an x-ray i was sent home with some paracetamol. The next week I had a chest infection and spent Christmas on morphine and antibiotics, if you think you are developing something get to the docs as it's bloody sore.

Done 2 over the years.

Both cases it was about 6-8 wks minimum. I couldn’t do anything at all on that side of my body whatsoever.

2nd one was proper painful. Needed big doses of Codeine to dull the pain. Nearly throwing up with how much it hurt before I got my paws on some meds.

4 weeks in and normal life feels a very long way off still, although there was also a punctured lung also along with other injuries.
Trying to keep off the meds unless its really bad as they bung me up and a daily crap is one of my few pleasures at present.
Im banking on 10 weeks or so minimum.
Only being able to sleep on my back is getting very old now.

Hey @daveylad, I had multiple broke ribs and a punctured lung (visit to hospital, epidural etc.) and was much more comfortable after 6 weeks. It does suddenly start improving. According to Strava I was able to go for a 7km (flat) walk after four weeks and an off-road ride after just under 6 weeks. Pretty much no broken rib pain at that point, a bit of muscle pain in my side where the drain had gone in. Lungs also working normally.

Coming up to 2 weeks for me soon. I really appreciated the happy pills for the first 3 days! Like everyone else has said 4-6 weeks of pain then a really long time of annoyance/twinges. I think I have done mine enough times now to have created a weakness or susceptibility as I popped them a couple of years ago by just leaning over a gate! I'm itching to go for a (gentle) ride and so I'm trying to get more movement back each day.

a punctured lung

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit... 🙈🙉

Can I just check? You think you may have bust your ribs over a week ago, but you haven’t gone to a doctor to get any sort of advice or pain relief?

Correct and the right thing to do. go to the GP if you need more than over the counter painkillers. Thats the only reason to seek medical advice ( or if breathing difficulties which is a medical emergency)

Can I just check? You think you may have bust your ribs over a week ago, but you haven’t gone to a doctor to get any sort of advice or pain relief?

I only felt a kind of "click" when I did mine. Didn't even know I'd cracked it. Very sore to touch immediately over the area for a good few weeks though. At which point I noticed the rib wasn't the right shape. Ached during certain posture/positions etc.

Caveat, I cracked one the upper floating ribs.

I just took paracetamol, etc.

Not read any of the above but I cracked ribs in late March 2020 and didn't do any strenuous exercise until early June of that year.

Edit - my Doc (on a quick telephone call as I wanted advice having never done it before) recommended having a pillow at the ready if I ever wanted to cough - hold it over the chest to minimise pain. I didn't take anything for the pain as it was bearable, just very uncomfortable when trying to sleep especially in the first few weeks after the break.

I have damaged ribs loads of times and for me 4-6 weeks. I do have a high pain threshold (don't ever take painkillers) and still ride my bike within a week but coughing and lying in bed can be painful.

5 ribs and left shoulder blade broken c/w a collapsed lung last June, four weeks until I was on the road bike five weeks until back on the MTB.

Pretty lucky, no pain since though my left arms range of movement above my head isnt great.

Can I just check? You think you may have bust your ribs over a week ago, but you haven’t gone to a doctor to get any sort of advice or pain relief?

Agree that this is likely the sort of thing to self manage..

Severe pain not settling, short of breath etc then seek help...

Otherwise, manage it as a 'home owie' as you are..

DrP

Done ribs so many times, both bike and skiing. Most of them probably bruised but hurt like hell for month or so each time.

Two maybe broken. One hitting the deck skiing at stupid speed down a steep run into compression and that took months. Another landing hard on a big root on the bike, huge imprint on chest and could feel something moved when I poked it, likewise several months to not notice the pain when sleeping.

I only ever went to hospital on first one I did and they just said like above, nothing they can do (and that was a US hospital too, so you'd think they'd be interested in cashing in on treatment. Though they did still charge me just for walking in the place).

Did my ribs snowboarding.
Getting on a plane for 5 hours was not the best idea Ive had the day after.
Rolling over in bed and sneezing no fun at all
Took 6 odd weeks

My wife broke 2 ribs after slipping on a wet marble step on holiday, took 6-8 weeks to heal.

5 Days later, she tripped on our door step, and barged into the gatepost, breaking 2 ribs on the other side

My earliest I did skiing in US was actually a little under a week after busting my wrist trying to snowboard 😄.

Two week trip, did the wrist on the second day, got a cast a few days later and they asked if I could ski, set the cast suited to holding ski poles and off I went. Then I was rushing for a bus in lobby of hotel, shiny floor, ski boots, and slipped crashing on my ribs 😄. Pain kicked in later, partly due to also being wiped out on the slopes by a snowboarder. Still managed to ski the rest of the trip with pain killers.

I broke three on my back left when I was 29 or so. I was properly winded for a bit and it really hurt like crazy when I did breathe again. Breathing was pretty difficult immediately afterwards (complete with audible crunchiness), but x-rays two hours after didn't show anything and everything was where it should be. It was roughly a week before sleeping (still very definitely on my right side) got a little easier, and to my considerable surprise I was able to run again with care after four or five weeks. I was prescribed some French prescription painkillers in case I needed them, but I got by without. I didn't sneeze for five months, and I knew it was that long because I lived in fear of sneezing for a very long time.

I slipped on the second to bottom step of the stairs, going downstairs to get a drink of water, at about 3am on Sunday morning. I went down very hard on my right side, right on the edge of the steps. Winded, stunned, agony, the lot. My hearing started to go and my vision was browning out. I took a full whitey sweat fest too. With help from the wife I was able to get back into bed. I was not a happy bunny. By 8 am I decided that A&E was on the cards and I would ask a neighbour to take me (Wife had an unexplained blackout/seizure in May and cannot currently drive).

Round 2 of the near fainting came on in the shower, I managed to open the cubicle door before collapsing out onto the bathroom floor. My wife called 999.
The ambulance arrived quickly, but I had managed to get some boxers on and onto the bed.

Their assessment was probs nothing broken, just muscle damage, no trip to hospital as they wouldn't x-ray as the treatment pathway is the same, broken or not. Told to see pharmacist on Monday for pain management, take paracetamol until then. Sunday can be described as agonising pain interspersed with near blackouts. Night was worse as I couldn't lie down in any non-painful way, and once in a position, was unable to move unaided. Monday I got some Cocodamol which did a bit, but Monday night was even worse. 9/10 on the pain scale. I was struggling not to collaple/passout/vomit. We called 999 again who didn't attend but told me to keep taking pain relief - I had taken the max dose for 2 hours already.

I got a lift to the GP on Tuesday, and required wheelchair to get into the building, only able to manage a comical, wincing, panting, grimacing shuffle. She prescribed me stronger cocodamol and Diazepam. Wow. Painful, but bearable.

Tuesday night was bad again, but last night was only interrupted by a 4am meds dose, AND I MANAGED TO GET OUT OF BED UNASSISTED. Today had been better still.

Not had a shit since Sunday morning though (cocodamol). Taking regular Laxigo constipation relief that only seems to produce abdominal sounds. Where is the Picolax when you need it?

Hoping to not have to worry about coughing/laughing by this time next week.

My pain has mitigated significantly, and I went to the Physio today. It turns out I do have a broken rib - up until now I had been convinced it was just soft tissue damage. Tried riding the bike yesterday. Any sudden stop is bad news. Starting off from standing is painful. It is easier if I lower the dropper and subsequently raise it while balanced on both feet. Anything remotely bumpy feels like all my internal organs are shoogling about.

I have been advised to avoid bending and rotating. iSUP is sitting idle...

I am a school teacher so will have recovered in time for the start of term. I am not enjoying my holiday.

It was a long time ago I did mine but I do recall that going over the bars and landing on my ribs and hearing them crack about a month later was not ideal!!!

> fingers in ears <

I’ve decided to just do road riding ‘till September for just that reason. To be honest, just nice to be out at all now.

Just done mine. Its taken 6 weeks and I'm pretty much back to normal. I found MTB ing was the worst thing for it, so much so it set me back every time I tried it. Road biking was ok. At 4 weeks I remembered to gently stretch which helped a lot as did swimming yesterday.

OTB and crack sounds, sneezing was a complete no no. 8 weeks for me. I had to roll out of bed for first week