[Closed] probable cracked/broken rib(s) - what to-do?

Don't laugh.

As a person who broke ribs less than a year ago (not while biking, gladly!). I didn't go to A&E the first day, but dragged my ass there next day as I was struggling to get out of the bed.

Go to an A&E, they will check against lungs/liver damage, will give you some Co-codamol (Codeine and Paracetamol) that will help you to breathe properly as you might get chest infection. It took me about 3 months to not feel anything as I couldn't press anything against chest for a long time.

The worst part? When you start laughing, it hurts so much that you stop laughing immediately.

Or sneeze

I know about not sneezing, that hurts! As does coughing.

I'm mobile, lying down is the worst. Paracetamol and diclofenac keeping it (mostly) under control).

I'm a miserable bastard so laughings not much of an issue.... 😉

I'm assuming any visit to a&e would be lengthy and possibly a waste of time?

Considering you did it on Wednesday you're right you are wasting their time. If you start to feel breathless then it's Emergency Department, if it's for stronger painkillers and checking things over then minor injuries or your GP.

It will hurt for 6 weeks. Every time you cough, sneeze, laugh, and every morning when you try to get out of bed.
Then it will stop hurting.
Contact your GP if over the counter painkillers are not enough.
If you suddenly become very short of breath, or start coughing up blood, then consider seeking medical attention urgently. (Probably still primary care rather than a&e unless very unwell).
Good luck!

IME you'll have 6 weeks or so of poor sleep and trying to avoid laughing, sneezing and coughing then you'll just realise while doing one of the aforementioned that it no longer hurts.

And try not to fall off your bike until it gets better.

Edit - or pretty much exactly what the doc said ^ only 30 seconds later!

Nothing to don't other than manage pain. If you do get a cold, don't resist coughing, it can lead to a chest infection.

Other than this, nothing.

I did it myself a few years back. The one thing I remember vividly was sneezing at work a couple of days later. After doing a decent impression of someone being hit by lightning, the sweat was pissing off of me.

Sneezing, coughing, sleeping 🙁

Friend of mine took a tumble 6 weeks ago and did his ribs. He had a couple of scans and an X-ray as it was so painful, but they were only bruised. He's back on the bike now but still feeling tender.

I've just done my left ones in Surfing, landed awkwardly and caught my left foot on my fin and slashed that too.. Adrenaline kept me playing in the water for another couple of hours until I tried to get my wetsuit off, then I realised what I'd done.
I went out the following two days, sunk a load of co-codamol and ibuprofen from the Chemists because the surf was so good.

I'm sore now, laughing is a chuffing pain, coughing too, also sleep is proper annoying. Worst though is a sudden shortness of breath when resting and in low breathing mode on the sofa.. Sudden short breaths are really painful.

Not the first time I've done this, mostly windsurfing when bad landing from jumps or being sucked under with gear when wave riding, shite happens when you're having fun.

As mentioned, you'll get over it in a few weeks and hardly remember the pain as it just seems to "go". Other than that, painkillers and keep moving. Rest is the worst thing as you relax, and the (not so) sudden movements really bloody hurt.

Enjoy, get used to it.

dont be tempted to shallow breathe as you could end up with a lung infection.

I remember sneezing and having a rib make a loud crack followed by more pain when just into the healing process. Was worse than when I did it at first.

I feel your pain. I'm laid up with the same from yesterday.
Massive bruising all down my back and side

Considering you did it on Wednesday you're right you are wasting their time.

Thanks for the condescension by the way. Don't worry, I'm in no hurry to return to A&E as the last was July with my dad as my mum had died (maybe I was wasting their time then too, her inconveniently having died en-route),

I mentioned Wednesday for precisely this reason, it was four days ago almost now, it's not really an emergency then is it. Don't know who/where else has scanners/X-ray machines though...

Thanks for the rest of your post though, that was actually very useful.

Ditto docrobster.

So basically SIUP & paracetamol like before.

Sorry to hear about your Mum.

My post wasn't meant to be condescending I'm sometimes a bit blunt in my context.

@drac, yeah sorry, mebbe I'm just a little over sensitive on the topic right now. I saw the standard of care that both my parents got and the staff I dealt with during that palliative time and I have nothing but thanks and appreciation. I have absolutely no wish to unnecessarily add to their burden, hence me querying what to do (I have some friend tell me I should go get checked out, just in case...).

Thanks for replying in the first instance, it basically confirmed what I was thinking.

I hit a tree a while back and managed to get my fist betwixt ribs and tree. Probably not a good idea. Winded me at the time, but got progressively more painful. I sucked it up for a week or so, then a thoughtful chap at my bjj club decided to demonstrate his awesome top pressure. Which rendered me a screaming mess.

Doctor said 6-10 weeks before it would heal, maybe longer. HTH.

I did mine about a month ago and went to A&E as I could barely move. Multiple fractures to my ribs and a sprained pelvis. They checked I hadn't ruptured my spleen then x-rayed my chest and pelvis. Once the Dr was happy that nothing was sticking in my lungs he told me I could go. I had to ask for something for the pain and the only advice he gave me was a pamphlet on chest injuries.
I rang my GP a few days later as the co-codamol the hospital gave me wasnt touching the pain. GP gave me tramadol instead and signed me off work for 3 weeks.
It was agony for the first week, painful for the second, uncomfortable the third and now in week four its mostly ok. Every now and again though i'll move and it hurts again.
Sleeping was particularly difficult. I spent the first two weeks sleeping on the sofa as lying completely flat in bed was too uncomfortable and I couldn't get up again by myself.
I'm going to give it another week before getting back on the bike and then i'm going to take it easy for a while.

Get some good pain killers from your GP and take it easy for a few weeks. Oh and don't sneeze!

No need to apologise. Very wise of you not to burden a overloaded system.

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I've broken my ribs (self diagnosis) more times I'd care to remember... It hurts for about 8 weeks. Get whatever painkillers you can.

I'm currently nursing my big bike bash crash injury.

ALWAYS my left lower ribs too.

When I'm an old man and have chest xrays, they'll think I was a cafe fighter in a previous life...

Don't laugh or have 'jumpy' kids...

DrP

Lol I'm enjoying this thread and half laughing as I'm stoned on ibuprofen and German beer. It's half time in Liverpool game now and sadly I have to try and stand up!

Jeez, I hadn't realised that there was a club...

I'm still hoping that I'm on the lower spectrum (maybe even just bruised), some of you guys sound really sore 🙁

Cafe fighter..

One step down from a cage fighter...

DrP

Avoid
Sneezing.
Laughing.
Farting.
****ing.
Lying down.
Trampolining.
Riding a 100K Merida with the help of painkillers and beer...

Embrace
Painkillers.
Beer.
Painkillers.
But not riding 100K offroad with beer and two different kinds of painkillers to avoid od'ing on just one...

Did it in February was given codiene 30 mg take two four times a day and naproxen 500mg three times a day was told to take deep breaths by urgent care. Did mine walking into the corner of a cupboard at work on a night shift.
Took 6 weeks to feel better. Still hurts now if it gets cold.

In all honesty it hurt more than a fractured Tib and fib.

Stoned on NSAIDS?

I've fractured ribs on many occasions. As others have said, coughing, laughing and twisted to get out of bed (from lying flat on your back) were the worst.
However, here's a tip that has served me well - if you need to cough, wrap a towel (or thick belt) around your chest and then cough. It supports your chest and stops it "flailing" out and is considerably less painful. I'm not talking about prolonged binding of your chest, only for a few seconds. Works well. Although pain pasts months, the first 2 weeks were always the worst for me. Get well soon.

New years day and an ensuing street pagga with rowdy neighbours, one had a punch like a horses kick, only just stopped feeling it last month 😯

If you scream yourself awake when you roll over in your sleep is a good are they broken test.

Solution to it, get yourself a bean bag to stop you rolling over while you sleep.

Advice from my sister in law (former ward sister now Nurse practitioner) lie on your damaged side in bed as after the initial pain you will breathe normally & take pain killers as the taking little shallow breaths so you don't feel the pain will lead to chest infections.

She was right as after fracturing 3 ribs on a fall onto steel handrails I was back to full chat after 5 weeks.

I was using the duvet cover to stop me rolling over.

I think the painkillers lulled me into a false sense of security yesterday. Went to bed and though, that's not too bad now.

Woke up this morning and I can barely move. I could barely lift a coffee mug.

I feel like such a bloody lemon!

Holding a pillow against your chest to support the injured area also helps with moving around or coughing.

Jeez, some of you guys are really hurting. I'm managing on my paracetamol mainly so I must be low spectrum.

I should also confess that what happened was I dropped my (motor)bike and got squashed between it and road/pavement. Duh.

Hoping that I'm able to still get out on my bikepacking trip in, oh three or four weeks time... Guess I'll see!

And thanks to everyone for all the advise/tips/hints.

Well I managed 2 hours paddle surfing this morning, having sucked ibuprofen & co-codamol through my teeth. Took the edge off, once moving and twisting and paddling I felt much much better though not as strong paddling on my left side. Kept out of the breaking surf, played on the backside before bailing on the breaks to keep upright and out of the impact zone.
All good here, shall top up with more drugs later, then out again later in the day when the tide turns.

Clearly mine are bruised, not broken otherwise I'd be typing this through tears.

Did a rib or two a couple of years ago. I found it painful to lie flat and couldn't sleep, so ended up sleeping for several weeks with just about every spare pillow and cushion under my back and shoulders. Almost sleeping sitting up if you know what I mean, but it made a big difference.

I'm a week and a half into three broken ribs.
Managed to wein myself off the co-codamol as they make me feel spewy.
Struggling to sleep more than 3 hours a night though.
Hoping I can sleep on my side soon as I've never been a back sleeper.

How did I do it? Walking the dogs, slipped on a slimey rock and landed flat on my back winding myself too.

I'm on by third set of bruised/cracked ribs in a year. Only thing i can add is avoid vomiting at all costs! (had a bug). I also find alcohol is not good as it compounds the restless sleeping. This time I was back on the bike after 3 weeks, but the pain will carry on diminishing for another 5 or 6. then one day you'll realise its gone!

Related but not completely, I'm obviously still a lemon here, but inr concern is the bit on my ar5e and above. There's quite a lot of bruising but the whole area feels numb ish, not quite numb as in immune to pain but numb like your face feels after dentist injection etc. If I move wrong though there's an insane stabbing pain there, which feels like I'd expect more.
Its just above and around the area where my scar is from where my femur was pinned and screwed, so may be it affected it from the fall/impact.

We have local doctors or minor injuries I can use tomorrow, but I also think, well it was Friday and over 48 hours now, if I was going to drop dead I would have by now?

@weeksy: have a read of this, make your mind up accordingly?

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/rib-injuries/Pages/Introduction.aspx

I went to the Minor Injuries.. sat for an hour and was told "Meh, you're OK, you'll live"

Everything checked but didn't x-ray as the treatment is the same anyway.

In other news, i've just sneezed... it was just agony ! i thought i may cry !

Thanks for the update 😀

Also, validates my own decision to not bother...

Yeah, sneezing, ****-ing hurts. Twice only so far.... 👿

Yeah, sneezing, ****-ing hurts. Twice only so far....

If you feel one coming and you've got the time, wrap a towel around your chest and pull it tight as you sneeze, helped me a lot 🙂

I can only re-iterate get some pain killers and a try to breathe as normally as possible. I got a chest infection after my last set of broken ribs and ended up of oral morphine and codeine on Christmas Day not fun.

My advice would be not to get a cold/cough at the same time, been there and it is miserable 😥

@hooli: that is my concern, there's a whole lot of it about right now (and my throat felt decidedly claggy this am...) 😥

Broke 2 ribs 6 months ago just carried on very painful ,. Good deep breathing I used to do 10 per half hour ...hard to get out of bed for me ,sore

How's the pain threshold bearing up?
Anyone able to sneeze or shite properly yet?

My bruised ribs are almost healed, still can't sleep on my chest (which is my favoured position) and the Mrs says I snore too loudly whilst on my back, which is proving a little inconvenient for her..
Other than that I'm back out paddling tomorrow and have to make the best of the next few weeks before work kicks back in hard..

Mines getting better, I did a gentle turbo today.

Sneezing bad, can only sleep in 1 position.

2 weeks in and I can sneeze without feeling I'm being stabbed to death, yay! Just as well as the other evening I had a sneezing fit.

I can now lie on my 'bad' side without too much discomfort.

I'm weaning myself off the paracetamol but I'm still not managing a full nights unbroken sleep.

I managed a 170-odd mile motorbike run (over Glen Shee) on Sunday too. Some discomfort, was knackered afterwards but no real pain (other than when I forgot putting the bike on the centre stand in the petrol station in Pitlochry, ouch!)

Thinking most likely bruised (or cracked), rather than broken. And grateful for that!

Don't forget to take some form of laxative, co-codamol blocks you up.. 😕

co-codamol blocks you up..

Oh yeah, which is why I was (fortunately) managing with only diclofenac and paracetamol.

Co-codamol is nasty stuff.

Mine are still plodding along, getting more movement and less pain gradually. I've managed a gentle Ridgeway type ride and a couple of garage sessions on turbo.
Still a problem sleeping though.

I'm having a massive internal debate about BPW in 9 days time !

Well I did Saturdays windsurfing session, to be fair I blasted around for an hour only to suffer with under ribs pain.. So yesterday (whilst it's still windy) I did an 80k long interval session on the CXer. I feel a bit sore if I'm honest, but i have to crack on.
I'm only taking painkillers when I feel I need them, I'm still unsure if they're bruised or one of them is cracked, considering it's been three weeks now.

Only taking paracetamol at night to help sleep now.

First mtb outing is this Friday, so we'll see how that goes...

do you get a dislocation type movement at times guys ? When i move in a particular way it's almost like something dislodges/moves etc... it's not horrifically sore when it does this, but isn't nice.

I can almost sit up now etc from lying down using my core muscles...so that's good.

do you get a dislocation type movement at times guys ? When i move in a particular way it's almost like something dislodges/moves etc... it's not horrifically sore when it does this, but isn't nice.

First couple of nights I'd say I felt something a bit like that...

Nooooooooooooooooooooo

I sneezed... oh man... that was horrific !

I rebroke mine one time, after about 2 weeks, leaned over the side of a chair and pop. Don't do that.

Also, broken ribs vs bruised ribs- seems to be a matter of tossing a coin, diagnostically, and the recovery for me is exactly the same, but tell everyone they're broken as you get more sympathy.

I rebroke mine one time, after about 2 weeks, leaned over the side of a chair and pop. Don't do that.

Well i'm booked to go to BPW next Weds...

i've binned it 4 out of the last 5 times there...

As you can imagine, i have some reservations about next Weds and i'm fairly unlikely to go.

but tell everyone they're broken as you get more sympathy.

😆

Managed to get the grass cut yesterday (petrol mower, needs restarted every five minutes after emptying grass box) first time in three weeks. Feeling a bit sore today.

I have ongoing back issues and the standard exercises I do involve twisting and moving my rib cage... Only started again yesterday but the 'rolling' one I just couldn't do this am...

Yeah, tricky one... Suppose it also depends if you can pass on the place to someone else. TBH I don't really worry about re-injuring it, it's just as much about whether you'll be able to enjoy it, no point being a martyr.

(I have some history with this, this is a do what I say not what I do...)

weeksy, if its that sore sneezing how sore is falling off/over going to be?

I'm out on the bike on Friday but I'm at that three week stage that the NHS website says it gets better... <hoping that doesn't jinx me like!>

weeksy, if its that sore sneezing how sore is falling off/over going to be?

I can imagine, very very bad.

Yeah, tricky one... Suppose it also depends if you can pass on the place to someone else. TBH I don't really worry about re-injuring it, it's just as much about whether you'll be able to enjoy it, no point being a martyr.

It's only £30 or so, if i can't sell it on, i'm not that bothered. It's not the end of the world.

It does mean i'm letting down 2 other mates though,1 of whom won't go if i don't.... which makes me feel bad.

which makes me feel bad.

How bad would they feel if you fall off and really **** yourself? Remember you're much more likely to fall off when you're [i]trying[/i] not to fall off.... 😀

lol they'd probably wet themselves laughing as usual 🙂

That's the problem I find, having done this a few times now..

Whilst your brain says "yeah do it, you'll be fine" and the ribs still aching, the possibility of falling off/twisting and over compensating makes you take those sharp intakes of breath.. it's then that the reality of the pain kicks back in again.. Fall off, well that's worse because you're so tensed up that you can't fall correctly, then suffer even more

I've been out paddle surfing, but I've been wearing a buoyancy aid pulled right tight to help support my ribs, problem I have is falling off onto the side of the board (how I did this in the first place) but the buoyancy aid has helped no end with both protection and comfort.

Dammed if I'm stopping enjoying myself, but I'll do most things to limit the damage.

Hope you ride goes well, you can of course just take it easy..... until you spot that nice section where you go flat out for r it !!!

Don't assume the ribs are broken or cracked, I did that a few years ago but, 6 weeks later they were no better. I went to see a physio, she told me I'd dislocated my ribs!

Never knew you could.

Worth considering anyway.

My ribs got relocated in the next three sessions.

Satisfyingly uncomfortable sensation.

Still recovering, ribs are not bad now but still can't cough fully. Front worse than back.
Weird thing is though is a movement when I breathe deeply in certain positions, not all positions, certainly not standing up, its luck something clicks into place each time etc, no pain, just the weird feeling, like wgen you crack your knuckles etc if that makes sense?

Did 44km offroad on Friday.

Forgot to take painkillers with me, dumb, dumb, dumb.

When my breathing got laboured I had discomfort, at both extremes of inhale and exhale... Great excuse for being slow... Sorry Colin.

The tech-ish singletrack section with the added bounce was similar. Discomfort, decided not to push it. Hey, at least I didn't fall off!

Felt it yesterday, not so much today.

It was great to get out though 🙂

Just as well really though as I have a two day trip planned for w/c 17th. I [i]need[/i] to operational for that.

I'm doing fine now, still a bit sore and feeling tender under my rib cage, but back both on the water and on the bike.

Oh, I had a bit of a cough Friday evening and yesterday. That was a little unpleasant under the circumstances.

Maybe its that exercise induced asthma that seems to be going about these days... 😉

Something genuinely useful for you: If you feel the urge to sneeze you can stop it by rapidly licking the roof of your mouth with the tip of your tongue.

First proper ride this morning, week 5.5, (1 sedate 10k commute at week 3) and I'm a broken man.
Not ribs, they're pretty good, lungs not hurting the ribs, just a small amount of discomfort whilst climbing out of the saddle. My legs seem to be weak and feeble this afternoon, 28k feels like a lot more than it did 6 weeks ago before my slip.

Currently getting the clicking, knuckle cracking feeling a couple of the other posters have described after a crash at the ard moors enduro Initially didn't hurt too bad, but a couple of days after had a sneezing fit and felt like I'd been stabbed and has been painful on and off since. Have broken and bruised ribs before and doesn't feel as bad as that, can anyone shed any light as to what it could be?"

I can cycle nicely, did a zwift race tonight. I actually slept on my side last night for first time since crash.

Still delicate, too delicate for bpw anyway, but not a disaster. Clunking/clicking is getting to be a psychological irritation more than physical.

Climbing a ladder last week, about 10ft up it slipped, and down I came. The ladder flipped and walloped me in the chest.
Before I go on; I know it was probably my fault.
Bloody hell it hurt, I sweated gallons and went as white as a sheet. I knew I'd done my ribs, but to pacify Mrs YP who thought I may have damaged something else internally, off I trotted with humble apologies re wasting their time, to the local A&E dept.
They were brilliant. Sympathy, prodded and poked till I cried and came to the conclusion that they couldn't do anything other than offer more sympathy and give me a mouthful of painkillers.
No problem. That first afternoon Codeine and adrenaline made me feel as if I'd just got a scratch.
How wrong was I. That evening it kicked in. We are now day four. I didn't realise that even moving my toes affected the chest muscle! Its agony.
After a life outdoors and multiple injuries, I didn't know damage to the chest could be so painful. Can't move in bed, I can't sit. I can't laugh, cough or sneeze. Whats the point of resting if you can't settle to rest.
I don't know if my ribs are broken or bruised, because they now don't x-ray, so there is no way of knowing. Whatever the damage is, may I suggest to others.......protect your ribs!

Damn strange injury isn't it.

We seem to be able to take knocks and bruises to the legs and arms, just pass off tumbles off bikes and stuff. Yet a smack to the ribs almost flattens you, makes you immobile almost.

As mentioned above, there is no cure. It's simply a case of resting up, keep deep breathing, take it easy but don't become sedentary and try to keep moving.
Loads of experience and advice above, read and absorb and we'll see you again in 6 weeks.

Me, I'm fully back to normal now. I suspect a few of the others on here are too.