Any tips for broken ribs?

sozo
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sozo
Edited Date/Time 6/25/2013 12:36pm
Hit the ground pretty hard yesterday broke 4 ribs... Any tips for a speedy recovery?
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Bytor
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Bytor 6/23/2013 4:45pm
6/23/2013 4:45pm
Don't laugh, cough or sneeze for about 6 weeks.
NP301
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NP301 6/23/2013 4:48pm
6/23/2013 4:48pm
Don't breath, that should help.
bullpen658
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bullpen658 6/23/2013 4:48pm
6/23/2013 4:48pm
I broke 5 ribs in 2011. Took 6 MONTHS for them to feel 100%. My suggestion is to not break any bones.
jeffro503
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jeffro503 6/23/2013 4:53pm
6/23/2013 4:53pm Edited Date/Time 6/23/2013 4:54pm
Bytor wrote:
Don't laugh, cough or sneeze for about 6 weeks.
This!

Ribs suck! It's not like an arm or leg that you can put in a cast and keep mobile. You use them with every breath you take. I broke 3 last summer pretty bad ( actually offset a little ). Slept on the couch for damn near a month at a 45 degree angel before I could lay flat in my bed. My advice.....find something to keep you occupied and take it easy for about 6 weeks. They will still hurt like a SOB for a while after that.....but at least the bones will be set. I've broken mine enough times that the amount of repaired fractures on my rib cage looks like a jigsaw puzzle.

Heal up good and quick Sozo!

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sozo
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sozo 6/23/2013 4:55pm
6/23/2013 4:55pm Edited Date/Time 6/23/2013 4:57pm
Bytor wrote:
Don't laugh, cough or sneeze for about 6 weeks.
jeffro503 wrote:
This! Ribs suck! It's not like an arm or leg that you can put in a cast and keep mobile. You use them with every breath...
This!

Ribs suck! It's not like an arm or leg that you can put in a cast and keep mobile. You use them with every breath you take. I broke 3 last summer pretty bad ( actually offset a little ). Slept on the couch for damn near a month at a 45 degree angel before I could lay flat in my bed. My advice.....find something to keep you occupied and take it easy for about 6 weeks. They will still hurt like a SOB for a while after that.....but at least the bones will be set. I've broken mine enough times that the amount of repaired fractures on my rib cage looks like a jigsaw puzzle.

Heal up good and quick Sozo!
Thanks guys will do... Hard to do this stuff at 43 years old, but just love MX and the physical challenge of it...
dantheman
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dantheman 6/23/2013 4:57pm
6/23/2013 4:57pm Edited Date/Time 6/23/2013 4:59pm
What Bytor said AND... get used to PAIN! No way around it Sad

Actually, it's hard to get used to "broken ribs" pain. As you'll feel okay and then only when you sneeze, laugh or cough does it FEEL like someone is sticking you with a KNIFE! At least, that's how it was for me...

Good luck and hope you heal up mon'
dazzlindino 6/23/2013 5:01pm
6/23/2013 5:01pm
sozo wrote:
Hit the ground pretty hard yesterday broke 4 ribs... Any tips for a speedy recovery?
time to break out the les paul for abouts 2 mnths......
sozo
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sozo 6/23/2013 5:05pm
6/23/2013 5:05pm
Obviously no physical activity for 6 weeks, but how dossile do I need to remain ?
Bytor
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Bytor 6/23/2013 5:09pm
6/23/2013 5:09pm
That depends on your pain threshold. Pretty still for a couple weeks at least. If they are broke clean through maybe even longer.
motogrady
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motogrady 6/23/2013 5:11pm
6/23/2013 5:11pm
Get a good, comfortable chair to sleep in.
newmann
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newmann 6/23/2013 5:12pm
6/23/2013 5:12pm
When standing, don't attempt to lie down. While laying down, don't attempt to get up. And like others have suggested don't cough. Or whatever you do don't sneeze.
dantheman
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dantheman 6/23/2013 5:15pm
6/23/2013 5:15pm
motogrady wrote:
Get a good, comfortable chair to sleep in.
I compression fractured four vertebrae(broken back), OMG... the chair I slept in might have as well been heaven for about six WEEKS!
dantheman
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dantheman 6/23/2013 5:16pm
6/23/2013 5:16pm
Also, if you think "holding" your ribs while you sneeze or cough will help... NOPE. Sorry Sad
steve_97060
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steve_97060 6/23/2013 5:19pm
6/23/2013 5:19pm
newmann wrote:
When standing, don't attempt to lie down. While laying down, don't attempt to get up. And like others have suggested don't cough. Or whatever you do...
When standing, don't attempt to lie down. While laying down, don't attempt to get up. And like others have suggested don't cough. Or whatever you do don't sneeze.
that about covers it, broken ribs are no fun..

one thing I noticed about sneezing with the freshly broken ribs, I could feel it coming and I would start bracing for the knife in the chest feeling, and invariably the sneeze would short circuit and not happen, I think there was/is some sort of built in fail safe system that wouldn't allow me to sneeze due to the pain.

coughing was another matter..
Choppy
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Choppy 6/23/2013 5:53pm
6/23/2013 5:53pm
Try not to labor yoyr breathing to much as you don't want to get any type of respiratory problems....that's what my doctor told me....good luck doing so.
NZ272
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NZ272 6/23/2013 6:00pm
6/23/2013 6:00pm
To stop a sneeze quickly rub your eyes, true shit. Thank me later.
Tim507
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Tim507 6/23/2013 6:04pm
6/23/2013 6:04pm
newmann wrote:
When standing, don't attempt to lie down. While laying down, don't attempt to get up. And like others have suggested don't cough. Or whatever you do...
When standing, don't attempt to lie down. While laying down, don't attempt to get up. And like others have suggested don't cough. Or whatever you do don't sneeze.
I crashed friggen hard into some whoops in 96.........knew the ribs were cracked or broken. Did not bother with X-rays. About 2 weeks later I needed to drive to California from Portland. Was passing through Woodland (north of Sacremento) and got a serious nose full of pollen. Man I tired my damnest to suck it up and not sneeze. Was in the fast lane on a straight stretch doing well over the speed limit when the sneeze took over. Held the steering wheel dead straight and damn near cried! Eyes watered up big time and my vision was wiped out for who knows how long.

Broken or cracked ribs really suck!
retrofun
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retrofun 6/23/2013 6:18pm
6/23/2013 6:18pm
I have bad luck with ribs.
I fractured 5 ribs last year on different occasions... the first two were at the track, somehow ended up on my handlebars after loosing it in a tight sandy corner, the next 2 were getting out of a kayak at a dock... fell on to a rope cleat, and the final one...i walked into a wheel barrow handle while doing some work in a neighbors yard... heard that one pop.

My doctor told me you have to clear your lungs everyday.. told me to hold a pillow to my chest every morning and cough. That was not pleasant at allPinch

I still tried to ride... despite everyone saying not to, could not jump, any jarring like braking bumps brought tears to my eyes. I felt it didnt make any sense for me to be riding.
decided to just take it easy and wait till they healed.

Pit Row

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TeamGrnRacer99 6/23/2013 6:32pm
6/23/2013 6:32pm
Bytor wrote:
Don't laugh, cough or sneeze for about 6 weeks.
What he said X 10. Sneezing is the worst !!
Been dealing with it the last 3 weeks.
Can't ride , can't play my Drums , and sleeping sux
Make sure u do cough here & there and use the breathing device they should have given you in the ER !!
Everytime I move it feels like there's midgets cage fighting in my chest
BDOG
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BDOG 6/23/2013 7:05pm
6/23/2013 7:05pm
Lortab 10's and Vodka
IWreckALot
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IWreckALot 6/23/2013 7:07pm
6/23/2013 7:07pm
So basically what everyone is saying is good luck but there's no good news.

I bruised some ribs a couple of years ago and they hurt like hell. Don't know what broken ribs are like but if they're any worse than bruised ribs, I think I'd want to be induced into a coma for a few months. Not really but they just plain suck. My father inlaw got kicked by a horse. Broke 8 ribs and punctured his lungs. Couldn't imagine how he felt about that.
snipermx50cal 6/24/2013 4:24am
6/24/2013 4:24am
Lay off the Bong! Don't take hits that will make you cough!
DW324
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DW324 6/24/2013 4:39am
6/24/2013 4:39am
I just went though the same thing. The one thing that helped me the best for sleeping was Advil PM. They will be your best friend. I highly recommend getting some. At least you will be able to get a good nights rest!!!!
vet323
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vet323 6/24/2013 7:06am
6/24/2013 7:06am
You guys are a bunch of pussies!

The first time I broke ribs, I broke 11 of them in 23 places, along with losing half of my right lung. Four of the fractures will never be "healed". Since then, I've cracked ribs on a couple of occasions and, as everyone has already said, there is little that can be done about the pain except learning how to embrace it. Breathing exercises helped me more than anything (and a comfortable recliner with a lot of soft pillows)..
ga_pike
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ga_pike 6/24/2013 7:10am
6/24/2013 7:10am
vet323 wrote:
You guys are a bunch of pussies! The first time I broke ribs, I broke 11 of them in 23 places, along with losing half of...
You guys are a bunch of pussies!

The first time I broke ribs, I broke 11 of them in 23 places, along with losing half of my right lung. Four of the fractures will never be "healed". Since then, I've cracked ribs on a couple of occasions and, as everyone has already said, there is little that can be done about the pain except learning how to embrace it. Breathing exercises helped me more than anything (and a comfortable recliner with a lot of soft pillows)..
robkinuk
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robkinuk 6/24/2013 7:25am
6/24/2013 7:25am
Don't watch any comedy shows on TV, that laughing out loud Wink always gets you!Tongue Laughing
neverwasfastenuf 6/24/2013 8:36am
6/24/2013 8:36am
sozo wrote:
Hit the ground pretty hard yesterday broke 4 ribs... Any tips for a speedy recovery?
Find a good pain management doctor and they might suggest a facet injection that will help. Recently broke 3 ribs and got some relief by that method and wish I would have done it sooner.
Habitual Linestepper 6/24/2013 8:59am
6/24/2013 8:59am
Nice to see others going thru this haha.

I break a few at the start of each season and deal with them all summer. I broke four about 2 months ago, I was off the bike for a couple weeks. I just ride now, shitty trying to sleep. Otherwise, the sneezing part is true. Funny, I rarely sneeze, but as soon as I break ribs I turn into a sneeze machine!
sozo
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sozo 6/24/2013 9:03am
6/24/2013 9:03am Edited Date/Time 6/24/2013 9:03am
Going to the doc in a few, thanks for all the heads up and advice. Yea pain during the day isn’t bad unless I cough sneeze etc... Sleeping is another story! I guess it depends on where you break your ribs but I can’t even lie down, I slept (sort of) on the recliner last night.
vet323
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vet323 6/24/2013 9:07am
6/24/2013 9:07am
vet323 wrote:
You guys are a bunch of pussies! The first time I broke ribs, I broke 11 of them in 23 places, along with losing half of...
You guys are a bunch of pussies!

The first time I broke ribs, I broke 11 of them in 23 places, along with losing half of my right lung. Four of the fractures will never be "healed". Since then, I've cracked ribs on a couple of occasions and, as everyone has already said, there is little that can be done about the pain except learning how to embrace it. Breathing exercises helped me more than anything (and a comfortable recliner with a lot of soft pillows)..
ga_pike wrote:
[img]http://www.justsaypictures.com/images/tough-guy.jpg[/img]
HA!

Ok, I see where I came off like that, I guess I should have noted how many times I cried trying to get to sleep!

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