My first time posting here

[Red Hawk]

So I didn't have a bike related injury but hurts to ride a bike even still. I had a bad snowboarding crash at Mt. High. That place is evil I tell you. Anyhow my point for posting was, this is the first time I've ever hurt my chest, my whole left side hurts, that being the ribs and was my lung too. It doesn't hurt anymore when I breath, (lung) that is. But I still get super sharp pain in my ribs, lower ribs that is, especially when I cough. Has anyone had something similiar? Any suggestions? I've never hurt my chest before, it sucks, I have a hard time riding, cause the pain become too much, like someone stabbing me in between my ribs.

[CalEpic]

Going on the assumption you've had an x-ray to make sure you don't have broken rib(s) and they're bruised, it just takes time. Mine took what seemed like forever to stop hurting. Well over a month.

[art23rockpile]

During a long ride in mid-December, I cracked a rib. Same thing: hurt bad whenever i coughed or laughed hard (with my stupidass friends, the latter was hard to avoid ), could not sleep on that side, etc. I still rode hard thru the entire healing process though, by taking a lot of ibuprophen.

My experience is that it's like most broken bones: six weeks to heal, and the soreness goes away gradually.

[Pain Freak]

I broke my ribs on two different occasions and I still have a knot on a rib that I guess will be there for life. My ribs still hurt with very little impact still today and I broke the last one almost 10 year ago.

[Red Hawk]

I have been told they couldn't be broken, cause it would hurt ten times more, but they hurt enough for me. Yeah, I can't sleep well on my left side, but I can, it feels like I'm sleeping on the ground in a tent with no padding. I didn't get an X-ray. I'm wondering if I should. I was told even if I did break a bone there's nothing i can do, only have my chest wrapped.

[blender]

Originally Posted by Red Hawk

I have been told they couldn't be broken, cause it would hurt ten times more, but they hurt enough for me. Yeah, I can't sleep well on my left side, but I can, it feels like I'm sleeping on the ground in a tent with no padding. I didn't get an X-ray. I'm wondering if I should. I was told even if I did break a bone there's nothing i can do, only have my chest wrapped.

i have bruised my rib cage on a number of occasions and it hurts like a bastard, every time you laugh, cough, or take a deep breath - it feels like a dozen sharp knives stabbing you between the ribs. God forbid you sneeze, 'cause you'll be crying like a little girl.

It is veeery slow to heal. My worst one took well over a couple of months to feel better. I couldn't ride my bike for weeks, without cringing in pain.

Unfortunately there isn't much you can do outside of taking it easy, and taking ibuprofen to ease the pain. These are easy to re-aggravate too, so don't rush into things, let that area heal up.
Even if your rib was cracked, the "treatment" is the same - rest and pain meds. The only real worry with a broken rib is pneumothorax (collapsed lung from being punctured by a fractured rib), which you would know right a way if that was the case.

One thing you should be conscious of, is NOT breathing shallow, as that has repercussions of it's own. If it hurts to breath normally, and you find yourself breathing shallow to avoid the pain, take your pain meds and try to take a full deep breath whenever you can.

Heal up!

[Red Hawk]

Thanks guys. I feel better, I had figured it would heal as fast a normal bruise. Glad to know it's a slower process, I was getting frustrated.

[UR2KLOS]

Why does this happen over and over again on this message board?

The OP asked a medical question.
Then a bunch of people talk about their injuries.

The only correct answer is: Please see a doctor. The fact that other people got hurt and got better is irrelevant.

(edit: In this case the OP did ask people if they had something similar so I was a bit harsh.)

[blender]

because, elite senior STR member, this is an internet forum
and views and opinions given here are just that - views and opinions, and are worth the price charged

choosing to go see the doctor is OP's prerogative

[UR2KLOS]

Originally Posted by blender

because, elite senior STR member, this is an internet forum
and views and opinions given here are just that - views and opinions, and are worth the price charged

choosing to go see the doctor is OP's prerogative

My view and opinion is that non-doctors should not dispense medical advice.

This particular thread is admittedly not a very good example. A better example is a thread where someone wanted to know what to do about being enemic and the answers were all stuff like "eat more beef" instead of recommending that he see a doctor to find out why he was anemic.

[mtbchip]

I'm going with eat more beef........

[Fewinhibitions]

Originally Posted by UR2KLOS

Why does this happen over and over again on this message board?

The OP asked a medical question.
Then a bunch of people talk about their injuries.

The only correct answer is: Please see a doctor. The fact that other people got hurt and got better is irrelevant.

(edit: In this case the OP did ask people if they had something similar so I was a bit harsh.)

The only quick cure for bruised/broken ribs is vigorous sexual activity.

[Sweetpea]

I used to ride horses over fences and broke my ribs many a time. My doctor told me it was a waste of time and money to come in and get it checked out because there was nothing you can do. It took 10 days for the nasty pain to subside and then 3-5 weeks for it to go away entirely. Hardly any of my fellow riders ever went in for broken ribs because broken ribs were so common to what we were doing and we already spent too much time in the E.R. with all our other injuries.

At least I'm quoting my doctor, right UR2KLOS?

[rb-digi]

Originally Posted by UR2KLOS

My view and opinion is that non-doctors should not dispense medical advice.

This particular thread is admittedly not a very good example. A better example is a thread where someone wanted to know what to do about being enemic and the answers were all stuff like "eat more beef" instead of recommending that he see a doctor to find out why he was anemic.

Why does this happen over and over again on this message board? a "op" starts a post and nice people offer help/advice from previous experiences .Then some grouchy person comes along and...... I dont get why ur comin on here and voicing your opinion.Unlike the advice that WAS asked for.You should just save your two cents, eventually they will add up and you can go to coinstar ,and not come off lookin like such a

[genusmtbkr5]

Originally Posted by Red Hawk

But I still get super sharp pain in my ribs, lower ribs that is, especially when I cough. Has anyone had something similiar? Any suggestions? I've never hurt my chest before, it sucks, I have a hard time riding, cause the pain become too much, like someone stabbing me in between my ribs.

I fell on Ernie Maxwell during the STR camp out around Apr 2008. Came off a roller and fell and my elbow went into my side. It hurt like hell, but I rode the rest of the ride out. It hurt to sleep, laugh, cough, sneeze. Most thought it was just a bruise or crack. When I got home after the weekend, I went a got x-rays. Turned out it was broken. I was told by the Dr not to ride, but I did. I ended up going to Fruita a few weeks later and did the Traverse later in May. I just took it easy, but it hurt to pull up on the bars and the jarring/bumpy rock garden type trails hurt as well. It took about 8 weeks to heal. Go get x-rays to be sure and good luck and heal up soon.

[UR2KLOS]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

At least I'm quoting my doctor, right UR2KLOS?

I guess this is okay

I still think my original point is correct although I didn't state it very well.

[Pain Freak]

HTF, do you know I'm not a doctor?

[1X9er]

I'm not a doctor but I play one on TV.

[UR2KLOS]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

HTF, do you know I'm not a doctor?

You're probably talking to me.

I wasn't really referring to you since you did not give any medical advice.

Blender is the person offering medical advice. A real doctor would not diagnose someone over the internet and then suggest a course of treatment.

I hope Red Hawk will be fine. People should not be trying to talk him out of seeking medical help. We do not know if he has any dangerous internal injuries or not.

Yes this is just an internet chat room, but health issues are different than all the other stuff we discuss here.

[blender]

UR2KLOS
give it a rest.

The OP came here to gather a few personal recounts of rib-related injuries, and that is exactly what he got. No more, no less.
I'm sure he's well aware of the fact that asking for medical advice on a cycling internet forum is rather foolish.

For what it's worth, my recollection is based on facts given to me by a physician, from my first trip to the hospital after a rib injury.

This is absolutely no different than giving somebody free advice on rebuilding a shock or a wheelset, which if done wrong could lead to component failure and very serious rider injury. Not everyone giving out this advice is a certified mechanic, they simply speak from their personal experience. People either choose to take this advice, or choose to take their equipment to a local bike shop and have a professional work on it.

What about giving your friends advice on approaching an intimidating drop or jump, which if done wrong can have very serious repercussions. None of us are certified skills instructors, yet we dispense this advice based on our personal experience.

Fact is, we are all grown adults, and we are all responsible for making our own choices and have to live with the consequences of these choices. If the OP's injury is serious, yet he chooses to ignore it based on some facts he collected on the internet, well then he will have to live with the consequences of that choice.