I broke four ribs and bruised a lung after a big off four weeks ago.
It’s been painfully to sleep and work as I do a physical job.
Doctor said no riding for eight weeks ahhhhhh!
I tried riding just flat trails last Sunday but that was silly as breathing hurt my ribs.
Now as a 55 year old fit old git I feel that I should heal quickly and sooner than the standard unfit human that I feel the standard eight weeks healing time is based. This was prooved I feel, after breaking my wrist last year and the doctor said ,see you in eight weeks. I replied no see you in six. He laughed and agreed.sure enough in six weeks the x-ray prooved that my wrist was fixed.
Now as my wife and riding mates say rest and weight.
Any real advice on when I can start riding, training again.
Apart from falling off and re breaking my ribs.When can I get back on the Bike?

Depends how and what you ride. Plenty recently on here and 4-6 weeks before gentle rides was about average. 8 to feeling ok. 12 to not noticing anything.

I cracked a rib and bruised my liver around five weeks ago. Lost the front end and fell awkwardly onto my own saddle. Sleep and physical activity was limited for about 2 weeks. Stupidly went for an easy ride about week 3 and spent the whole ride in pain (idiot). Now in week five had another go and nil pain whilst riding.
Tentatively getting back into it. Scared of repeat hit to same area.
good luck

I replied no see you in six. He laughed and agreed.sure enough in six weeks the x-ray prooved that my wrist was fixed.

6 weeks is normal for a fracture to heal. Sorry you’re not Wolverine

I had a massive off aged 16, woke up in hospital 2 days later with most of my right side broken. I could still feel the ribs on occasion a year later. 6 weeks at your age will not cut it, it may be some time before you don’t feel them doing even medium effort.

Take some time off now, don’t risk trying to get back too soon. Even on gentle rides.

Last time i broke my ribs, doctors advice was 4 weeks off the bike, road for 2 weeks and then gentle off road for 2, as he said to me try riding off road too early and crash and you are in real world of shit if a weak rib fully breaks and punctures a lung.

Cracked my left floating rib in Aug – I can still feel it now.

All in all I had about 2 months off (I started riding again about 6wks ago).

I’m 45 & consider myself in good shape,I train about 10-12 hours a week. My advice is don’t rush back – you will regret it!

Now 8 weeks off the bike after my 6th rib injury… 2 skiing, 4 cycling, and it is still hurting sometimes. No more jumps for me.

I’m 55 and 6 weeks is what it takes.