So I imagine a few of you have injured your ribs at some point.

I managed a really stupid OTB on Saturday and it hurts like Jeremy Hunt. I’m sure it’s just bruising and not cracking, but tell me – does the pain get worse before it gets better?

For how long is it going to be total agony turning over in bed?

Pain killers and anti inflammatories to help with the deep breathing exercises.
Probably will get worse before getting better and I would estimate 6 weeks of pain from my non medical, but experienced background.

Bruising and breaking is similar and painful. Ibuprofen and paracetamol.

Breathe deeply even though it hurts otherwise you risk getting a cold or cough and that will really hurt.

Have been boshing the pills (ibuprofen and paracetamol) with some success – not as much as I’d like though and they are interefering with my christmas socialising! 😆

Weirdly, I can breathe without too much pain – the worst thing is trying to sit up, either from a lying or sitting position. I can roll to an extent but it’s still painful to put an arm out and push myself up. Yesterday the pain spread to my back ribs… 😯

6 weeks though, meh 😥

Weirdly, I can breathe without too much pain

Proper deep breaths? From what I can remember it’s to prevent infections.

Yep, nice deep breaths. Have knocked the swimming on the head though because it hurts to cough and I tend to spluuter and choke a bit when I’m in the pool (I’m still learning!).

Sounds just like me, this is week 5 and its eased somewhat. I’ve been out today in the frost and ice but can still can feel the left rib. Mine were fine after I fell off, rode back up over kinder and Jacobs but the following day I realised something was up. Having crashed on a Sunday morning; the pain got worse and the following Thursday/Friday were the worst two days, since then it has eased and I’ve been able to cope. I notice it most turning over in bed. Suspect mine are/were cracked but don’t actually know.

For me it always gets worse before it gets better, then spends about a week being really crap, then gradually gets better- takes between 4 and 8 weeks to get to pain free (though i think it was 2 weeks after my first rib break when I raced 10 Under the Ben… Not clever!) The worst was the time that apparently I hadn’t broken any bones, something to do with the cartilidge? But bruised and broken seem to be used pretty interchangably.

Ibuprofen good. I was prescribed diclofenac last time as a stronger NSAID, and that seems to be available over the counter now as voltarol? Tis good stuff.

Also, biggest problem for me is always sleeping/lying down/getting up- sleeping in an armchair or propped up with tons of pillows helps for me.

Took me 8 weeks to be totally pain free.

I had co-coldamol (spelling way off!) with paracetamol in it, seemed to help. Over the counter stuff, nothing special.

Rest easy and watch out for bad jokes… They really do crack your ribs!

Very painful, I broke seven ribs and I could only sleep in a chair for a month.

As a kid I managed to break my sturnem and pull a few ribs out. That smarted at the time but worse was that for a few years after I used to be able to sneeze a rib out of the sturnem which meant 4-6 weeks of recovery. This coincided with my worse phase of hay fever. Not funny

So, Voltarol…. “should be taken before meals” – does that mean I can take it first thing in the morning? I’m finding it a bit of a chore forcing food down before I can take ibuprofen in the mornings.

Some good stories from you guys – putting my pain into perspective, thanks!

When I bruised mine, it wasn’t bad to start with but about two weeks later it was absolute agony, even to drive. Got checked but no breaks.

satchm00 – Member

I had co-coldamol (spelling way off!) with paracetamol in it,

That’s what cocodamol is 😉 codeine and paracetemol.