What to do?

I came off on a very innocent bit of trail on Monday, just half an hour or so into my ride, from the top of Honister down. It was really wet and luckily I went towards grass rather than rocks. But, it was relatvely high speed and as I skidded along the grass I bounced off a few protruding rocks.

I suspect I've broken or bruised my left ribs. I've walked or biked everyday since, and the daily pain is mostly manageable (although an off road ride on Tuesday was a really bad idea). Going to bed is impossible though: there is no position that isn't unbelievably painful, getting in and out of bed, or moving once horizontal is excrutiating. Last night I tried sleeping in a chair. I might go buy a recliner today as that seems to be about the best position.

Every night I tell myself I'm going to hospital in the morning. Every morning I tell myself it's not worth the effort. So... Worth getting checked at hospital (where I understand there's nothing they can do) or just MTFU? If the latter, hiking and road riding at low intensity shouldn't be an issue - should it?

I'm not coughing blood, no sign of major problems (I don't think) and I'm forcing myself to breathe deeply.

I wouldn't bother myself. Broken quite a few in the past and although they are extremely painful, they heal quite quickly, couple of weeks or so.

GP or minor injuries clinic if there is one might be better than casualty. Worth getting them to listen to your breathing at least, and a prescription of ibuprofen will probably follow…

EDIT: not sure how samuri recovers after a couple of weeks, I broke one and it was weeks of not being able to breathe properly followed by months of not being quite right and years of it being painful if any pressure was put on my chest.

ask a doctor

You cant get any treatment for broken ribs iirc but rest is a good idea. They take for ever to heal as everything you do involves them.
EDIT: Samurai you sure you broke them?My bruised ones have taken 3 weeks to be able to deep breaths without pain and only about 85% on the bike

I've been thinking a visit was worth it just to get some stronger painkillers for sleeping. I'm knackered!

A light hike today shouldn't be an issue, should it? Last day in the Lakes today, and so far it's not raining.

Should add, I got hiccups last night. UNIMAGINABLE pain 😀

sorry, to be clear I'm not sure how long they took to heal but the pain subsides to acceptable (pain killers no longer required), levels after a few weeks.

If you want strong painkillers go to your gp. There is no other treatent for broken ribs.

Don't bother A&E. 4 days old injury is not an emergancy

you've probably not broken a rib if you can still walk/ride etc. i fell off an wall and landed on hard-pack ice when snowboarding earlier in the year (always check your landing spots kids!). had the camera in side pocket and it went staight to rib. was coughing up blood, in excrutiating pain for the next two days and everytime i breathed in i was sure i could feel the broken rib moving. back in the UK went to visit doc who told me if it was broken i wouldn't have been able to board for the rest of the holiday with broken ribs.

i had ruptured the cartilidge between the ribs but it was still incredibly sore and still is a bit now if i fall on it!

Damaged costal cartilages are generally more painful than broken ribs and take longer to heal

Wasn't really thinking of A&E, TJ. Just a walk in centre to get a prescription – I'm on holiday, so GP not an option.

does that make me more of a man then?

breaks are not high priority if you are still walking about and stuff, so unless there are no bones sticking out then this is what happens

you go to hospital
wait for hours
they say 'hmm lets do an x-ray'
wait for hours
they take an x-ray
wait for hours
they say if its broken or not. Tell you to take lots of rest and pain killers. No you can't have the good ones.

Going to the GP will add an additional step at the start

So I would not bother

On the other hand, you might get a punctured lung or something. So maybe you should. Up to you really.

I've done similar rib injuries a few times and not gone. Taken anything from 2 to 6 weeks to feel better.

That's definitely what I'd be telling myself Peaches 😉

Ibuprofen & whisky, DVD on, lots of comedy & painful laughter 😀

And don't even think of catching a cold!

Probaby cracked, i have done mine before, and am nursing a couple now too, 4 weeks before i go to Les Arcs !!

Not worth docs or hospital really, they cant do anythin unless you have punctured a lung, which you would probably know about !!

2 paracetomol and 2 Ibruprofen every 4 hours and rest sorts em out

iamtheresurrection –

If you need strong painkiller then use the walk in centre – no point in being macho about pain

My two penneth.
No not worth it.
Broken/cracked whatever took about five weeks to totally disapear.
Torn my intercostal thingy on Good Friday and that still twinges a bit on stiff climbs so about three months for that one.

Thanks all. General trend towards not going, so that's what I'll do. Ibuprofen and codine the way forward…

I came off whilst riding at the Bristol Bike Fest, long story short, two weeks later I still had a lot of pain in the left rib area. Had a sports massage at Mayhem, bloke advised me to go to hospital.

A few days later I spent 3 hours waiting in the A & E at the local hospital, finally saw a nurse (one of the high up A & E ones) and she said unless there is "serious trauma" they don't even bother x-raying.

So in short, unless you get taken into A & E in an ambulance they won't bother x-raying it or looking into it.

I did, particularly helful ;+)

Quick (<30secs) hands on check.
Don't laugh, don't cough.
Goodbye

It's not that we can't be bothered to x-ray it, it's just that it makes no difference. And then you lot go getting all uppity when we give you cancer from the ginormous dose of radiation we have to fire at your heart and lungs…..

😉

I wouldn't ride with them broken but to be honest when I broke mine I could hardly breathe never mind ride a bike. If you fall on them again a punctured lung is a good possibility.

Just getting over doing mine 4 weeks ago – still ache a bit when I sleep on them but I just took some Ibuprofen, didn't bother with the docs and took it frustratingly easy with everything – that's the key to recovery – don't try anything at all!

I did 2 in April this year. I feel your pain. It bloody knacks. Try not to laugh/cough and do absolutely anything you possibly can not to sneeze.

Go to the Docs and get a prescription for some Co-codamol 30/500. If nothing else, they'll help you get some sleep.

I went to the hospital on day 4 and all they did was tell me what I already knew/feared. "Two cracked ribs and there's nowt we can do. Now MTFU".

Co-codamol and ibuprofen helped to manage the pain.

Did mine at bristol bikefest in June falling off a log …….
4 weeks later rode the marmotte in the alps, was fine unless I stood in the pedals, not idea if you are trying to climb 5000m in a day.

Just about sorted now, although I still get the odd twinge.

So basically MTFU, or get some Paracetamol & Ibuprofin 😀

It's worth a trip to a walk in centre or GP, just in case you've punctured a lung, they'll check you over and see if there are any possible complications.
I had a bad fall when biking in New Zealand a few years ago. I thought I'd broken a rib but went to A&E anyway, got X rayed and found I had three broken ribs + punctured lung.

Quick update. Checking in as a temp patient at the local GPs, who spent some time listening to my story, prodding my ribs (thanks) and looking at the bruising.

Suspects ribs 7 and 8 are both broken, prescription given for diclofenacs…

Little walk today, but they feel more sore than previously so we're off to the pub with our books… Liquid therapy 🙂

Well go have your drinky poos but don't wake up next morning and have a big yawn and stretch.

Mrs Oldgit, what was that tearing noise?
Mr Oldgit, Me…. ouch.

Should that 'ouch' not be in capitals?! 😉