Broken ribs, speeding up healing?

Hi, I’ve broken some ribs in a crash and keen to get back on the bike ASAP.

A few people have mentioned to me about lazier treatments that help speed up the healing process and fusing bones together.

Can anyone recommend anywhere to try, I’m in the Guildford area but willing to travel and drive between Surrey and Devon and Surrey and South Wales regularly.

Tried the stone clinic In bath but they’re booked up for a while.

Cheers Toby

Don’t sneeze….or laugh….or turn over in bed. Eat lots of cherries*

* They won’t help at all but they are delicious.

Try not breathing….or moving for long periods of time (these 2 go hand in hand…..eventually).
Also never sneeze again.

I hope it was a good crash / story.

I broke mine attempting to bunny hop up a curb just coming out of Sainbsbury’s 2 years ago. I’m 45 this month. I was rolling around in the road like a beached porpoise while traffic started to build up.

Most embarrassing. I usually pride myself on my ability to bunny hop fairly well.

As for treatment, Perchy and Rorschach have pretty much nailed.

Hypobaric chamber or snakeoil.

Don’t try to speed it up, would be my advice. I dislocated a rib and rode, my slightly bent bike, home from the hospital. I also went on a few long road rides, a couple of days later. In short, I now have a rib which occasionally pops if I pick things up a certain way, have difficulties with some rucksacks and just think a few weeks of healing would have saved me more time overall.
Sit back for a bit.

Hypobaric chamber or snakeoil.

This, plus as much money as you can possibly throw at the snakeoil bit.

You want to help the bones heal with oxygen, not deprive them of it in a hypobaric chamber.

You want to help the bones heal with oxygen, not deprive them of it in a hypobaric chamber.

Ok I will tell my Orthopaedic Surgeon wife she has got it all wrong.

I’ve got a patient with a chronic open wound on his leg (like 15 years, no healing, failed skin grafts etc). Plastic surgeon suggested hyperbaric chamber for him. Not funded on NHS though.

Says a lot about the NHS when the surgeons are relying on STW for info

Hope you don’t have hay fever, could become very uncomfortable.

First ride Saturday following 2 weeks off the bike with a broken rib.

Says a lot about the NHS when the surgeons are relying on STW for info

That’s nothing there were some Nuclear Engineers on here asking about a problem in the design of their new reactor for Hinkley Point…

Ok I will tell my Orthopaedic Surgeon wife she has got it all wrong.

Hyperbaric therapy (HBO) is well known to promote bone healing.

Think about what hypo means in a medical setting, hypoxia ring a bell?

Practically the only place you will find a hypobaric chamber in the UK is the RAF aviation medicine centre.

Don’t take ibuprofen, maybe.

Don’t Take These Pain Killers That Slow Down Bone Healing – Do This Instead

IANANSAIDist

Theres two chambers within a mile of me right now and another about 3 miles away.
NONE are RAF.

Airlines?

Some people seem to be confused by the definition of the hyperbaric treatment.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT) involves breathing pure oxygen at higher than atmospheric pressures in an enclosed chamber.

https://www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.uk/

can’t help on the bone stuff but be very careful to avoid cold/chest infections – easier said than done but ban snifflers/coughers from contact and cleanse hands after touching doors if out shopping – won’t speed up but will reduce delay caused by coughing

Take the painkillers! I didn’t and ended up with a collapsed lung and in immense pain.

Not sure what they do for ribs but these guys are the best in the uk for the laser/magnet stuff.
Physic clinic.net
I’ve used them on collar bones with very good results.

laughter is the best medicine

You sure it’s broken or just bruised either way will feel similar… a lot of pain. Just if its not broken then load up on vit I and keep breathing in a controlled manner. It’ll heal but will be horrible for a good week or two.

If its affecting your breathing in any way make sure you take 10 deep breaths every hour- no matter how painful it is. This is to keep your lungs aerated to make sure you don’t get a chest infection. Other than that just tough it out. Keep moving and let the pain tell you how much movement is enough. Oh and if you feel like coughing or sneezing wrapping a towel tightly round your abdomen to give the ribs some support will take the sting out of it.

Don’t do what what I did a couple of months ago – break a rib then pick up a chest infection with a nice deep chesty cough.

Most evil combination known to man.

You have my sympathy. Fell badly on a rock on Tuesday and was struggling breathing regularly for a few minutes. Just bruised I think but not pleasant.
Shouldering the bike for the remaining hike-a-bike over Stake Pass was not an experience that I wish to repeat anytime soon.
Went out for a short spin last night and really wish I hadn’t. Struggled to hold a line down steps and drops, could feel every one of ’em, plus lifting the bike over fences and gates was decidedly painful once the ibuprofen had started to wear off. In hind-sight, it was just a daft idea. I wish I’d rested it.

Just back from the doctor who told me 2 possibly 3 broken ribs :/ hay fever is no fun either at this time of year.

Off to Fort William at the weekend with hooligan number 2 so will just have to see how that goes.

And just to cheer you up he told me anything up to 6 weeks to sort itself out properly!!

Don’t do what what I did a couple of months ago – break a rib then pick up a chest infection with a nice deep chesty cough.

Most evil combination known to man.

🙁

unlucky chap

I really wouldn’t try hyperbaric oxygen, there is loads of evidence coming through in anaesthesia and ICU medicine just how bad for you too much oxygen is. The idea that lots of oxygen is safe is turning out to be a bit of a myth.