Ribs. What have I done?

Had a Sudden Loss Of Talent last Thursday night, lost the front end, went over the bars and hit the deck. No immediate pain.

By the time I’d got home, floating ribs on my RHS were pretty sore. Slight evidence of scraping. ( but that’s already healed). It got a bit better over the weekend, (which involved a fair amount of lifting and carrying) but went to the gym (circuits) last night, and while it didn’t especially hurt during the session, it bloody well did afterwards and still does this morning.

There’s been no bruising. I can cough/sneeze/laugh without collapsing in agony. Rolling over in bed or sitting up from lying down is quite painful. The last 10% of a full deep breath in is pretty sore. Riding is OK unless I’m giving it full beans out the saddle.

Any guesses what I’ve done? I’m guessing I’ve not cracked/broken a rib, as there’s been no bruising, (unlike all the bones I’ve definitely broken), so pulled/torn intercostal muscles? I’ve no plans to go to hospital or a doctor, but it would be useful to know what I’ve done so as to act/treat it appropriately. (Sitting on my arse not doing nothing at all is not an option)

Thanks!

The only way to be sure of what’s happened is an X-Ray, it won’t make any difference though as the treatment is still the same as ribs will heal themselves in 3-6 weeks. Painkillers and rest. Try not lie on the side effected.  Lifting heavy things is not going to help, riding beyond gentle Z2 probs won’t either.

Tearing/damaging the facia between the ribs is just as painful as breaking them. Nothing can be done either way TBH. Just carry on within the pain.  Co-codamol is pretty good and can also suppress coughing if that’s an issue.

Done mine loads of times.

so pulled/torn intercostal muscles

Would be my guess.  I did exactly that earlier this year through coughing (I had a chest infection).  I genuinely thought I’d cracked a rib, it hurt like shit.

Chest wall injuries take ages to heal because you can’t rest them without dying.

@nickc is correct, rest and painkillers are the solution, the exact diagnosis doesn’t matter because it doesn’t change the outcome.

If you develop a productive cough whilst healing, someone needs to listen to your chest, because you’re at increased risk of developing a pneumonia.

I had a horrible body slam ski crash once, left me with ribs so sore I couldn’t move. Hurt like a bastard for a month then stopped, I am pretty sure it was muscle damage not bone.

Take it easy, take pain killers and don’t watch anything funny. My mate helpfully suggested that everytime I laughed, my splintered rib was slowly nicking it’s way through a vital organ. Honestly never laughed so much

 My mate helpfully suggested that everytime I laughed, my splintered rib was slowly nicking it’s way through a vital organ.

If that had been the case you’d have drowned from a haemothorax long before you’d have suffocated from a pneumothorax.

If that had been the case you’d have drowned from a haemothorax long before you’d have suffocated from a pneumothorax.

Good to know, thanks

Sounds similar to something I did skiing. Took ages to fully recover. I could do 99% of things fine. Then occasionally I’d find something that would leave me in pain.

I never figured it out.

The one time I went to a+e with suspected broken ribs they gave my codeine and told me to hug a pillow if I felt like coughing. There’s not much that can be done. So I never bothered going this last time. Don’t like codeine side effects anyway and just toughed it out.

Yeah, sorry, not what you want to hear, but skins very similar to when I did an intercostal muscle a while ago. Worse than a broken rib, best part of a year before I forgot about it. 🙁

Rubbish, sending healing vibes.

Try and avoid catching anything that will give you a bad cough. Trust me!

Do you get out of breath more than you think you should?  If so  might be a pneumothorax so get to hospital.

Despite it hurting  try to take deep breaths.  Apparently stagnant air in the lungs can encourage pneumonia.  Well that is what they told when I had some bust ribs (and a pneumothorax), and I got drugged up to the eyeballs to make sure I would.  So use painkillers.

Done mine loads of times.

Yep, me too.  The stupidest time was leaning over the saddle to pull up on a tight crank!

The only practical difference for me between actual broken ribs and an intercostal soft tissue injury is you get way less sympathy for the latter. So regardless, tell everyone it’s broken ribs

It’s easy to think “don’t bother going to a doctor” but it’s still worth checking out- it could be something else, there can be complications (I had a very little bleed one time, not enough to cause any obvious problems but damn nearly enough that it did, I was pretty lucky) and if nothing else they can give you better painkillers, which is totally worth it because it keeps you moving and that helps you heal and stops other stuff seizing up.

You’re probably going to find sleeping hard, and getting up and down from flat. Build a nest! I’ve usually ended up sleeping in an armchair for hte worst nights but a spare duvet or a load of cushions and pillows so you can sleep part upright is really excellent. Have to say when you’ve been hurting all day, getting yourself <just> right in bed and in a mild cocodamol haze is a pretty wonderful feeling.

The only way to be sure of what’s happened is an X-Ray, it won’t make any difference though as the treatment is still the same as ribs will heal themselves in 3-6 weeks

Yeah I never bother, unless you’re pretty sure you’ve broken ribs and it could risk damaging a lung then going for an x-ray is just a waste of resources really.

V shaped pillow, as loved by oaps, really helps with sleeping more upright.

Had a Sudden Loss Of Talent last Thursday night

I have nothing constructive to add I just really like this turn of phrase.

Wot Kramer said vis – don’t forget to take some (painfully) deep breaths regularly to avoid a chest infection – I had a similar body/conveyance separation 7 weeks ago and have just finished a course of antibiotics to clear one. Also bust my coccyx, which oddly hurt much more than the ribs when I sneezed. All good now, apart from the dented confidence, obvs. Hope you heal quickly.