Injured Ribs..any Ideas on what I might have done?

tomr2992
tomr2992 Posts: 12
edited November 2007 in Health, fitness & training
Today I've foolishly attmepted a jump without success. My front wheel planted first and I went flying over the handle bars. Luckily for me my chest managed to cusion the 13st that was following. As a result of this I have a sharpe pain in the centre left of my ribs. I dont believe that I've broken anything otherwise I'd be in real pain and unable to move. even wearing a seatbelt in the car is uncomforable.

So if anyone out there has fallen the same I'd appriciate some feedback on possible injury that I may have substained. I have read that I could have torn cartligde in the rib caverty but ...well I'm not sure.

Cheers

Comments

  • lordhelmet
    lordhelmet Posts: 60
    you're lucky there laa, you could've landed on yer nads!!!
  • tomr2992
    tomr2992 Posts: 12
    They were well tucked in believe me!!
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    The thing to do is leave it, in all likelihood you are bruised, however if you don't start to get better soon then it might be a plan to visit the hospital to get checked over for breaks etc.
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  • tomr2992
    tomr2992 Posts: 12
    Well since I've posted this I'm still in a bit of pain. Thought it might be clearing by now but to no avail. Its weird, it seems to have gone all down the leftside of my body. The Dr said it might be bruising but to be honest he didnt have a clue.
    If it doesnt get any better I'll have to visit the hospital!!
  • nferrar
    nferrar Posts: 2,511
    When I fractured my ribs it wasn't actually too bad until later that night and it got worse over the next couple of days. I'd say you may as well get them x-ray'd in case you have fluid build up, otherwise keep trying to breathe normally with some deep breathing thrown in. I also got some co-codamol pain killers which were great...
  • El Capitano
    El Capitano Posts: 6,400
    Go and get yourself checked out at a hospital.

    I've broken ribs in the past (in fact a nasty stack at Coed Llandegla, taking a RaceFace XC riser bar to the chest broke 2 this year), it hurts and there's not much the medical staff can do for you, but they can see if there is anything that needs repairing (If you've broken a rib and it's not where it's supposed to be).

    A much more painful injury could be that you've torn the muscles from the ribs. I've done that as well, putting a bunk bed together - don't ask!
    1 2 3 4 (Dead)5 6
  • rmacneil
    rmacneil Posts: 4
    I did exactly the same thing about 3 weeks ago. It's mostly better, although I still get the occasional twinge. I took a combination of paracetamol based painkillers and anti inflammatories which seemed to do the trick.
  • Iain W
    Iain W Posts: 26
    It could be a bruised rib or a fracture. Either way, there's not much that can be done other than suffer the pain when you breath hard, laugh of cough
  • tomr2992
    tomr2992 Posts: 12
    Thanks alot for the replies guys. Latest is that I constantly feel like Im being kicked in the Kidneys. Its all strangly down the left side of my body, and hows this for weird I coughed last night and heard a popping noise. No idea what it was but that was from down the lefthand side to.
    As it stands Im on the co-colermol and a hot waterbottle on the side. Just bought a new bike too..raring to get out!
  • tomr2992
    tomr2992 Posts: 12
    Nearly 2 weeks later and still in pain! This injury sucks, theres no visable marks/bruises but I've not had any pain like this. The pain still seems to be focused down the lefthand side and it feels like I've got constant stitch.
    Back to the Dr's tomorrow so I'll update after then.
  • DR650s
    DR650s Posts: 24
    I cracked three ribs a few years back and apart from some discomfort I could continue with normal activity. Breathing deeply cause a slight pain, and I could only sleep laying on my right side (I'd broken ribs on the left), I eventually went to a chiropractor suspecting torn muscles, and they confirmed two possible three cracked ribs.
    I injured myself recently and again I was in a little pain, and had a lump on one rib, but did not bother with hospital, it took around 8 weeks for the pain to completely leave, I suspect I dislocated a rib this time rather than cracked one.
    The poping sound you hear could have been the rib moving back into place after a dislocation. The problem is everyone's different and I have had friends that broke ribs and could hardly move, they had to sleep sitting in a chair. the normal syptoms of it hurting when you breath are not always true.
    Another problem is cracked ribs don't show up on an xray for a few weeks until the calcium builds up around the crack, so they can be missed.
    Also the muscles around the ribs can be damaged and this can be very painful, infact more than cracked ribs in some cases.
    You should at least get an xray done to check for cracks as by now they should show up pretty good, though I don't normally take my own advice (see above)
  • Grandpa Munster
    Grandpa Munster Posts: 25
    If you do not have any broken or fractured ribs, then you have popped your rib cartiledge.

    I have done this many times playing rugby, the pain is something else. I would much rather break ribs. Last time I broke a rib or two, I was back playing within 3 weeks.

    Cartiledge takes much longer to heal, plus if you compress your ribs the cartiledge will pop out again, so back to square one. The biggest downside is the pain will stay with you for the rest of your life, only not quite so bad as you are feeling now.

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