Recovering from rib injury

[David2504]

Hi All,
A few days ago I slipped and fell on wet paving stones, the longest lasting injury is a cracked/bruised rib. Deep breathing, coughing, stretching, bending can cause me to wince. The affected rib is the 6th on my right side, quite high up towards the arm pit. Therefore movements of the right arm can cause pain if it stretches the injured area. Generally, if I maintain a stable body position it’s not too bad. For example I am able to walk at a decent pace with minimal pain 1or 2 out of 10 at most. I am on codamol which I assume is helping to moderate pain. Anyone got any experience of cycling whilst recovering from a rib injury?
Thanks

[Cugel]

Hi All,
A few days ago I slipped and fell on wet paving stones, the longest lasting injury is a cracked/bruised rib. Deep breathing, coughing, stretching, bending can cause me to wince. The affected rib is the 6th on my right side, quite high up towards the arm pit. Therefore movements of the right arm can cause pain if it stretches the injured area. Generally, if I maintain a stable body position it’s not too bad. For example I am able to walk at a decent pace with minimal pain 1or 2 out of 10 at most. I am on codamol which I assume is helping to moderate pain. Anyone got any experience of cycling whilst recovering from a rib injury?
Thanks

A cracked but not broken rib can be nothing much or the most painful thing ever. Slipping on some naughty jelly-like lichen on a large rock, I once cracked a rib and found it hard to move at all, let alone ride a bike. Couldn't lie down; or, if I foolishly did so, couldn't get up again. And please don't make me laugh! Or move.

This lasted for 3 weeks, after which it began to fade. After 6 weeks it was as though I'd never been injured and I was able to throw my ole body about with gay abandon once more.

So, the answer to your question is: it depends. Try it and see .... but be ready for a Vast Pain that causes you to gasp and fall off. You don't want another one cracked elsewhere in your collection, eh!?

Cugel

[Jdsk]

Have you received medical advice?

NHS Advice: "Broken or bruised ribs":
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-or-bruised-ribs/

And on starting cycling... usual principles: Don't push through pain, appropriate doses of analgesics early on can help, and if you can't cycle try some other sort of exercise rather than doing nothing.

Jonathan

[gbnz]

After 6 weeks ........... but be ready for a Vast Pain that causes you to gasp and fall off.

Cugel

+ 1. Broke ribs on the bike both in 2019 and 2020. Incredibly painful, beyond believe. Both occasions, reasonably normal, pain free movement returned after 5 weeks. As a keen gym user, but never having bothered with an exercise bike, I found an exercise bike during the recovery period was beneficial (I.e. Had never realised previously that an hour on an exercise bike, was directly beneficial on a normal bike)

[David2504]

Have you received medical advice?

NHS Advice: "Broken or bruised ribs":
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-or-bruised-ribs/

And on starting cycling... usual principles: Don't push through pain, appropriate doses of analgesics early on can help, and if you can't cycle try some other sort of exercise rather than doing nothing.

Jonathan

Yes. I visited GP, got pain killers. Confirmed bruised or cracked 6th rib, not broken. Advised exercise within tolerance levels. Might try a bike ride tomorrow. I’m thinking maintaining a stable upper body position and controlled breathing will be key. So an easy, flat as possible route, at a gentle/moderate pace. Avoid hills. Avoid standing on pedals. No pushing the pace.

[Paulatic]

Just get used to the pain and carry on.
Back in my 40s on a mtb weekend I came off where someone was holding a gate open. I hit the end of the gate with my chest. Didn’t sleep that night and did 30 ml the next day in extreme pain.
Working with cattle in crushes also gave me lots of rib injuries. I’ve a collection of knobbles on my ribs.
Never took painkillers but don’t listen to jokes or move suddenly and you’ll be right.

[Jdsk]

Have you received medical advice?

NHS Advice: "Broken or bruised ribs":
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-or-bruised-ribs/

And on starting cycling... usual principles: Don't push through pain, appropriate doses of analgesics early on can help, and if you can't cycle try some other sort of exercise rather than doing nothing.

Yes. I visited GP, got pain killers. Confirmed bruised or cracked 6th rib, not broken. Advised exercise within tolerance levels. Might try a bike ride tomorrow. I’m thinking maintaining a stable upper body position and controlled breathing will be key. So an easy, flat as possible route, at a gentle/moderate pace. Avoid hills. Avoid standing on pedals. No pushing the pace.

Thanks.

That sounds smart. And getting on and off might put some loads on the injury that are more painful than the riding position.

Good luck with the ride and the recovery.

Jonathan

[Richard of York]

Came off 2 weeks ago after a touch of wheels. Apart from usual grazing I got a hard bash on right side ribs. Pretty sure it's bruised, not cracked lower ribs. They were painful for about 10 days, especially bending over to pick something up or twisting side ways. Hurt when I coughed. Have just kept on cycling. Hard in the saddle on hills, breathing deeply, for first 2/3 rides. Done 70+ miles in North York Moors today and seem much better. Still tender but not debilitating. Hope you get better soon.

[David2504]

Have you received medical advice?

NHS Advice: "Broken or bruised ribs":
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-or-bruised-ribs/

And on starting cycling... usual principles: Don't push through pain, appropriate doses of analgesics early on can help, and if you can't cycle try some other sort of exercise rather than doing nothing.

Yes. I visited GP, got pain killers. Confirmed bruised or cracked 6th rib, not broken. Advised exercise within tolerance levels. Might try a bike ride tomorrow. I’m thinking maintaining a stable upper body position and controlled breathing will be key. So an easy, flat as possible route, at a gentle/moderate pace. Avoid hills. Avoid standing on pedals. No pushing the pace.

Thanks.

That sounds smart. And getting on and off might put some loads on the injury that are more painful than the riding position.

Good luck with the ride and the recovery.

Jonathan

Thanks Jonathon. Did a short 13 mile ride on Saturday, went well even though conditions in a very strong blustery westerly wind were not the best. Today completed 25 miles at a brisker pace. All seemed to go well.

[Dingdong]

Keep active is absolutely the quickest way back to full fitness

[Jdsk]

Keep active is absolutely the quickest way back to full fitness

It's a good idea to get and keep active, but not to the extent of "pushing through pain".

Jonathan

[Paulatic]

Keep active is absolutely the quickest way back to full fitness

It's a good idea to get and keep active, but not to the extent of "pushing through pain".

Jonathan

Why not?
Can you explain what will happen?

[Jdsk]

Keep active is absolutely the quickest way back to full fitness

It's a good idea to get and keep active, but not to the extent of "pushing through pain".

Why not?
Can you explain what will happen?

It's not an area that's overloaded with evidence. The best single source is the Cochrane Library:

Musculoskeletal:
https://musculoskeletal.cochrane.org
https://musculoskeletal.cochrane.org/evidence

Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma:
https://bjmt.cochrane.org
https://bjmt.cochrane.org/our-evidence

Professional concerns include risk of delayed healing of musculoskeletal injuries and greater likelihood of chronic pain syndromes.

Jonathan

[David2504]

And possibly a relapse and risk of re-injury?

[axel_knutt]

Yes. I visited GP, got pain killers. Confirmed bruised or cracked 6th rib, not broken.

My GP told me I had bruised a rib, but I could feel it clicking and crunching when I rolled in bed. Running a finger tip along the offending rib, I could feel a step at exactly the point where all the pain was coming from. It took about 6 weeks to heal.

It's a lot more effective than cough medicine, but they advise not to avoid coughing in case you get pneumonia.