Bad fall while running. What's this rib injury?

I’m so sorry, @ETpro! All it takes is one little slip like that to change our plans in a big way. You must be a sight. I hope you don’t have to report in to some office tomorrow, where you are sure to be explaining all day long, if not taking a ribbing (ouch).

You know we can’t diagnose you, so I know that’s not what you’re asking. I’ll offer this: my husband recently had a rib problem that was very painful. It occurred after a small wrenching-twisting incident, and he thought it was a repeat of a stress fracture such as he had about 6 years ago after radiation therapy. Turned out that it was actually a separation of the ?cartilage binding the ribs together. It hurt like hell for a few days and then eased up, and he’s ok now, about 4 weeks out.

Pulled muscle, maybe?

Your symptoms sound like how I felt when I cracked a couple ribs.
The doctor told me if it felt better in 3 weeks, it was a muscle injury.
If it takes 6 weeks to feel better, it was cracked or broken ribs.
They didn’t do an X-ray. They said it wouldn’t make a difference in what they do.

Oooh, so sorry!

You may have cracked a rib or, just severely pulled the muscles surrounding your ribcage.
The radiographs will tell all, or nothing.

Ow, ow, ow…I can FEEL your imapact…falling has got to be one of the most stunning experiences ever…one minute you’re upright and moving, the next…KABOOM!

Let us know how things turn out.

Look on the bright side, at least you don’t have dementia too..then you might be hurt and lost! haha ;-)

Thanks, everyone. I’ll let ou==you all know what the clinic says tomorrow.

@ETpro

I’m only a kin student, not a doctor, but I do enjoy seeing if I am in the general vicinity with things like this.

Sorry to hear about your mishap and I hope everything turns out well at the doctors.

From what you’ve said, I’d say it’s possible to either have some very small fractures on your ribs, but I would think you’d be in a lot more pain than just when you take deep breaths if there were any fractures.

I’d put money on bruised ribs. I would say it’s probably not a pulled muscles unless you really twisted or cranked your torso around. But if you just went from standing straight up to lying sprawled straight out on the pavement, I’d say your core muscles should be ok.

Feel better soon!

Going just on my training in first aid and wilderness first aid, but that does sound like potentially cracked ribs. If so, there’s not much you can do but rest and take it easy. So rest up.

Sounds like a broken rib or two. I have had this a few times from skateboarding. For the most part it hurts to cough or laugh and finding a comfy way to sleep hurts. Nothing can really be done and prepare to hurt for about a month. I did get some nice sleepy pills from the doctor since I told him I was just going to drink until I passed out since I couldn’t sleep the way things were.

@Schroedes13 Thakns. That;‘s comforting. @incendiary_dan Thanks. I’ll definitely not push that area till it’s back to ist normal pain-free state.

@johnpowell Yeah, I have been thinkng about how sleeping might feel. This may be one of those nights.

Might want to stop by the 7–11 for some NyQuil.

@johnpowell The sleep agent in that has a paradoxical effect with me. IIt makes me drowsy, but I can’t drop off to sleep. I get this feeling I call “wooden head from it. The Oxycodone I have for osteoarthritis does the same thing. The doc has me take diazepam with the oxycidibe. It breaks the muscke spasms the pinched bev=rve oriduce

Ouch! Please let us know what you find out.

@augustlan Thanks to everyone for their information, their suggestions, and their wishes. I will definitely let you all know what the Doctor says.

Sorry to hear about your injury, I don’t run unless someone is chasing me.

I had a similar injury a few winters ago when I fell on a pile of bricks. I ended up walking a mile and a half home is a blizzard. The x-rays showed that I had two cracked ribs and there is nothing they can do about it. The doctor offered to tap me up but I decided it was easier to avoid deep breathing or sharp twist than to have mile of tape around my chest. The stopped hurting in about two weeks but will occasionally ache when the weather changes.

Broken ribs, however, are much more serious because a rib could puncture something you need like a lung.

Hope this helps and hope you feel better,

Ron

@Ron_C Wow. Sounds like you got much worse than I did. The doc said there was nothing broken. I just pulled the muscles and cartilage in my ribcage. Should heal up in a couple of weeks. No stitches required. The cut over the eyebrow was long enough to take them, but she said that the skin was already together, and bringing it to that position in sllstitches can do, so no need for them. I got a tetuns booster, cleaning and redressing of all the open wounds. She says I can return to exercising as soon as the pain will let me. It’s going to hurt, but I won
t be doing additional damage.

All in all, not so bad. Thanks to everyone for your concern.

That reads like good news to me, @ETpro. And taking it easy is a good thing now and then. Thanks for the update.

I win!

Glad you’re going to be OK!

Thanks for the update. I’m glad it wasn’t worse!

@ETpro

Good for you! Alright, now…it’s time to indulge in some recovery work, I’ll pour you a nice tall dark beer and make you a sandwich. What say? :-D

She’s going to let the duck have a bite first. Just thought you’d want to know.

@Jeruba Yeah, it definitely is good news. COuld have been much worse.

@Dutchess_IIIY You and I both win,.I laid off weightlifting ttoday, but will return as noon as the pain lets me. Doc said I onl’t be doing myself permanent harm.

@augustlan You’re welcome and I’m very glad too.

@Coloma That prescription would cure wny remaining fears

@ETpro glad to hear that you are doing better. Falling at your age can be serious. Of course, I don’t run, never have. My brother is a runner and evidently addicted to it. We were in southern Pennsylvania last year during the blizzards. My son-in-law (Scott) were driving up to my dad’s house through 3 feet of snow. Scott pointed out a guy running, wearing shorts, in the tracks left by the snow blow. I looked closer and the crazy person was my brother. He does 5 to 7 miles a day and claims he can’t stop.

Of course I fell off my bike twice last year so I probably shouldn’t criticize others for their addition to sports. I’m happy that you are doing well.

Off the subject but damn. I started doing my sit ups again about a week ago. I pulled a muscle. In my right shoulder blade. sigh.

@Ron_C Thaks for the wishes. I’m not as crazy as your bro. I can live with an indoor workout when we get lots of snow or ice.

@Dutchess_III Ouch. I’ve had that happen and it is an annoying pain. Hope it gets better soon.

It’s all better! I found a muscle relaxer somewhere and is all gone!

Healing update. The fall was Sunday of last week, so here I am seven days later. I ‘m feeling pretty good. The cut over the eye is healed enough it no longer needs a bandage. The busted lip is healed. Bruising gone from my nose. The shoulder is OK now with just a spray-on covering. One scrape on the knee and the ones on the heels of my palms took off enough skin that they are still scabbed over and healing underneath.

The ribs are still a bit sore, but I was able to start doing heavy-hands 2 days after the fall and get back to free-weight lifting tonight. Some of the exercises that stress the rib cage hurt a bit, but not the kind of hurt that indicates further damage. I asked the doc. when I could return to working out and she said just let the level of pain be the guide. That seems to be working. Not perfect yet, but well enough no further updates should be required.

Thanks to all who gave advice or condolences. Much appreciated.

Thanks for the update @ETpro! Glad to know it isn’t terminal. It was smart not to go to rarebear!