Hi,

Looking for a bit of advise. Managed to break 3 ribs at the weekend and still in a lot of pain. Was supposed to be doing the London to Brighton in 2 weeks but I think that's a no-no. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do cycling wise and how soon? I've recently got back into cycling and have been running too. Worried I'm going to lose my new found fitness and put loads of weight back on in the 8 weeks the doctor thinks it will take to heal? Has anyone done something similar? What do you think to swimming?

Thanks in advance,
Laura

ouch, poor you, i wouldnt do anything too dangerous til they have healed (risk punturing your lung with broken ribs...)
Try doing deep breathing exercises, its easy to take shallow breaths due to pain and u can get a chest infection...so try taking deeper breathes every now and then.
take care x

i had a fall recently,at speed. I fell on my side,and my phone and keys, which were in a side pocket, went into my ribs. Now the 2nd one from the bottom has disappeared. the pain was pretty bad. Despite that ,i took a lot of co-codomol and rode 3 days of 7-stanes a week later, as i wasn't going to miss my trip.

I'm still in quite a bit of pain, and would like to know where the missing rib is, but A&E in Dumfries couldn't see anything on the X-ray. Although I believe X ray isn't brilliant for detecting rib fractures.Anyone with similar kind of experience??

I dont know if you will find swimming really painful, Laura, as it may be similar to lifting your arms over your head. Can you do this at the moment - I am having difficult getting tops on and off?

What about static cycling in the gym or turbo trainer? Would you then have more control over your breathing as well?

I had 2 cracked ribs last year after a RTA - it took about 6-8 weeks to fully recover and cycle painlessly. I could not sleep on my back through pain and sneezing was painful. What I found was that you can go road riding. but just not as far and gently and at a steady pace. Ultimately the best cure is rest but I can understand where you are coming from - the frustration of not being active and the pain. Admittedly I dont think I did myself any favours in the recovery period by riding ssmm last year with 2 cracked ribs and a fractured wrist!

Hi Laura,

I would agree with treehugger and suggest the turbo trainer. I have a broken sternum (for about 6 weeks now) and find that the turbo trainer allows me to get some exercise without putting much pressure on my rib cage ... I can ride with my hands on my waist rather than on the bars making it less sore for my chest. I think I started about 2 weeks after injury.

Get well soon (and you too treehugger),
Rona

Ouch!!!. You have my sympathies. I had 3 broken ribs (one was broken in two places so four fractures in total) courtesy of my violent ex-husband (happily divorced from him for over 11 years and now happily married to a good, kind man).

It'll take 6 - 8 weeks for the bones to knit together. When I had broken ribs, my boss at the time, an American chap who did a lot of horse-riding told me it would be nearer a year before my ribs felt completely normal again due to the muscle damage associated with broken ribs. He was right.

I took up Shotokan Karate 5 months after the broken ribs, but did indeed feel some pain for around a year just as my boss had said.

You just need to take things gently and don't be tempted to overdo things.

I found the worst thing was getting out of bed in the morning. I had to really steel myself to do that and dreaded coughing or sneezing. Ouch, ouch and ouch again!!!!

Hi All. Thanks all for your replies!

Treehugger you're right - swimming would be imposible (like you I'm strugglnig to get dressed at the mo!) but was thinking about maybe getting a float to hold onto to keep my arms still or hold under my chest and just use my legs.
Went to Richmind park today to lie on the grass for a bit in the sunshine and was so depressed seeing all the cyclists and runners!

Turbotrainer seems like a really good suggestion - my OH has said he will bring it down from the loft (aka his makeshift training area) for me to use next week which will be good. Just gutted I'm going to miss L2B (although still secretly hoping to be okay for it!)

Hi Laura,
You have my sympathies as well.I clobbered my ribs & pulled muscles in neck & shoulders due to coming off bike & somersaulting down a hillside.
I too was worried about losing fitness / gaining weight but not a problem.Took painkillers regularly for couple of weeks, walked round the block every day, wishing I had suspension in my shoes, & then started at the gym doing gentle exercise. Cross trainer was good & walking on treadmill, then free weights, gradually increasing everything. A physio friend, appalled at my awful posture, suggested I lie on my back, flat on the floor, neutral spine.Tricky getting in & out of that position, but a brilliant stretch & really helped when tense & achey.So listen to your body, do what you comfortably can & you'll be back in action in a few weeks.

I am so glad to be reading this - Bank Holiday weekend I was in Newcastleton (Scotland) and was going downhill. I lost my balance on a boardwalk & fell off head first into a ditch. (my OH was upset he wasn't around to see!!!) I split my lip grazed my face & felt HURT all over. We eventually made out way to car then I drove 100 mile home. Next two days I went to work in imense pain but didn't feel I'd get much sympathy as it way in a way self inflicted. I eventually went to AE where they confirmed that I have indeed broken my ribs. Its agony. Likewise coughs sneezes hur, Holding a pillow or cusion over my ribs helps. Dressing was most uncomfortable - stretchy vest tops a godsend. A week and a bit later my bruises are slowly going and the pain is somwhat eased with Codeine and Diclofenac. I'm just taking one day at a time with activities but I'm going to try the local cycle path over weekend - hopefully!

Isn't it a bummer when you feel youcan't take time off work with these injuries? Like you Taz, I just take loads of codeine and turn in as normal. I daren't say anymore that i've injured myself, because the looks and comments i get of colleagues aren't worth it.

Still my opinion of them isn't high either.

My work aren't too impressed with my injury record either (although most of those were from snowboarding rather than biking).

Even my boss made a few sarcastic comments, which is a bit rich seeing as he had several months off with broken ribs following his own biking injury!!

I tend to avoid mentioning that I'm doing anything active now - then if I get injured I could always blame it on falling down the stairs!

Injuries at my work aren't counted against your sickness record - having just got a new role at the same employer, and a new boss - I don't think they were best pleased with me hurting myself!

I thought the ribs were coming along nicely but have obviously bent over or something oddly as today I seem to be back almost to day 1 in terms of pain... oh well back on the codeine!!

Hi Lazy Laura sorry to hear you are still in pain.
just for the record I went to work because I didn't realise how hurt I was. I actually got quite an amount of sympathy - I was suprised considering it was self inflicted sort of! I did take a day off when I realised that Paracetamol was not helping and went to A&E, they suggested that I wait till the codeine set in! I work at a Call Centre for a major bank therefore I'm at my desk most of the day so I decided I may as well be at work and keep my sickness record in tact incase I have a more serious injury! god forbid!
I'm getting better now & mainly using painkillers at night. I didn't get out at weekend but hopefully if the weather improves I'll get out one night this week.
Hope you are feeling better soon.