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Separated ribs

Original Post
Orphaned · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 11,560

I separated a few ribs yesterday, right at the end where they meet the breastplate. It hurts quite a bit, but only really causes severe pain if i twist or wild-out and try to stanky leg...

So, is it advisable to continue climbing with a rib separation? Moderate routes, nothing too wild. And with discretion. Or is it a terrible idea?

Mark

ps: how long will it take to heal, if treated properly?

saxfiend · · Decatur, GA · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 4,221

This sounds like questions to ask your doctor.

JL

Gregger Man · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 1,759

I separated my 5th rib climbing at Shelf Road over Thanksgiving weekend. Six weeks of zero strenuous activity did the trick for me. It is apparently very easy to re-injure yourself with rib separations. Give it some time.

JesseT · · Portland, OR · Joined May 2011 · Points: 100
Mark Vincent wrote: ...So, is it advisable to continue climbing with a rib separation? Moderate routes, nothing too wild. And with discretion. Or is it a terrible idea? Mark ps: how long will it take to heal, if treated properly?
Do not climb if you have an injury that climbing aggravates (well, only if you want it to heal)! This is a great way to end up with a chronic injury. Pain is your body's way of saying "chill out". Best of luck!

P.S. Doctors are great. I'm not one.
FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

When I have a climbing question, I ask a climber. When I have a medical question, I ask a d _ _ _ _ r.

Jonathan S · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 2,113

all I could think was "Flail Chest"

Rob M · · Shangri-LA · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 20

Don't climb on it. It will never heal if you do. Go six weeks if you can.

Bapgar 1 · · Out of the Loop · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 90

I'm assuming that by breastplate you mean the sternum. It makes a little bit of difference if the ribs are one of the 1st 5 versus ribs 6-10. If you've only injured a couple of ribs 1-5 it will probably heal up slightly faster and tolerate a little more stanky leg than if it's lower in the chain.

But ultimately if you really did separate the rib(s) ["how much for one rib?"] what you actually did was tear the cartilage that anchors the rib to the sternum.

The bad news is that cartilage is even more of a pain in the ass to let heal than tendons/ligaments. It's like a pulley injury from hell that is SUPER easy to reinjure. So long story short, take it very easy w/ the stanky leg otherwise you'll keep reinjuring it and it won't heal.
Then you'll have some chronic arthritic problems in that area that you can aggravate from time to time and it'll get inflamed and keep you from playing hard.

If you take it easy it should start to tolerate some more activity in 4-6 weeks. But the ultimate rule is to not ever have the pain stop you from your activity. Not much help I know. You won't know how much is too much until you say "shit, that was dumb, I did too much."

Last work and I'll get off the soap box. Please, Please don't see a Chiro that is willing to adjust you. Sure the ribs are going to be more sore but stay w/ some foam roller self massage or some soft tissue work around the ribs articulations at the spine if you can tolerate it. Having some try a traditional supine rib adjustment is going to hurt like hell and damage the healing cartilage. I am a Chiro and I hate hearing horror stories about some dumbass doc that injured a patient.
Good luck w/ the healing, I really hope that you didn't ding the rib cartilage and the Ortho gives a better diagnosis.

the Oracle · · Delphi · Joined May 2011 · Points: 30
This post violated Rule #1. It has been removed by Mountain Project.
thomas ellis · · abq · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 2,615

Mark, maybe it was the part where you wished he would die. Or maybe it is just your over reaction to some light hearted ribbing.

thomas ellis · · abq · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 2,615

Or...maybe you're an irrational psycho who cannot stop responding to himself? try taking a cold shower.
Maybe you hit your head harder than you think? Ask a doctor.

Adam Stackhouse · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 13,970
Mark Vincent wrote:Apparently, "dont be a jerk" means "dont swear", because you can obviously be as big of a dickhead as youd like in the forums, as long as you dont talk shit about old people, the people who are actually being the dicks, or their friends the "moderators". Essentially, this website blows. Or the people who "work" at the website do.
No rules about swearing, but wishing someone would die in a "housefire" probably got someone's attention.
saxfiend · · Decatur, GA · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 4,221
Mark Vincent wrote:Hey, JL! Since youre the "administrator", why dont you inform us as to why there is an "injury and accident" forum?? Why dont you explain why asking about a separated rib is any more serious than posts ive seen asking about knee injuries or nerve injuries?? Why werent those "questions for [their] doctor[s]"?? Since you administrate, I think you should be able to answer that. Or you could continue to be an arbitrary joke and remove this post.
Okay, since you ask, the injuries and accidents forum is a perfectly legitimate place to post your question. It's also perfectly legitimate for people who respond to your post to wonder why you're asking for medical advice from people who aren't physicians. What's not legitimate on this forum is flaming people who give you reasonable advice that you just don't want to hear.

Hope that clarifies things for you.

JL
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Injuries and Accidents
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