Hey folks,
Last week I took a stupid tumble on my bike, and my descent towards the center of the earth was abruptly halted by my sternum ramming into the end of my handlebars. The collision wasn’t too painful at the time (I was pretty much stopped at the time, so we’re talking a very short fall here), but over the past week I’m definitely aware of occasional acute pain if I use my pecs for as mild an exercise as hugging somebody, or if I take a large inhale using my upper chest. Since the pain hasn’t really decreased, I’m starting to wonder if I’ve done some damage to a bone or ligament…
For what it’s worth, I do have a bruise on my chest, but it’s about half a hand span away from where my chest actually hurts.
And for all you knobs who are going to say “Go see a doctor” 
– I’m travelling and will be home in a few days, so I don’t really have the luxury of seeking professional advice until later in the week for what seems to be just a bit of wimpiness.
Thanks in advance.
I broke a rib playing basketball, guy didn’t get out of the way when I went in for a lay-up and I landed on my back. Couldn’t inhale deeply without serious pain. Had much trouble putting on socks, picking up anything on the ground, turning at the waiste, sneezing, coughing, etc. Cleared up in about a month. There’s really nothing that can be done to heal faster other than rest and limiting anything that causes the pain.
In your case you may have just stretched some connective tissue and or gave yourself a really deep bruise.
That pretty much sums up my experience when I took a bad fall in the navy. As they often say on consumption Junction, “#*&^ing ow!”
There isn’t a lot you can do to help but not that breathing by expanding your chest is the poorest way to do it. Inhale by pushing your diaphragm down which pushed out your gut and makes the most room for luns to expand without stressing your injured ribs.
I broke four ribs in February of last year when I fell off a mule. (Yes, I fell off my ass.) It hurt like absolute hell for several weeks, and I had to sleep sitting up for several months. It didn’t stop hurting entirely for seven months.
You could be just bruised, or could have a cracked rib. IANAD, but I would think you would need X-Rays to be sure. But there isn’t much that can be done for a cracked rib aside from letting nature take it’s course and perhaps providing pain medication. And refraining from laughing, coughing, sneezing or breathing. (As I said to my friends, “It’s really no big deal. It only hurts when I move or breathe.”)
I have had my sternum broken in two places, in fact I now have a dent that you could rest a roll of quarters on. Vicodin only made me sick, which is not a good thing when broken. The best relief I had, was to sleep in a nice comfy chair, with a auto massager that had a heat setting as well. Very hot showers also helped deal with my cold during that time.
To underline what Colibri said, I’ve cracked my ribs a couple of times. Last time was four years ago, driving go-kart. IANAD, but I’d say that if your ribs are cracked, it’ll hurt so badly it can’t be mistaken. At least in weden, doctors don’t do anything aboput it. It’ll heal itself and there really is no other medical treatment, but painkillers, to make you more comfortable. Beware, though: To strong painkillers might make you ignore pain which exists to tell you that there is a particular movement you shouldn’t do, thereby prolonging the time it takes to heal (at least according to the nurse who told me there was no need to see a doc.
Also, I suppose, a cracked rib could tear up softer stuff inside, so don’t take my post as a sign not to see a doctor.
I had the same experience Colibri had. Sleeping in upright position for two months, it took at least three months to heal, and pray that you don’t get a cold, so you’ll sneeze or cough.
Four years later, I can still feel a slight discomfort at times, but at my latest medical check-up, my doc said that it’s just normal and it does take time for averything to settle back again. You could try raising the attention of Qadgop the Mercotan, our resident M.D.
**what does a cracked rib feel like? **
Like this! PUNCH
To be truthful, the only time I don’t belly breathe is during yoga when I’m doing the whole ujai thing. But I wanted to provide as much diagnostic detail as possible in case I died while flying 