I crashed 5 weeks ago in the sprint finish of my first race of the 2020 season, I don't know exactly what I broke or how many. I do know that it was the most painful 5 weeks of my life. For the first week had to sleep upright as too painful to lie down. Has gradually gotten better since. Only just back on the bike now. Still hurts when I sneeze or twist in the wrong way though.

No x-rays or CT scan? Not sure that's the smartest thing. You may have a displaced fracture and that's a ticking time bomb.

I've suffered rib injuries multiple times, usually from various cycling crashes (mostly MTB'ing). In general, my experience has been to give them 4-6 weeks to heal. I rode during that time, but modified my efforts and expectations to avoid re-injury. As with most folks, sleeping was a pain, never being able to find a comfortable position. When your sleeping improves, that usually means your ribs are healing as well.

Good luck.

Yep, I am four weeks into this and the sleeping has substantially improved. It's been hell.

Just did a follow-up x-ray yesterday: the good news the pneumothorax is gone. The bad news: the ribs are still fractured and this concerns me.

Cracked a rib in October last year, felt much better in 2 weeks and made the big mistake of trying to swim. Set myself back completely. Was able to cycle with a little pain pretty much through the whole thing. Didn't run again for 7 weeks. Took another 10 weeks after my swim mistake to swim again.

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Fight............Finish

No multiple fractures...only singles.

How bad it is depends a lot on where the break is located. I broke on under my shoulder blade 10 years ago. Apparently, that area moves a LOT...and it was a long while before I could even recline. Every little motion hurt. Bearing weight on my arms for cycling was out for the full duration of healing...and then some.

About 5 years ago, I broke one lower on my right side. Other than the localized pain, there was very little discomfort with laying down or anything else.

Where by chance? Mine was 4 weeks ago, first RR of season. Our RR was a shit fest of crashes, mine included.

I've had multiple fractures multiple times.

The worst was ~ 7 weeks before I could ride without pain unless I was going easy on flats. Anything uphill or intervals = no fun

The best outcome was with multiple buckle fx's. 2d later I was about 98% and a week later didn't think about them anymore

Most have been in the 2-4 week range for limiting activity to some degree

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I've broken ribs twice, both times from crashes while racing...

The first one was a break on the front left side. It was painful and at the time I thought it was pretty bad. I was riding and running again after 3-4 weeks and pain free after maybe 5 weeks.

The second time was in a wreck in Nice in September which I detailed in another thread. The broken rib was underneath my right scapula, along with many other injuries including 5 pelvic fractures and a torn shoulder. The rib was by far the most painful injury - when they first got me to move when I was in the hospital I screamed so much the staff nearly had a heart attack and immediately injected morphine into my IV to get me to calm down. The rib was bad enough to prevent me from running or biking for probably 8 weeks that time.

Again both times, sleeping was difficult. The first one, it was merely painful and made me wake up a lot and required me to be careful about the position I slept in or rolling over in my sleep.The second time, I had to sleep in a chair for a while before I could lay down at all, like an earlier poster experienced.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

A few years ago I had a bike accident and, among other injuries, fractured my right collarbone and six ribs on the right side (3 through 8). After three weeks I was able to ride indoors on the trainer at an easy pace so long as I sat upright and didn't rest my hands on the handlebar. It took about 11 weeks for the fractures to heal and get clearance from my doctor to ride outside.

Thanks for the info!

Had fractured ribs and punctured lung after crash at IMAC 70.3 in 2018. Was doing easy spins on the trainer in 2 weeks sitting up and very moderate efforts at 3 weeks. Swimming was a bigger issue. Took 6 weeks to get back in the pool.

Good Luck!

Thank you Sir!

Four weeks ago I crashed while touring in rural Mexico. Had to ride 25 miles to a highway where i got a ride to the next town.. Saw a doctor there , confirmed two cracked ribs. I slayed in bed for three days before leaving my bike with a guy selling balloons at the bus station, then flew home. I only carried a few pounds of stuff home.. Getting in and out of bed and getting up were the most painful. Three and a half weeks later 85% healed and rode 30 miles with very little pain. Sneezing is still painful and I was horrified at the thought of getting cold, flu, virus and having to cough.. The second most painful aspect of the affair was leaving my Surly Long Haul Truck with the balloon guy..

I did my 3-4 left posterior ribs (non-displaced); also did clavicle at same time (double displacement = plate + 6 screws) so that was the bigger issue as far as recovery. With the ribs it was about four weeks before I could sleep comfortably. My crash was late season so I used the fall/winter to recover, I think I was back on the trainer about four weeks post crash if I remember right.

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

I broke a few ribs on one side not sure what #s but I started training again the next day riding running and swimming. They weren't bad for almost a week or at least a few days but as they start to heal and become less flexible I guess the pain is a lot worse for a period. I couldn't turn in the pool without extreme pain so just open water swimming for a few weeks, riding wasn't so bad but running I had to suck up pretty hard.

Broke just one and it was a solid month before I could so anything....running really hurt, breathing hurt, sleeping hurt. Broken ribs suck and you just have to take the pain until they heal.

I crashed back in September and fractured some ribs. It took about 8 weeks before I felt fully recovered. Each week I improved. Be happy all the pools are closed. My coach put me back in the pool within a week of the crash (he had broken his own ribs a few years prior, so I couldn't bitch), and let me tell you how much swimming sucks with broken ribs.

The ribs hurt so much that I didn't notice I must have had a fracture in my elbow as well. That took much longer to get back to normal.

I did run the NY Marathon about 6 weeks after the crash. Much slower than planned, but respectable considering how much training I lost, and I don't remember the ribs themselves bothering me at the race.

Anybody dealt with nonunion issues with broke (not cracked, not bruised) ribs? That some info., that I would like to discuss if anybody here has dealt with this issue.

Cheers!
G

If you have a mtb, the more upright position and suspension will allow you to start riding a little sooner. Few weeks you might feel like riding again, maybe sooner

A lot of times that requires surgery....ORIF. It depends on how bad the rib is dislocated. Any pneumothorx or hemothorax? Assuming since your not in the hospital that isn't an issue?

Pneumothorax initially. Five weeks later there wasn't one detected in the x-ray.

Just was involved in an accident on the bike. Broke two ribs with a small pneumothrorax...they kept me overnight to watch the pneumothorax and was discharged yesterday. Any tips on how to deal with this would be greatly appreciated. My whole body is sore and would love to just jump on the trainer in a couple days and just move the legs...really easy

Sorry, to hear about your accident. There is no silver bullet. You'll just have to nug through it. I doubt you are going to want to be jumping on a trainer within a couple of days.