Cracked Rib Cartilage :(

[TheMood]

I recently fractured a rib while training. I was getting stacked and I felt the rib pop in and then like a second later pop back out to normal. I got an x-ray the next day and was told the rib was fractured. I spent 4 weeks without training. The rib hurt doing normal things like lying down and laughing. On the 5th week I went back since I was able to lie down on my side finally. However, I still took it easy. I am about 8 weeks out now and I don't feel it in class.

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

 

[M3t4tr0n]

I'm on my second rib contusion. Rib injuries no bueno.

 

[EL CORINTHIAN]

I'm on my second rib contusion. Rib injuries no bueno.

No injuries are bueno, but to what degree is it worse/better than other injuries?

My lower lumbar herniations were 1000 times more painful and debilitating than this and I've overcome that completely. Some people are making it sound like it's nothing while others make it seem like it's this life long hinderance that never really gets better.

Personally my rib feels more or less fine a week in. There is obviously still some pain if cough hard or do the wrong movement but overall it's hardley that painful anymore. I can laugh mildly, cough lightly, breathe deeply with no pain, I can lie on both sides of my body and sleep with no issues. This is easily the most manageable of all the injuries I have ever had.

Edit: to be clear though I'm not claiming I'm better, I still do feel pain and discomfort but this is comparable to a strain or pulled muscle. I also have a history with my neck muscle spasming and that is waaaayyyyy worse than this.

 

[EL CORINTHIAN]

I recently fractured a rib while training. I was getting stacked and I felt the rib pop in and then like a second later pop back out to normal. I got an x-ray the next day and was told the rib was fractured. I spent 4 weeks without training. The rib hurt doing normal things like lying down and laughing. On the 5th week I went back since I was able to lie down on my side finally. However, I still took it easy. I am about 8 weeks out now and I don't feel it in class.

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

I suppose it all comes down to severity. So far it's been rapidly getting better each passing day. The first couple of days sucked but it just kept getting better from there and tomorrow will make it a full day.

Like you I will get pain if I do anything with too much force but if I'm not going crazy I can do most things comfortably. I'm going to assume my situation is not as severe as some of the other posters as I can lie directly on my injured side with little to no issues.

 

[M3t4tr0n]

No injuries are bueno, but to what degree is it worse/better than other injuries?

My lower lumbar herniations were 1000 times more painful and debilitating than this and I've overcome that completely. Some people are making it sound like it's nothing while others make it seem like it's this life long hinderance that never really gets better.

Personally my rib feels more or less fine a week in. There is obviously still some pain if cough hard or do the wrong movement but overall it's hardley that painful anymore. I can laugh mildly, cough lightly, breathe deeply with no pain, I can lie on both sides of my body and sleep with no issues. This is easily the most manageable of all the injuries I have ever had.

Edit: to be clear though I'm not claiming I'm better, I still do feel pain and discomfort but this is comparable to a strain or pulled muscle. I also have a history with my neck muscle spasming and that is waaaayyyyy worse than this.

Yeah, laugh sneeze and coughing sucks with rib injuries. Mine feels fine most of the time but I can't sleep on both sides or turn my body in certain ways without a bit of pain. Just gotta take the rest needed and eat right to heal quicker I would say.

 

[QingTian]

How's it going for you? Mine still feels funny but no problems otherwise.

 

[EL CORINTHIAN]

How's it going for you? Mine still feels funny but no problems otherwise.

Today is the first day with out painkillers/anti inflammatories and honestly I feel fine. There is absolutely pressure there and a full pain if I'm upright for too long but other wise it's nothing.

I even sneezed today full force and it definitely hurt but was absolutely manageable.

All in all I feel ok but still won't be doing judo for another 6 weeks. Need to make absolute certain Im alright. In the meantime Im going to start lightly lifting weights and taking walks around the neighborhood.

 

[Ride-Fly]

I like hearing about your recovery. Good plan to take 6 more weeks off.

I know mine isn’t nearly as bad as yours, but I still have pain when sneezing. Not debilitating pain, but my ribs let me know, I’m not out of the woods yet. My plan is to go back to training on January 7th. A full 3 weeks off from training, 4 weeks from initial injury. Hopefully it’s enough time off. I’ll go light on the judo (not taking full throws/randori) but should be able to go at it fully in BJJ.

 

[roventu]

2 months for me to be back to regular. 1 month without sparring at all. doesnt make sense to reinjure it, or even worse, heal it improperly then itll stay with you for life

 

[shunyata]

So soon into my journey and already I have cracked my rib cartilage (lol) it sucks but I have been humbled before with a history of herniated discs and know not to rush back into training because it will lengthen and derail the healing process. It was basically done during newaza and it was just a bad position where I was In turtle position and basically curled in a ball while the other person was on top of me and his ankle was pressed on my rib and with enough tension, weight and pressure I heard a pop.

I went to the docs and got some x-rays. They said that it was a crack in the cartilage and not the bone.

My question is this. I have read multiple threads on this and am aware of the healing time 4-10 weeks roughly, but what I'm curious about is the severity of this for long term training. I'm having a hard time finding a straight answer where some people say it's not serious at all as long as you let it heal properly. Some people say that even after its healed it's permanently weakened and prone to reinjury which is rather off putting.

Any advice?

Do cardio and drills but no live training (sparring) for at least 4-6 weeks. If specific movements (ie rotation, bearing down in an area, whatever) are discomfortable, avoid them for the first few weeks.

From experience the 6-8 weeks turn around on rib injuries that most Dr's will give you is accurate.

 

[EL CORINTHIAN]

Do cardio and drills but no live training (sparring) for at least 4-6 weeks. If specific movements (ie rotation, bearing down in an area, whatever) are discomfortable, avoid them for the first few weeks.

From experience the 6-8 weeks turn around on rib injuries that most Dr's will give you is accurate.

Totally agree. Right now I feel about 80-85% better. I can lightly jog (as displayed when I chased the bus this morning) with no pain, I can cough, blow my nose and sneeze with mild pressure in the area. I can even lay down on the affected side.

But there is no way I can do anything as dynamic as live drilling/sparring.

You think I can get away with light weight lifting? I did some light kB swings with a 20lb bell and it didn't hurt at all.

 

[shunyata]

Totally agree. Right now I feel about 80-85% better. I can lightly jog (as displayed when I chased the bus this morning) with no pain, I can cough, blow my nose and sneeze with mild pressure in the area. I can even lay down on the affected side.

But there is no way I can do anything as dynamic as live drilling/sparring.

You think I can get away with light weight lifting? I did some light kB swings with a 20lb bell and it didn't hurt at all.

It really depends on where the injury is and what provokes it.

The nice thing about rib injuries is that they'll let you know when you're aggravating them. They're really good about that.

Last time I fucked my ribs up all movements were fine after 2 weeks except rotation of the trunk/torso or bearing down and clinching the ribs (like in an abdominal crunch). It took about 8 weeks before I could rotate / twist my torso with zero pain.

 

[Fedorgasm]

I got the exact same injury when I first started BJJ.

I let it heal and tried to return and it happened again immediately.

Gave up on BJJ for years and then decided to give it one last try. Same injury.

So yeah I believe once you do it you are more prone to doing it again. Been considering trying BJJ again because I really think I'd love it, but at 40 years old I know my injury risk has only gone up. I feel like Mr glass from unbreakable

 

[method115]

I got the exact same injury when I first started BJJ.

I let it heal and tried to return and it happened again immediately.

Gave up on BJJ for years and then decided to give it one last try. Same injury.

So yeah I believe once you do it you are more prone to doing it again. Been considering trying BJJ again because I really think I'd love it, but at 40 years old I know my injury risk has only gone up. I feel like Mr glass from unbreakable

Have a guy in my class who it keeps happening to as well. Do you lift weights? I honestly believe strengthening the area would help a lot.

 

[Fedorgasm]

Have a guy in my class who it keeps happening to as well. Do you lift weights? I honestly believe strengthening the area would help a lot.

Not seriously, no. I've started lifting for 3-4 weeks then I get lazy and stop.

I'd be open to trying it though. Although I'm not sure which muscles protect ribs and how to work them. The area I've hurt the most is my lower sternum area, and it seems too high for my ab muscles to protect, and too low for my pectoral muscles. Do I just do a lot of general core strengthening without worrying about protecting one special part of my ribs?

 

[method115]

Not seriously, no. I've started lifting for 3-4 weeks then I get lazy and stop.

I'd be open to trying it though. Although I'm not sure which muscles protect ribs and how to work them. The area I've hurt the most is my lower sternum area, and it seems too high for my ab muscles to protect, and too low for my pectoral muscles. Do I just do a lot of general core strengthening without worrying about protecting one special part of my ribs?

I'm not sure which muscles it is either from googling it seems like the back\ab area is the one to concentrate on. Either way I would just do some full body type workouts. Pull ups, military press, bent over rows, squats, leg lifts. Just get your whole body stronger.