Broken Rib Anyone?

So last week while practicing my HS FS 3's i bailed and landed on my side on the trough of the wake. I felt immediate pain on my right side and knew it was my rib. The pain was not incredibly horrible so i went for another set yesterday and again, Bailed on a 3 and again landed on my side and now i know its broken. The pain is intensively piercing and its tough dealing with it now. I know theres no cast or anything for a broken rib, but has anyone had a broken rib while boarding? If so how did you deal with it? Any tips to speed up recovery? i hate not being able to board!! thanks in advance guys!

Yes I broke two on a roll to revert landing boardside down, unlike you mine "popped" out and I had to go to the ER for morphine instantly, worst pain EVER.

broke mine 2 years ago on a 911 attempt. The deal with broken ribs is that its going to hurt for a long time. No matter what you do, you will feel the pain when you try to move any which way. Just get as many pain killers from the doc and wait it out, it wont feel like its getting better at all for a few weeks, just the same pain.

Miguel, sounds like the situation im running here. ice and pain killers. So do you suggest, even riding next week..even while taking it easy perhaps? or how long should i take off of riding? How long where you out for man?

I took about a three week break, and then rode a bit once in a while on alot of meds. But you really have to force yourself to just chill out there. That was the toughest thing for me, once I was on the water, I wanted to do more stuff, but then you can really hurt yourself, by just pulling the handle wrong, and then youll be back at square 1. So definately for the next 6 weeks, I would really just rest and pull everyone who wants to ride, at least youre on the boat. You really need to allow your rib area to not stretch out in weird positions, which would happen even if youre just surfing the wake. I would say after 6 weeks, you might be ready to go at 70% depending on your pain then.

Eder - I hate to state the obvious but I think that your summer is done.

You should probably go to the doctor.

Ron, thanks for your input, but i really hope not. My neighboor, she is a nurse and she sad if i let it be and rest i should be good to go in 5-6 weeks. Obviously longer if i keep torturing it. She also stated that after it is completely healed it becomes extremely hard to break that rib again, which i hope is the case then!

Can you tell us, what vest you were wearing at the time? TIA.

yeah, i have wear the 2006 Helium Josh Sanders signature vest...i know, im gonna get hung for it, not much protection and its not CGA, but it fits like a shirt and damn comfortable. i guess i took my toll

I have broken mine spinning 360's off the DU. Never did go to the hospital and pay for it all the time now, because my rib sticks out further than the others. This sucks when trying to lie on a hard surface...like say a surf board. So no surfing for me in the ocean or I pay for three days.

Get a docs opinion on how to keep it in place.

the worst is at night you get relaxed and forget and reach for the phone or remote and POP out it goes again...no meds...i had that happen a few times over the following weeks, just takes your breath away, and as far as laying flat stomach on any hard surface...i still feel it...years later.

there is little the doctor can do its like a collar bone it heals itself...kinda....if you have to pay to see the doc save your money...they will tell you...yes you broke a rib...don't move it alot and take it easy...that'll be $595.00...i hope you feel better...

Get it checked out. When I broke my ribs, they punctured my spleen. Spent the day in ICU, needed CAT scans to check if internal bleeding stopped.

I hurt my ribs in while on holidays in March wakeboarding. Wasn't sure at the time if they were broken or just badly bruised. I couldn't wakeboard or golf for at least 2-3 weeks after even if I had the oppurtinity to do so. Now that the swelling and pain is pretty much gone I noticed that something healed funny and my bone sticks out a bit.

You might want to get it checked out to make sure it doesn't heal wrong or that you have no internal problems as Tackleberry suggested.

Cracked a rib a couple of years ago casing the wake with them. Didn't even know it till I was bobbing in some rollers and felt it poppin' in and out. I was tryin' a backroll that went a little raleyesque and didn't pull it back in. Sucked for a week or so. After that, I got used to the pain.

My rib is just like Peter's now. It sticks out further than the otehrs. A major biatch when surfing. I think I was riding again after a month, but not really pushing it. Luckily I did it in at the end of the year, because it basically took all my progression and put a halt on it.

Not a fun injury, but it too passes. Just try not to re-break. Let it heal, then get out and ride.

Yeah Evan, not a fun injury at all. Im going to let it heal. Every day that goes by it feels even better. Had it checked out by the doc and its small fracture not a clean break so i wont have ribs sticking out in awkward directions, lol. Hopefully it heals quick and i can ride sooner. it just sucks, last season i tore my ACL completely and now this time a rib! Oh well..no pain no gain right!?

I just injured the other side of my ribs 3 weeks back, same thing, 3 attempt to elbow-into-rib crash. Not as bad as last time, but pretty sure the same type of injury. But I even got an xray the 1st time I injured them, with my rib completely sticking out, and the girl said there was no break. So I don't know if it's cartilege damage or what. That one took awhile, atleast 4 weeks til I hit the water again, still in pain. This one's already feeling better, but still hurts. No way I'll ever be able to surf, the point in my rib would just jab into the board. Injuries suck, esp this time of year!

Hey Eder, zamboni driver, eh? I grew up playing hockey in Grand Rapids. Coming back tomorrow for the week, can't wait!

I broke two on my right side, it was an up-flat-up-flat rail that I ment to gap the firt flat and up, got all sideways in the air, then caught the top flat section with my chest.... it would have been really bad but my life jacket took a lot of the blow

I got it about a month ago...

Pulled lat muscle on one side, busted ribs on the other. That was a rough couple weeks! The ribs still hurt.

i didnt do mine on the water but managed to break 6 in one hit... worst injury ever. at the time i also had 4 lateral breaks in my spine and two breaks in my pelvis but the ribs were easily the worst... just murder... good luck on the recovery!!!

LP, yeah, ive been driving that beast for a few years now! i also grew up playing tons of hockey here in the "state of hockey"! Grand Rapids is a nice town! And yes, i did go in for an xray and finally was told i have a bruised rib and cartilage tear, should be a couple more weeks to even feel significantly better!