Broken ribs!

[Iznurgle]

Had a stupid accident recently, involving three cheeky ponies, electric fence, and my stubborn refusal to let go of a rope. As a result, I got trampled. I've cracked a few ribs and have some excellent bruising. It's been just about a week now, and I can do some things like drive like it's a Sunday, shower (just about, drying off is the killer), and do some light housework. The OH has been fantastic, even though he's coming up to the end of a project in work and is disgustingly busy, he's been helping me in and out of bed (curse you, tall mattress!), doing all the cooking, and generally taking care of me. Like the madwoman I am, I envisioned riding (in walk!) this weekend, but I'm not even sure I could successfully mount up at this point.

My black eye is in full bloom, but the bruising around my ribs is only just coming in, though the hoof-shaped abrasion on my decolletage is vibrant! Has anyone else had cracked or broken ribs? How long was it before you were back to work/in the saddle? The accident happened at a yard I work at, and the YO said to give it two weeks before even thinking of coming back into work, but I'm absolutely itching to do something, anything! I'm climbing the walls, and I sort of know in my heart of hearts that it's going to be a while, but any indication would be helpful, whether it makes me sit down and shut up for another few weeks or not!

 

[Baywonder]

Ouch! No suggestions I'm afraid as I have never (thankfully) had broken ribs

I appreciate you are getting bored, but please don't do too much - and I wish you a very speedy recovery from your accident.

 

[Annagain]

Ouch, hope you're better soon. I only bruised mine (not horse related) but it still took two weeks before I had enough strength to open the car door, let alone get in and drive to the yard. Luckily it was summer so my friend could keep an eye on my horse as he was out 24/7. I think people think as they're not in plaster, it's less of an injury than a broken limb but it's really not.

 

[Iznurgle]

Ouch! No suggestions I'm afraid as I have never (thankfully) had broken ribs

I appreciate you are getting bored, but please don't do too much - and I wish you a very speedy recovery from your accident.

Ouch, hope you're better soon. I only bruised mine (not horse related) but it still took two weeks before I had enough strength to open the car door, let alone get in and drive to the yard. Luckily it was summer so my friend could keep an eye on my horse as he was out 24/7. I think people think as they're not in plaster, it's less of an injury than a broken limb but it's really not.

I know deep down (well, around my shoulder blades!) you're both right, and if I was in plaster, likely I'd be less eager to do things. Part of it is how guilty I feel relying on OH! Could be worse, I suppose, I took a fall of a 12hh pony last year and pinched a nerve in my hip, at least this time I can pee unassisted!

 

[Coblover63]

I broke and displaced six ribs on my left side a few years ago (I got broncked off on a road and my left side took the impact... and yes, I was wearing a Racesafe) The doctors told me they would take 9-10 months to heal because of the displacement. Luckily I'm right- handed but my left arm was pretty useless for a few weeks because too don't realise how much your back and side muscles get used when you move your arm. I was back poo picking by week three through!

 

[HeyMich]

Yeah, I broke several ribs after a rather messy unplanned dismount a while back and I remember not being able to do anything without searing pain for about 6 weeks, and 12-16 weeks before I felt totally 'normal' again. Riding was absolutely out of the question for the first month at least. I even needed help to roll over in bed! Take your time to heal, sit back and enjoy the weather!

PS where are the shiny bruise photos?!

 

[Coblover63]

Forgot to say, I had a short test ride after about 5 weeks but didn't get fully back into regular riding for about three months.

 

[dixie]

Unfortunately ribs takes ages to heal.
I’ve only bruised them in the past but they took quite some time.

 

[Goldenstar]

Broken ribs are so painful you have my sympathy

 

[Iznurgle]

Yeah, I broke several ribs after a rather messy unplanned dismount a while back and I remember not being able to do anything without searing pain for about 6 weeks, and 12-16 weeks before I felt totally 'normal' again. Riding was absolutely out of the question for the first month at least. I even needed help to roll over in bed! Take your time to heal, sit back and enjoy the weather!

PS where are the shiny bruise photos?!

Somehow I don't look as gruesome as I feel! The black eye pics are a day or two old, and the chest pic (which was very hard to take, haha) is from this morning. Thank you for the advice, everyone! Absolutely raging I had the gall to think I could hold three grass-mad ponies after a bang off the electric fence, but live and learn. The weather is a blessing alright, perhaps now's the time to attempt getting my legs tanned!

I got extremely lucky, I will say, not only is my chest definitely not my face ( ) but the one who had the audacity to canter over me is a mere 400kg.

 

[oldie48]

I came off XC schooling and broke several ribs + had stable fractures to two vertebrae, it was the ribs that caused me the most pain, I couldn't sleep lying down, get dressed without help to pull my knickers up and turning over in bed was a complete no no. Pain is there for a reason, it stopped me doing much but it does subside and you do need to keep movement to a minimum. On the plus side, once healed my ribs have not caused any trouble unlike my ruptured achilles tendon, but that's another story!

 

[irishdraft]

6 weeks for cracked ribs

 

[HuskyFluff]

I came off and broke my ribs (and I was wearing a body protector) while jumping and I've never been in so much pain. It was about 6 weeks before I could lie down to sleep properly, 2 months to be able to move without wincing and for various reasons (mostly not related to the fall, but work) I didn't get on a horse again for 13 years.

 

[windand rain]

I had a flail chest after offering to clip an easy horse for a friend he slammed me into a wall it took months to heal enough to breathe deeply. Broke two ribs the otherside they took quite a while too but was riding again in a couple of weeks after that break. Breathing was my biggest issue

 

[PurBee]

My OH fell off a ladder and broke a lower rib. It was searingly painful. If i recall he was in bed for a few days as movement was torture...breathing was painful etc.

Altho’ it was amazing how by end of week 2 he was pottering about quite well. Certainly not heavy-duty physical working, so handling horses and riding might be a few weeks away for you, unfortunately.

Depending on your age depends on bone healing too. He was late 20s/early 30’s at the time so that sped things up. The bonus was that the rib healed thicker than it was before, so its a super-rib that now protrudes more compared to his others.
It’s like ‘body intelligence’ realises the rib, to break, obviously wasnt strong enough for the activities of the body, so it repaired and made a newer thicker one!

You’ll have to enjoy being crippled for a while and do nothing but relax and heal…its a nice time of year for it! I hope you feel better soon.

 

[Cloball]

I can feel your pain I earned the nickname panda after falling off at the first part of a double and getting run over. I once broke a rib slipping going up the ramp to the muck heap pouring the contents over myself and burying myself. The fact it was so funny made the whole thing even more painful. I do not recommend comedies or getting a cold. I hope you don't have hayfever ?

 

[Lady Jane]

4 broken ribs, 2 flail, blood in urine. I was scheduled to be on full horse care duty in 7 weeks as my friend was going on hols so behaved myself. A little walking after a few days, stopped the tramadol after 12 days and started a little driving (standing up, lying down was still tricky). I could sneeze without pain after 6 weeks, and managed the horses week 7. I think I rode at walk week 10. My advice is rest properly for 2 weeks at least and see how it goes. If you soldier on it will take longer to heal because you will keep moving the breaks. I couldn't have considered doing horse duties at 2 weeks, I did a little grooming at 4 weeks and then really improved quickly. Good luck! And as for being told to blow up a ballon daily from day 3 - forget it!!!!!!!!!! Just give me tramadol!!!!!!

 

[Lady Jane]

I can feel your pain I earned the nickname panda after falling off at the first part of a double and getting run over. I once broke a rib slipping going up the ramp to the muck heap pouring the contents over myself and burying myself. The fact it was so funny made the whole thing even more painful. I do not recommend comedies or getting a cold. I hope you don't have hayfever ?

Can you imagine having a cold or cough - agony!!!!!!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Had a stupid accident recently, involving three cheeky ponies, electric fence, and my stubborn refusal to let go of a rope. As a result, I got trampled. I've cracked a few ribs and have some excellent bruising. It's been just about a week now, and I can do some things like drive like it's a Sunday, shower (just about, drying off is the killer), and do some light housework. The OH has been fantastic, even though he's coming up to the end of a project in work and is disgustingly busy, he's been helping me in and out of bed (curse you, tall mattress!), doing all the cooking, and generally taking care of me. Like the madwoman I am, I envisioned riding (in walk!) this weekend, but I'm not even sure I could successfully mount up at this point.

My black eye is in full bloom, but the bruising around my ribs is only just coming in, though the hoof-shaped abrasion on my decolletage is vibrant! Has anyone else had cracked or broken ribs? How long was it before you were back to work/in the saddle? The accident happened at a yard I work at, and the YO said to give it two weeks before even thinking of coming back into work, but I'm absolutely itching to do something, anything! I'm climbing the walls, and I sort of know in my heart of hearts that it's going to be a while, but any indication would be helpful, whether it makes me sit down and shut up for another few weeks or not!

My cracked ribs were so bloody stupid.

One time walking up the ft slope to get the wheel barrow, and I slipped and fell onto the handles. Second time we have slip rails on stable so doors can be opened in warm weather, and I stepped over the bottom one but did not lift my foot up enough and fell onto the livery hexagon treat ball. Sitting on the floor with a bemused horse, gasping for air.


I feel your pain as there is nothing like sneezing or coughing or breathing or mucking out etc with cracked ribs.



Sadly no one would help me run this yard so I had to still work full time despite the pain





.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Had numerous injuries over the years, I'm a pensioner now. I was leading one of my horses out of the paddock a few weeks ago & he spooked at something, spun round and reversed extremely quickly. As a result he wrenched my right side. I was sore from the centre of my back around to the front breast bone. Breathing was painful & any use of my right arm hurt like hell. Over the weeks I was very careful & rested my arm as much as I could. It healed up, or so I thought. Yesterday the same bloody horse spooked again, & yes I buggered up my chest & arm again. Sometimes I wonder why I bother.

 

[tda]

Try not to catch a cold, sneezing will bring you to your knees...
Oh the pain of not being able to turn over in bed.
At least 6 weeks

 

[leflynn]

Hug a pillow if you need to sneeze or cough, also worth getting strong painkillers either following an xray or via GP as you need to keep breathing properly to reduce the risk of pnuemonia. Also if they are broken they don't start to knit together till at least 14 days so don't ride before then - if they are broken and you ride before they heal you risk puncturing an organ!

I broke 4 and partially collapsed a lung 11 years ago following a nasty fall and above as advice from nice doctor in A&E. I got back on after 14 days with a body protector and it was AGONY getting on and off more than the riding bit. Took another couple of weeks to be able to do anything more than walk and then fell off at week 8 and rebroke one (even with a body protector). Another recommendation is a few months after they are healed its worth going to a chiro to straighten you up again as you will find you'll have been holding yourself odd as it hurts like hell! Take care

 

[Landcruiser]

I've cracked ribs several times, mostly in stupid ways. Twice (two separate occasions) on the saddle horn of my western saddle doing Low Branches obstacle in TREC. Once crushed in a stable doorway by rapidly exiting horse (my most "sensible" rib break). And my most stupid - displaced a lower rib crushing a sleeping bag against my abdomen trying to crush it smaller into its bag. I heard it pop, as well as felt it, and that was the most painful of the lot! Each time 6 weeks to be able to cough without wincing, about 3 to be more or less ok to go about your business with a brave face on the soreness. None of my breaks were particularly bad ones though.

 

[cindars]

Got mine from being double barreled by my friends cob. Took at least 6 weeks sleeping on sofa it was the right height,wonderful bruising. Still play up sometimes this was back in 2001.

 

[Orangehorse]

6 weeks with no sleep and every movement painful. Do NOT laugh or sneeze.

Broken ribs twice, once out hunting, the week before my sister's wedding, and once when horse was cantering alongside a stream and shied at some ducks, tripped, stumbled and I went flying over his head to land, luckily, slightly sideways - from canter to 0 in one easy move. I knew as soon as I tried to get back on that my ribs had gone, but fortunately it wasn't my back.

 

[Gloi]

Can you imagine having a cold or cough - agony!!!!!!

I can say, though I only had a couple of bruised/cracked ones. Don't get bronchitis. Just DON'T!

 

[Iznurgle]

I appreciate all the sharing of stories! @ILuvCowparsely, I admire your tenacity! I think if I had my guy at home, he'd be chucked out 24/7 for the next few weeks! I succumbed, and paid for another week's full livery after reaching down to pet a dog, only to realise I couldn't quite get back up again. I've avoided sneezing so far, somehow, but I've had three bouts of the hiccups and they've all been ghastly. Thank you for the show of hands!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Not ribs bit I slipped a disc almost 3 months ago and still haven’t got back on board properly. The lack of riding is driving me demented, my horses are getting fat and me even fatter so you have my full sympathy.

 

[Iznurgle]

Not ribs bit I slipped a disc almost 3 months ago and still haven’t got back on board properly. The lack of riding is driving me demented, my horses are getting fat and me even fatter so you have my full sympathy.

Three months?! Oh my goodness, I hope you're doing alright. I'm climbing the walls already!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Three months?! Oh my goodness, I hope you're doing alright. I'm climbing the walls already!

It’s been a long slog and I’m almost at the end of my tether with it. I’m paying to have it treated privately and it is improving as long as I’m very very careful but I do seem to spend many hours laying on the floor? I’m riding my saint of a pony tomorrow and so happy even though it will mostly be in walk.