Riding with fractured ribs?

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Acolyte

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Just wondered - have you done it? Is it OK? I went to the doctors today and was told I had fractured a rib through - get this - coughing too much
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God it hurts though, they've given me codeine but it isn't helping much - can't laugh or cough at the moment, which is difficult with a stupendous chest infection
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They have said 3-4 weeks to get it mended, but don't really want to be not riding for all that time - is it a case of 'grin and bear it'?
 
Mmmm, suppose you are right - can't believe how it happened, I woke up at 2am today (as usual at the moment) with a coughing fit, and a really, really sharp pain in my chest. Went to the doctors earlier on, the nurse thought it might be pleurisy but she called the doctor in to listen to my chest - he prodded in the painful place, I said something very rude as it hurt very much, and he diagnosed a fractured rib. Thought a human body was rather more resilient than that
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have you had xrays done? I wouldn't recommend trying to ride with a fractured rib.Should you take a tumble you could end up doing alot more damage and the impact of a fall could cause the fracture to go completely and puncture your lung.
 
Nooo, the nurse wanted to send me for an x-ray, the doctor said not to bother as nothing could be done to make it mend quicker even if they knew for sure it was fractured
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I rode a week after fracturing 3 ribs, end result was I came off and bust my ankle.
Looking back it was a bit daft, but it didnt put me off cutting off the plaster after 2 weeks, and race riding after another 2 (was supposed to be on 6 weeks).
Id do whatever the pain barrier allows.
 
Wow, that makes me feel like a bit of a wimp even asking
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I'll see how it goes I think, it can't carry on being this painful for that long I'm sure
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dont do it. i stupidly rode with a dislocated shoulder - IN A SLING - more times than once
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also tried once to ride with a fractured coxys, that hurt like hell so never again.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I rode a week after fracturing 3 ribs, end result was I came off and bust my ankle.
Looking back it was a bit daft, but it didnt put me off cutting off the plaster after 2 weeks, and race riding after another 2 (was supposed to be on 6 weeks).
Id do whatever the pain barrier allows.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree I was riding after 2 weeks of breaking my collar bone and competed in a hunter trial after 2 1/2. I also rode in a half cast after breaking my leg badly and competed in a thin cast from the knee down! do as the pain allows I think thats what I do
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I have ridden (actually hunted) a week after rupturing my shoulder joint & breaking 4 ribs. It hurt like **** trotting was the worst even if I just stayed rose for the whole trotting. I was in pure agony. OH at time kept yelling at me to go home but I wouldn't do it.
As others have said you could end up with a punctured lung (don't even have to fall off for that to happen or they could nick an internal organ & you end up with internal bleeding)
I use to tape mine up for a bit of support but they now advice that you don't do that as too much pressure can again do the same as above.
Give it time be patient.! (though I wouldn't)!!
 
Should you do it??? Probably no, did I?? Yes
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I had a bad fall a couple of years ago, horse ending up canter over my rib cage, anyway didn't go the hospital and went on to have a jumping lesson the following evening
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I knew we had to jump again and soon! For the next few weeks I continued to ride and just took it easy.... NO SITTING TROT!!!!

Anyway, about a year later was having an x-ray on my back after a fall from a youngster, hospital ring the next day to say "Are you aware that you had 4 broken ribs and 1 fracture that healed themselves"

My reply "Oh yes but that was last year"
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I rode with 4 broken ribs- couldnt do more than walk though- all the movement was crushing the air from my lungs- I hacked but couldnt school
 
Where horse riding is concerned, broken ribs are possibly the worst (and potentially most dangerous) breaks you can have. I've ridden with other broken bones quite easily, however when I broke my ribs I rode once and then when I started to think of the potential further damage which could be done, I stopped riding for a couple of weeks to let them heal.

If you were to come off then you could potentially puncture a lung - honestly not worth the risk in my opinion.
 
I broke 2 ribs in my back a couple of years ago when I had a nasty jumping fall, I certainly didn't ride as I wouldn't have even been able to get on! It would be really dangerous if you fell off as a punctured lung would be a distinct possibility.
 
Stupidly, I rode with three broken ribs and some internal bruising, but only in walk and trot on a quiet horse. I shouldn't have as it they ended up taking 6 weeks to heal and doing anything other than ride hurt like hell.
 
I did after 2 days - walked and cantered only as trotting too uncomfortable - tbh I never had a problem

Discalimer - that's not to say it's a good idea
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I've done it and probably shouldn't have! Broke a rib falling off in the first place and carried on riding which looking back was stupid - also broke my foot (a metatarsal) and despite working in radiology went 2 weeks before getting it X-Rayed. Still carried on riding and week 3 I had a hunter trial! Saying that - I have real trouble with that foot now...
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