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A few years ago I broke my ribs falling down the subway stairs (ice storm in Boston)

Now went out this weekend and a friend from the gym, big muscle guy came up and gave me a bear hug w/ broke a rib. He was drunk and just hugged a little to much. He was very sorry blah blah blah and I had to deal w/ my hubby wanting to pound him.

I hate this, since I now cant workout lifting weights for at least 3 to 4 weeks.

Breathe lightly

I feel your pain. I broke a rib once while on a leg press machine. Delicate things, those ribs.

I fractured 2 of mine going over my bicycle handlebars in early 2007. Also smashed my new prescription sunglasses, and got lots of cuts.

Made most activities very painful, and couldn't even sleep at first. And it happened just a few days before an ex-BF was flying down for his first Florida visit, which I was hosting, including a few days at a Key West gay resort. Definitely made me have to scale back on all the sexual escapades I had planned for down there; talk about bad timing! LOL!

I continued to have chest soreness for a year afterwards, my first broken ribs and I was surprised how long the discomfort lingered. You have my sympathy.

I have had the evil thought of droping a barbell on him while he is doing his bench press...pain loves company

OH I know of the pain, especially when laughing... So everybody, don't write any funny comments the OP might read !

sfinboston saidBroken Ribs suck

not if they are covered in BBQ sauce!

I feel for ya. I once collided with a vertical hand rail when a bus driver slammed on the brakes way too hard. It drove my cell phone into my rib cage tearing cartilage and cracking two ribs. I cannot imagine how painful a real break would be. It took me almost 6 months before I was able to take a full deep breath without experiencing stabbing pain.

GuiltyGear said

sfinboston saidBroken Ribs suck

not if they are covered in BBQ sauce!

That's what I'm talking about! yum

But seriously, sfinboston, take it easy. Breathe lightly, but not too lightly. Broken ribs can lead to pneumonia.

Tapper saidBut seriously, sfinboston, take it easy. Breathe lightly, but not too lightly. Broken ribs can lead to pneumonia.

Yeah, the doctor could hear that I was getting some fluid build-up in the lungs after a few days, from insufficient respiration due to my ribs, and the bruising to the muscles from the chest impact. I remember gasping on the ground for a while with the wind totally knocked out of me like I'd been tackled, during which a bystander called 911 for an ambulance.

Didn't develop a pneumonia infection, though, perhaps because I've had the vaccine for it, and he didn't give me any antibiotics. All I got was another tetanus shot because of all the road filth that got into my cuts. You might ask your doctor if you're a candidate for the pneumonia shot, some recommend them anyway as you approach 50.

Breathe as much as possible ;) keeping the ribs taped may help some, tho I wouldn't do it too much as it does restrict breathing :S

Drunk waterskiing on a glass lake. Cracked 2. Stupid is as stupid does.

Never had a broken bone in my life, not familiar with that kinda pain.

Sucks anyway! not going to gym sucks also. there has to be some light exercise you can engage.

Broken ribs from a hug? You may need to start drinking some milk.

I cracked two of mine earlier this year from the same as Red_Vespa. Mtn biking and cracked them on the handlebars. Then I had to ride the rest of the way down the trail (12 miles of downhill mtn biking).

I had months of sleepless nights.

I couldn't even imagine having broken ribs. This was the first time I have had any bone problems. No broken bones and my only cracked one... and I don't even drink much milk (Lactose intolerant)

DClifterguy saidBroken ribs from a hug? You may need to start drinking some milk.

I do drink my milk and take calicm (?), I think it was more of the angle he grabbed me and how hard he squeeze, he is a pretty big guy and I think being drunk he just didnt realize how hard he was he was hugging me.

Hate to be gory, but I gotta know:

Did you feel and/or hear it the moment it broke while getting hugged? Cause that would be the worst part, to me. Hearing and feeling it happen. Dear God.

look_alive saidHate to be gory, but I gotta know:

Did you feel and/or hear it the moment it broke while getting hugged? Cause that would be the worst part, to me. Hearing and feeling it happen. Dear God.

oh yes, I heard it and felt it. It took me back the the first time I broke my ribs 5 years ago.

IT is on the front left side of the ribs, right below the pec.

Thank god you didn't puncture a lung. That would have sucked!

code_joe saidI cracked two of mine earlier this year from the same as Red_Vespa. Mtn biking and cracked them on the handlebars. Then I had to ride the rest of the way down the trail (12 miles of downhill mtn biking).

Yikes! Well I declined an ambulance ride in one of those huge red things as big as a fire truck that someone had called, so they just patched me up on the road. The chest pain was terrible, but I hoped it was just bruising, and tried to downplay it so I wouldn't be taken to the ER.

The bike was rideable so I pedaled 2 more miles and did my scheduled 4-hour volunteer stint at the Gay & Lesbian Community Center, then 3 miles back home. But next day I knew it wasn't good, so I went to the VA hospital.

They X-rayed me, redressed all my cuts, added some stitches, gave me a tetanus shot, but didn't tape my chest, apparently not always done these days since I only had fractures, not complete separation. Or else just the incompetent VA, but I had my ex-BF flying down in a couple of days for a vacation, so it suited me not to look like a mummy.

rotabilis saidI feel your pain. I broke a rib once while on a leg press machine. Delicate things, those ribs.

How did you break a rib doing a leg press? You gotta tell me or I'll be worrying about it next time I do legs, lol.