Dislocated Rib

[altagirl]

I've been going to the chiropractor daily for a week now (since getting rear-ended by a full size truck/trailer while sitting at a stoplight in last Tuesday's snowstorm.) My neck hurt initially, and my middle-back basically between the base of my shoulder blades. By the weekend it turned into pain just on the right side. On Sunday, I went skiing at Snowbasin and one of the guys we were with noticed that my right shoulder was several inches lower than my left and he cracked my back a bit and it felt way better for a few hours, until I laid down on my side that evening on the sofa and it popped back out. Skiing wasn't too horrible for a while, except that I couln't use my right arm for anything.. until the last run where I couldn't rotate my waist anymore and traversed down and went home.

So now I'm back to the shooting pains in my back/ribs. Today at the chiropractor, he said the swelling had gone down enough (and the pain is now in a more specific spot) and he can feel that the head of that one rib is sticking out. But my muscles are too tight for him to pop it back in.

I stopped at my physical therapy office and they said there really isn't much you can do other than rest and cycle ice and heat. The chiropractor says to do some easy exercise. I'm not sure skiing counted as that, but I tried. And I did spin class this morning, which felt okay when I was doing it but everything feels worse now.

Please tell me there's something else I can do for this. It's like freaking torture. I can only sleep flat on my back, which I HATE, and it just keeps spasm-ing as I'm trying to work.

The guys in my office just keep telling me to sue the guy who hit me. I'm not sure how that's going to make my back feel any better. Any thoughts?

[yentna]

Damn, that sucks. Having cracked / dislocated several ribs in the last couple years (2 this year alone), well, ++++vibes!!!!

That said, nope, not much to do other than take it EASY and wait. I did the same thing and kept trying to work out, ski/snowboard, even slid skeleton , and it didn't get much better until I cut out the activity - took a solid week off from all activity, then another week of taking it easy but being somewhat active.

Rest, rest, ice, rest, heat, rest, you get the idea. I know, I know, cutting out activity is even worse than the pain! Helpless is the last feeling you want.

+++vibes+++ again.

Hugs!

[Jer]

I've had lots of DH MTB crash related rib injuries. The dislocation/cartilage related stuff isn't too bad compared with fractures, but it still sucks for an inordinant length of time. Chiros have helped me with my back and neck, but could never do anything about rib injuries. Honestly, the best thing I've found for these injuries is hydrocodone and lots of it. Of course, this raises two other problems: 1) getting it - some doctors will give you 12 tabs max while others will basically give you a blank Rx. 2) becomming a hopeless junkie - some can let it go, others can't. If you just popped a rib out though, you shouldn't have to worry about stockpiling mass quantities of drugs or being on them for an extended period of time.

[Vinman]

I have a rib that is chronically subluxed and bothers me when I lay on my back. It terally hurts if I have any weight on the front of my chest when I lay flat, like having the baby lying on my chest.

Let things calm down and then see about getting it popped back in place. After if pops back in be very ginger with it for a few days to let things settle back in to place.

[altagirl]

Thanks, guys. Sitting around blows! Oh well. I'm going to the real doctor tomorrow for some drugs, at least.

[SnowTigress]

sorry about the rib, AG. I had the same happen in a car accident...not fun.

take it easy, cant rush these guys. hope you heal up well and soon. You've had your share of injuries!

[Jer]

You also might want to pick up one of those corset-like rib compression wraps for any kind of jarring physical activity. Sitting around does blow. A few years back I broke two ribs before the US Open. I went into the doctor and came out with a HUGE Rx for max strength Vicadin. Ten days later I was back on my bike at the Open with a compression wrap under my Dianese jacket and 6 Vicadin bouncing around my brain. It felt like I was riding a magic carpet. Watching uplifting movies like "Trainspotting" and "Requiem for a Dream" will also help motivate you to limit the drug intake to a reasonable level. Plus, if you don't gobble them all you can make some nice cake selling them to moto-xers!