Rib Fracture

A rib fracture (broken rib) is common in contact sports and usually occurs when a person have a hard impact to the chest such as an elbow or foot. If it is very severe then a patient should seek medical attention to ensure no damage has been done inside the rib cage. If it is not a severe fracture then a person can be back in action from between 3 to 6 weeks and rest depends on the severity of injury.

A rib fracture is a crack or break in one of the bones of the rib cage. A break in the thick tissue (cartilage) that connects the ribs to the breastbone may also be called a fractured rib, even if the bone itself is not broken.
The most common cause of a fractured rib is a direct blow to the chest, often from a car accident or a fall. Coughing hard can also fracture a rib. This is more likely to happen if you have a disease that has made your bones weak, such as osteoporosis or cancer.

What happens when you break a rib?

Your ribs have two main jobs:

• They protect the organs in your chest.
• They help you breathe by keeping space open inside your chest while the muscles you use to breathe squeeze in, or contract. This leaves plenty of space for your lungs to fill up with air.
• The muscles used for breathing pull on the ribs, so breathing may be very painful when you have a fractured rib.

Treatment

Most fractured ribs are treated at home and will heal on their own over time. Home treatment will help you manage the pain while you heal. Pain relief can help you feel better and let you take deeper breaths.

A fractured rib usually takes at least 6 weeks to heal. To help manage the pain while the fracture heals:

• Put ice on the injured area.
• Get extra rest.
• Take pain medicine such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Your doctor may prescribe a stronger pain medicine if over-the-counter medicines don't work.