I have a bad rib. Not sure if it is bruised or cracked. It happened in the last couple of class's. I thought at first it was just muscle soreness but all my other muscles are fine now and the rib is still killing me. It hurts like hell and is worse then dealing with the back pain I am used to.

My question is how long does it take for ribs to heal. I have class tomorrow and want to go but do not think I will be up for it. I hear that ribs take the longest to heal but have never had one as bad as this. Any advice about heal time and what I can do to speed up the healing process would be appreciated.

Go see a doctor.

Like, now.

Go see a doctor.

Like, now.


The only thing a doctor will do is charge me up the ass just to tell me to take in easy for a while. Maybe give me some pain meds but thats about it. Not to mention I have no insurance so it would cost a small fortune to go see one. I had thought about it but I just can not afford it.

you need an xray, but broken ribs suck. not much you can do for them if they are just cracked. wrap up your chest in a wide ace bandage and take it easy. but you do need an xray. do that.

but you do need an xray. do that.

Exactly. You must know first what's wrong with your rib before you do anything about it.

And, surely you don't wanna risk getting it worse, don't you?

No i do not want it getting worse. I need it healed asap so I can get back to training. I will call the student health department tomorrow and make an appointment. I will have to see what they charge for xrays. I can at least get some pain meds to help with the pain. It feels more bruised then anything. It does not feel life threatening so at least there is a positive there. It just hurts when I use my right arm and when I breath deep. Basically anytime the muscles around my pectorals get used it hurts.

sounds exactly like the last time i broke my ribs. probably a small crack on one or two ribs. there really isn't much that will make it better other than time. make the appointment, get checked out, you'll be back in training before you know it!

One of my ribs popped on August 20th...August 21st it was sore (especcally to contract or stretch my abs) and I sneezed (broke into a sweat from that fun)...then it felt better for the rest of the day until the dog barked in the middle of the night and I sat up quickly.

I was back training by early sept, but I was babying it and did almost exclusively standing clinch and striking (just asked partners not to hit those ribs...it worked). I didn't roll for 2-3 weeks. Now it feels about 95%.

Of course, I have a history of rib problems, but never THOSE ribs.

rolling with broken rib = punctured lung

*See a Doctor*

where is the pain? Is it in the front or back where the rib connects with the front of your chest/ your back? If so this may be a dislocated rib instead of a cracked one. Does it hurt right in the middle of the rib bone?

I can relate with the not wanting to go to the doc thing. I've been there. I'm pretty sure I cracked my shoulder in early summer, but i was too stubborn to see a doc who wouldnt be able tohlep it anyways. Took 6 weeks to feel better.

*See a Doctor*

where is the pain? Is it in the front or back where the rib connects with the front of your chest/ your back? If so this may be a dislocated rib instead of a cracked one. Does it hurt right in the middle of the rib bone?

I can relate with the not wanting to go to the doc thing. I've been there. I'm pretty sure I cracked my shoulder in early summer, but i was too stubborn to see a doc who wouldnt be able tohlep it anyways. Took 6 weeks to feel better.


Most of the pain is coming from the front and is right were it connects to the center breast plate. I feel it in the back to but I think that is more muscle related as it is a different pain then the front.

Is it a floating rib, or a true rib?

Is it a floating rib, or a true rib?


It is a fixed rib. The one in the center of my pectoral muscle.

I'm not a doctor, so don't take my advice and see a doctor.

That being said, I messed up two ribs badly on my bb test and the advice I received from one of the brown belts (who was a doctor) was, "as long as the rib isn't literally broken off/pushed out of place all they're going to do is tell you to take it easy, so don't bother. We don't even tape up ribs anymore."

It's probably the coastal cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum. The bad thing is, cartilage is slow as **** to heal...bones heal much faster.

I'm not a doctor, so don't take my advice and see a doctor.

That being said, I messed up two ribs badly on my bb test and the advice I received from one of the brown belts (who was a doctor) was, "as long as the rib isn't literally broken off/pushed out of place all they're going to do is tell you to take it easy, so don't bother. We don't even tape up ribs anymore."

It's probably the coastal cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum. The bad thing is, cartilage is slow as **** to heal...bones heal much faster.


That is pretty much were I am at with this. I will go though to get some meds at least help cut the pain down a bit. It does not feel broken or out of place. I know my body pretty well and I think I would be able to tell if it were actually broken or out of place. It might be fractured slightly but that would be the extent of it. I was afraid that it would take a couple weeks to heal. I do not want to be out of training that long. I was just starting to get used to it and do not want to have to start from scratch again. I think I will skip the first couple of class's and take it easy until I start getting to a 90 to 95% healed state.

I'm not a doctor, so don't take my advice and see a doctor.

That being said, I messed up two ribs badly on my bb test and the advice I received from one of the brown belts (who was a doctor) was, "as long as the rib isn't literally broken off/pushed out of place all they're going to do is tell you to take it easy, so don't bother. We don't even tape up ribs anymore."

It's probably the coastal cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum. The bad thing is, cartilage is slow as **** to heal...bones heal much faster.+1
Including the "I'm not a doctor" thing.