I cracked 4 of mine a couple years ago. They take as long as any other bone to fully heal, but the pain only lasts a few weeks. By pain, I mean "sneezing feels like getting shanked by a 3' screwdriver" pain. They'll be sore for some time after that, but it's tolerable. You'll learn how to control sneezes and coughs to make them more bearable, but if you absolutely have to, hugging a pillow helps.
^--- Bruised mine at VIR, turn 17(a), August 4th 2012. They finally stopped hurting around the middle of September. Broke one in a bare knuckle, body shot only, booze induced, back alley boxing match with a friend one evening. It stopped hurting about two months later.
First week, really painful. Second week, somewhat painful. Third week slightly annoying. Fourth week, just enough to remind you that you broke something. That was when I broke them without any other injuries. When I broke them along with a vertebrate, and also ruptured my spleen, liver, and small intestine, I never even felt them. I was more concerned with the bonfire inside my stomach. That and the morphine every 8 minutes over-rode the rib pain.
I broke a handful of ribs once. With all of the other broken bones and punctured lung, the ribs never once bothered me. I don't remember ever having an issue with them, but then again, I was on some pretty good pain meds for the first couple of weeks.
they hurt like hell for about two weeks. Be really careful to stay away from anybody who has the flu or a cold, as coughing is like a slice of hell. I had three cracked ribs, now my tits aren't even.
Man I popped a few a couple years ago. Wasn't sure they were broken until I sneezed a few days after my crash. Do not, under any circumstance, sneeze haha!
I slid a kart sideways into a tire wall. Never went to the doctor, so I was never diagnosed with a cracked rib. But it hurt for about three months.
Bruised only one rib 5 months ago. It still hurts when sitting or pressing up against something way more than my broken verterbrae ever did.
Thanks Guys, Its not the worst pain I have ever been in, just annoying... Hard to get a good night sleep. And i tried to go work out "run" and it aint happening I'm only a week and a half in.....
Sums up my experience, I suffered 3 broken ribs, 2 partial fractures, bruised kidneys and a ruptured spleen. The ribs were the worst of it, I couldn't sleep on my back or sit up in bed. Every time I had a sneeze or a laugh it was followed by agony. I got over it and within 6 mo I was almost back to normal. It was just over a year before I got back on a bike and at first those nervous jitters persisted but not too long.
Not trying to make you laugh, but don't give up your side of the bed. My side hurt so much in August when we got home from VIR that the GF and I switched sides of the bed. I still haven't got it back!
Mine took about 4 weeks to be semi-comfortable being back on the bike/being active. Probably 6-8 weeks to be back to normal.
I broke 4 in Rugby practice several years ago. Took about 6 weeks to heal. Weeks 1 and 2 were the worst. Sneezing or coughing was equivelant to the mideval ritual of purification through pain.
Ribs suck. Went over the handelbars in a bicycle race and hit the deck hard. My elbow cracked some ribs and I was sure my shoulder was broken. I got back on the bike and started to check myself out. Collar bone was intact, shoulder hurt like hell and the ribs, ouch, the ribs. I kept racing and was was having a hard time but I guess I was pissed and pumped up enough to carry on. I finshed the race 45 minutes later and asked my wife to take me to the ED. She was all freaked out and driving like a maniac. Missed a turn and did a hard, fast U-turn. That hurt so bad it was the first time I ever yelled at her. Anyway, two cracked ribs. They hurt so bad for weeks. I could not even jog across the street to get out of the way of a bus. I did a duathlon just shy of a month later and the run hurt but did not limit me. If you did not get checked out, see if anyone you know has an incentive spirometer from the hospital. You need to work your lungs despite the pain. So four weeks and you will feel more like yourself.
