When I was deciding whether to get a doctor’s appointment to find out if I had broken a rib, one thing holding me back was knowing there’s really no treatment for it. Still, I wanted to know, and since getting my diagnosis I have learned there are things I can do to help heal my fractured rib.
You should never take anything written here as medical advice, but for this post in particular, please check with your own healthcare provider before taking any of these steps to help heal a fractured rib.
Five Things I’m Doing To Help Heal My Fractured Rib
I have a non-displaced fracture of my third rib, which means the bone is not separated, and the broken rib is up high. Those details are important to what I can do, what I should do, and what I shouldn’t do.
source: Medical Arts Library
1. Take Deep Breaths
The most important thing I need to do as I recover from my fractured rib is to force myself to take deep breaths, even if that feels uncomfortable or hurts. The doctor advised that doing so is important to preventing pneumonia. I was surprised to learn that lung infections are the most common complication of a broken rib. I probably would have taken that advice seriously before, but with covid-19 I’m even more motivated to keep my lungs healthy.
2. Stay Active
With my history of DVT, my doctor advised that’s it’s important for me to stay active–but to do so carefully. Staying active reminds me to take deep breaths and helps me maintain as much of my range of motion as possible while avoiding moves that hurt.
3. Follow A Bone-Healing Diet
We all learned that calcium is good for our bones, but this article from WebMD discusses the importance of getting enough protein, calcium, Vitamin D, and Vitamin C to healing a broken bone. Of these, I need to focus most on getting enough calcium–and not just from Starbucks lattes. 😉
4. Spend 15 Minutes In The Sunshine
The WebMD article notes dietary sources of Vitamin D, but also suggests spending 15 minutes outside in the sun. That’s harder for me than you might think, since I usually exercise a dark-o’clock and have a hard time breaking away from my desk during the day.
5. Get Plenty of Sleep
I am so grateful that I am able to sleep pain-free, as long as I don’t roll over too quickly or move the wrong way. Getting enough sleep is always important, but knowing that down time gives my bone essential time to heal gives me even more incentive to make a good night’s sleep a priority.
Surprisingly, one thing you should not do when you have a broken rib is wrap the area snugly. It may feel better, but it could restrict your breathing.
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Do you have any other advice for me?
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That’s so interesting there’s a rib fracture–pneumonia correlation. Good to know about those deep breaths up front! I have no experience with this type of injury but it sounds like you’ve done your research. Yeah vitamin D from the sun is really not an option here in winter. The struggle is real. Happy healing!
Ouch!!!! As I told you before, those rib fractures are a pain…quite literally. Hope your healing goes well 🙂
Hope it heals quickly. Sunday like you are doing everything right.
We haven’t seen sun here in weeks.
We’ve had sun this week, but I couldn’t escape work.
Glad you are taking your recovery seriously! I am all for lots of calcium especially at our age. I love my glass of milk w protein powder after my longer runs.
I’m surprised how little dairy I get — aside from cheese! I’m trying to add an afternoon snack with milk.
Really interesting stuff, Coco — which I hope I never have to use! My Dad feel quite a few years back & broke like 5 ribs, and ended up in rehab, which started the whole you HAVE to move thing — in the end a good thing because now my mom is in the right place, I can’t imagine how she’d be doing living on her own.
Anyway, that’s awesome that you can sleep pain free!
I read an article a while back that it is absolutely impossible at the latitude I live at to get vitamin d from the sun in winter — which I believe, which is probably why my levels are so low — I am out there when the sun is “shining” every day.
Here’s to healing up well & great job on the deep breaths!
Yeah, I realized that once I put on my coat, hat, and gloves, I’m probably not absorbing much Vitamin D!
Great advice. You may know that I am an emergency nurse so I do know these things and yes the most common mistake is wrapping yourself. The best advice is to remember to breathe (take pain meds as prescribed so that you can breathe effectively)
Good post! Sorry you have a fractured rib.
Thanks! I’m glad you agree with what I’m doing. Both my Mom and my husband asked about wrapping — luckily I saw that was not a good idea!
Glad you found some things that can help you heal! And these are great all the time, fractured rib or not!
That’s true!
oops! I just noticed my comment went as a reply to Marcia. My bad LOL (I was playing hooky on my phone for a few minutes at work)
I would have never guessed that there could be a connection to pneumonia risk. I’m so glad you’re able to sleep pain free – I’m sure getting enough rest makes a world of difference!
Not being in constant pain makes this not so horrible. I have had to adopt to sleeping on my right side instead of my left, but that’s OK.
Great source of information! Glad to see you are on the road to recovery. Did the doctor tell you how long it will take for the rib to heal?
They said if it still hurts in 6 weeks to come back, so I guess 6 weeks?
It will go by fast! Keep us posted.
Interesting information here- deep breaths and don’t wrap it- almost the opposite of what you would think! About the vitamin D- if you can’t get outside it’s probably no big loss. Like a couple other people said, you’re not going to get much vitamin D from the sun this time of year. Just make sure you’re taking enough in your supplement- I was taking 2500 IUs and my levels were still low so my doctor told me to double it.
Wishing you quick healing!
Sounds like you’re on a great road to recovery, Coco! Such a blessing that you can sleep well!
I take vitamin D too. Someone once told me that I should take it together with vitamin K2. Which I now do, I think it helps to form a certain protein.
Vitamin K is tricky for me with my history of DVT (blood clots) — I actually avoid supplements that have it.
I’m glad you are working on this realistically – interesting that you shouldn’t wrap the area! But I do think breathing is more important!!
Still can’t believe you BROKE a rib with that fall!
Well, it’s just cracked, but when I do a face plant, I do a face plant! 😉
Those big deep breaths are important! It hurts and that’s why people don’t do it. I think that’s probably the most important thing you can do right now.
Yes, that was one symptom that got me to get it checked out in the first place.
The irony is that I got my broken rib FROM pneumonia…that’s how hard I was coughing.
That just sounds so horrible.
It sounds like you are doing all the right things!
Honestly, I can’t even imagine. I was SO incapacitated with my leg. I don’t even know if I was eating the right things to promote healing or anything like that. I am so glad you have these options and ways to make it happen. Good wishes for a quick recovery.
Well, you had quite a different injury, surgery and then PT — that’s a lot! I was just told to come back in 6 weeks if it still hurts, so I had to look for more holistic things I could do.