Athletes, Phys monsters and all who exercise or train!

RAFValentina

Recently I had a pretty nasty tumble out running. Ultimately it has left me with some rib damage on my left hand side. Now, I'm no stranger to broken ribs, I've broken 3 on my my right hand side falling off a horse and i broke that really tiny one just under your collar bone in an awkward tackle in a game of rugby against girls (vicious-first and last time I'll play!). At those times, however, I wasn't really training or trying to lose weight or anything, so when they said to rest and take painkillers, it was easy. Now I'm a bit of a running addict, I'm finding it quite frustrating. So I kept at the phys by doing elliptical and stationary bike work, which was fine. I've avoided weight training like the plague! I'm not that stupid when injured... however, really want to run, I tried it today, at 4Km it was painful, 6 km it was agony and by 6.5km I had to stop and go in to a steep fast-ish (between 5.9kph and 7kph) walk to finish my workout to just over 10km. I was fine on the bike.

Just wondering, am I actually damaging myself further or is it just being irritated... should I run up to my pain and then stop? Will this make the healing process slower or the same, just uncomfortable.

More importantly, just before the fall I'd started gettin agreat running pace at about 4mins 30 per km - 5 mins per km - I don't want to lose that fitness.

I can't seem to get my heart rate high enough on the bike or cross trainer without going anaerobic too quickly - am I going to HAVE to expect some reduction in my fitness whilst I "rest" from running? My RHR is around 45BPM (Quite low).

Thanks guys in advance for your advice and suggestions!

Valentina x

Elizabeth_C34

You really need to listen to your body. Soreness is one thing, but pain is another. Pain is usually something bad happening.

Instead of running the full 6.5 km, take it easy and do 3-4 at a time more often.

Don't do something stupid to yourself just for a few extra km of running. Even if you lose a little of your fitness, you can get it back. Heal first, then worry about maintaining your fitness.

lakrs83423

hi valentina,

I'd check with your physician and see what they say. However, I know what you're going through. It can be a pain staying away from exercise, but you have to make sure you're letting your body recover as to not aggravate an injury. Does the pain come on when your breathing get heavier? If that's the case you may want to stick with a lower intensity for a bit. But hey, I'm not a doctor. I am a trainer, but that goes a bit out of my scope :-)

99clmsntgr

Part of it depends on what, exactly, you're training for. If it's just losing weight, then calories burned = calories burned.

For maintaining aerobic fitness until you can get back on the streets, there's a nice "Injured and can't run?" article on Runner's World that looks like it has some good suggestions.

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-286--13412-F,00.html

mallorydisalvo

Hey girl, I know exactly where you are coming from!
Listen to your body! If you are an athlete, you know the difference between "hurt" and "pain" and this sounds like pain.
I understand, if I were you, I'd probably be trying to tough it out too... but really DON'T. Give it time to get better so that you don't injure yourself and put yourself out even longer than you are!

RAFValentina

No, no pain when breathing heavier... just as the distance gets greater and my speed goes up... (started at 11.2kph and moved up to about 11.7kph) so physically twisting my body more as I get more dynamic with speed... The doctor signed me off weight training and upper body resistance for 28 days (fair one and I'm not that stupid to do that! Had to be signed off as in military and we have complusory PT About 3 times a week) but said I should be OK everything else. It's not breathing pain... It's ALMOST muscular? The pain is fairly mild, just not right (I've had way worse pain and sure there can be worse) but it's painful enough to stop me running and think OWWWWW! Maybe 6 out of 10, 10 being the worst pain imaginable?

Doctor just told me to take brufen and paracetamol, ease of weights, lifting etc... I know I won't be running again for a while.. no point in the pain. just wondered if people had similar experiences, how they got around it and how it affected their fitness. Any suggestions on alternatives great too!

valentina x

RAFValentina

Cheers for this! Seems doable and like an excellent plan!

Part of it depends on what, exactly, you're training for. If it's just losing weight, then calories burned = calories burned.

For maintaining aerobic fitness until you can get back on the streets, there's a nice "Injured and can't run?" article on Runner's World that looks like it has some good suggestions.

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-286--13412-F,00.html

sleepytexan

Ya it is so frustrating.

Last week I slipped while wearing cycling shoes and walking on slick pavers. I landed hard on my tailbone and it hurt like #$%##!!

Due to my teaching and performance schedule, I was unable to take a day off of exercise until the 9th day, but I did take it easy. In spin I'm still unable to ride heavy tension without pain, so I'm having to work faster cadence to keep the watts up. After about 45 minutes I have to take it really easy bc even fairly moderate watts are hurting. I can't quite do any full forward bend while dancing, so I'm sure I'm looking a bit "off" during performances.

It's been 10 days now, I've had 4 chiropractic adjustments, and I am much better, however I still can't ride outside -- the road is too bumpy and it's excruciating. I really want to get back on the bike, but the chiro said not to do it until I can put my hands flat on the floor without feeling a twinge. Right now, I get the twinge when my fingertips touch, so it will be awhile.

I do think with a major injury like you're describing, and as I consider my tailbone injury to be, you need to stop when you're feeling pain -- you have to allow the injury to heal or it will just drag on for a long time. I should probably take my own advice bc I pulled my hamstring over 16 mos ago and it's not fully healed; I've had to modify everything with regard to dancing bc of it.

blessings.

RAFValentina

Looking on other online forums, I think this must be very subjective... I think I have more muscular damage than physical bone/cartlidge damage... Why do I think this? Because it took a few hours for the onset of pain, not instantaneous. There is perhaps a break on my 10th rib. I am avoiding running now for the next few weeks whilst I recover and sticking to elliptical, walking and cycling (using the methods in the previously posted link!)

I don't want to risk dislodging, stressing the ribs further and causing a sharp broken rib to puncture a lung, or my spleen or something horrible.

So yeah...some people can run on broken ribs but it depends on which ones and the severity. Wearing a rib belt some people use but is not worth it as compresses your lungs meaning breathing harder and shallower leading to pneumonia and other chest infections...surely if you're body needs to be this supported it's not worth running (scuse the pun) the risk?!