We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
weight training with broken rib?
stephcalcott
Posts: 84 Member
(cross posted on Fitness and Exercise board)
I'm looking for some weight training advice (understanding that no one here is a doctor - but maybe a trainer?)
Here is the back story. I had a good run - I started working out in October of 2013 - mostly lifting weights and working on body recomp. Then, in May of this year I got whooping cough. It was miserable, I was down and out for weeks, and I'm actually still coughing a bit but it is manageable. I'm hoping that in the next few months the coughing will be done. However, at the end of June, I was still coughing so hard that I actually broke one of my ribs (who knew that was even possible)?
I would like to get back to the gym and back to weight lifting. It has been about 4 weeks since I broke the rib. I can still feel it and I know there will definitely be no ab work as there is a sharp pain when I move in a sit-up motion. However, there have to be lifts I can do! I started walking and have progressed to walking hills but I'm antsy to get back to the weights.
Does anyone have any experience on what might be ok to do while at the tail end of healing a broken rib? My workout before consisted of: Bench Press, Upright Row, Squat, Deadlift, Shoulder Press, Tricep Dip and then every other workout some sort of ab work.
I'm thinking that I might be able to do lunges, bulgarian split squat (maybe with weights), bicep curls - what else? any ideas? Any thoughts would be appreciated!
I'm looking for some weight training advice (understanding that no one here is a doctor - but maybe a trainer?)
Here is the back story. I had a good run - I started working out in October of 2013 - mostly lifting weights and working on body recomp. Then, in May of this year I got whooping cough. It was miserable, I was down and out for weeks, and I'm actually still coughing a bit but it is manageable. I'm hoping that in the next few months the coughing will be done. However, at the end of June, I was still coughing so hard that I actually broke one of my ribs (who knew that was even possible)?
I would like to get back to the gym and back to weight lifting. It has been about 4 weeks since I broke the rib. I can still feel it and I know there will definitely be no ab work as there is a sharp pain when I move in a sit-up motion. However, there have to be lifts I can do! I started walking and have progressed to walking hills but I'm antsy to get back to the weights.
Does anyone have any experience on what might be ok to do while at the tail end of healing a broken rib? My workout before consisted of: Bench Press, Upright Row, Squat, Deadlift, Shoulder Press, Tricep Dip and then every other workout some sort of ab work.
I'm thinking that I might be able to do lunges, bulgarian split squat (maybe with weights), bicep curls - what else? any ideas? Any thoughts would be appreciated!
0
Replies
-
Honestly, wait until that business is fully healed. You don't want to mess around with things like that. I'd say when your doctor gives you the all clear to resume your activities is when you start up again.0
-
Honestly, wait until that business is fully healed. You don't want to mess around with things like that. I'd say when your doctor gives you the all clear to resume your activities is when you start up again.
Agreed.0 -
I don't think anyone can really answer this question for you. You're going to have to do some trial and error. With really light weights. And examine carefully how you feel at the time, how you feel later, and how you feel the next day. Move slowly. There's no accurate way of predicting any of this, even your doctor's advice will generally just be an educated guess (ie: 8-12 weeks rest). I've hurt myself in ways that I can STILL feel sometimes with certain exercises. And the injury was years ago and not even that serious (a rib injury in this case as well).0
-
You need to talk to a physical therapist. The folks here are great, but you need medical advice, not lifting advice. You need to get on a rehab plan to fix your problem... here is an example:
[link]http://www.sportsphysicaltherapy.com/media/22987/rib stress fx3.pdf[/link]
As far as lifting is concerned, the only parameters you can change are the frequency and/or intensity of the lifts. If you must lift, I'd easy back into (low frequency) and keep the intensity low (low weight).0 -
Thank you errata - that link is super helpful!0
This discussion has been closed.