Can someone with a rib fracture move?

Written by Li Jin

Orthopedics

Updated on September 16, 2024

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Patients with rib fractures should rest during the acute injury phase. Premature activity can cause pain at the fracture site and is detrimental to the recovery of the fracture. After the condition stabilizes and symptoms such as pain have alleviated, patients can appropriately start mobilizing. Proper exercise can help prevent complications such as dependent pneumonia and bedsores. Rib fractures are generally treated non-surgically. A chest brace can be used for protection in conjunction with anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications, as well as Chinese medicines that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, which aid in the healing of the fracture. Recovery from a rib fracture generally takes about four to six weeks.

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Written by Na Hong Wei

Orthopedics

1min 12sec

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Is a rib fracture serious?

Whether a rib fracture is serious depends mainly on the extent of the fracture and the damage to the surrounding tissues. Generally, a single rib fracture or a non-displaced rib fracture is not serious and requires conservative treatment. However, if there are multiple rib fractures occurring at once, breaking several ribs, including possibly the sixth rib, the consequences can be very serious because it may result in a flail chest. Secondly, a rib fracture can potentially damage surrounding structures such as the pleura, lung tissue, and blood vessels, resulting in conditions such as pneumothorax, pleural effusion, and even active hemothorax, which must be promptly treated to avoid life-threatening situations. Thirdly, if a rib fracture heals in a deformed manner and is not treated, it can compress blood vessels and nerves, causing a persistent type of intercostal neuralgia even after healing. Apart from the local deformity, this situation often stimulates the intercostal nerves and may require surgical intervention. Therefore, the severity of a rib fracture depends mainly on the degree of the fracture and its aftermath, and typically requires assessment by a professional doctor.

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Written by Guan Jing Tao

Orthopedics

56sec

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What should I do if I have a rib fracture?

If it is a single, isolated rib fracture, and a chest CT scan shows no significant pleural effusion or obvious damage to the lungs and other thoracic organs, bed rest and wearing a chest brace for protection are recommended. A follow-up X-ray should be taken one and a half months later. If significant callus formation is observed at that time, attempts can be made to sit up and engage in weight-bearing activities. In this case, the recovery period should be at least three months. After three months, another X-ray should be taken; if further growth of the callus is observed, the chest brace can be removed, and normal daily activities can resume, but it is important to avoid heavy lifting to prevent exacerbating local pain. If multiple, severe rib fractures are present, accompanied by significant displacement and damage to the thoracic organs and tissues, hospitalization and possibly surgery are required.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin

Orthopedics

48sec

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Hazards of Rib Fractures

The most severe case of rib fracture is what we call the occurrence of pneumothorax. Pneumothorax is caused by the puncture of the pleural cavity due to the fractured end, resulting in pneumothorax or hemothorax compressing the lung tissue, causing severe systemic respiratory and circulatory disorders. Severe pneumothorax can directly endanger life; this is the most serious harm of rib fractures. However, generally speaking, it is rare for a rib fracture to result in severe pneumothorax; most cases involve only a small amount of effusion or a small amount of air accumulation. Thus, generally, the harm from rib fractures is not very significant; the most severe harm is causing severe pneumothorax, affecting the overall respiratory and circulatory functions, and endangering life.

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Written by Lv Yao

Orthopedics

35sec

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Does a rib fracture hurt?

Rib fractures are generally caused by trauma, resulting in localized pain and restricted respiratory movements. In severe cases, there may be blood or fluid accumulation inside the chest cavity, or even respiratory distress, presenting symptoms similar to flail chest. Therefore, when a rib fracture occurs, the pain is very severe because the ribs are an important part of the thoracic cage, which is a crucial structure during respiratory movements. Thus, during breathing, the pain from a rib fracture can be quite intense.

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Written by Na Hong Wei

Orthopedics

2min 2sec

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What are the symptoms of a rib fracture?

Symptoms of rib fractures include, firstly, there is usually a clear history of trauma, either from direct impact or from falling and the ribs making contact with the ground, etc. Secondly, the main symptoms of a rib fracture include three points: The first is local deformity. If it is a single rib fracture, this deformity is generally not easy to detect. However, after multiple rib fractures, this deformity becomes readily apparent, and you can see that the chest cage is abnormal, with a caved-in appearance. Moreover, in cases like flail chest, breathing is also abnormal. Normally, when inhaling, the ribs should expand outward, but if flail chest occurs, the chest cage appears to expand inward during inhalation; therefore, such a condition often requires surgical treatment, otherwise the consequences are very serious. The second symptom is friction sound and bone rubbing sensation. Some people, after fracturing a rib, during deep breathing or activity, hear cracking sounds from within. This occurs because the continuity and integrity are disrupted by the fracture, and then during breathing or during movement, there is friction between the bones. The third point is abnormal movement, which occurs at locations without joints, resembling joint movements. Normally, a person has 12 ribs on each side. If the continuity and integrity of the ribs are not damaged, there should be no abnormal movement; that is, pressing on the ribs should not cause sensations similar to joint movements at places where there are no joints. Therefore, the symptoms of a rib fracture include three points: the first point being local deformity; the second, bone friction sounds and sensations; and the third, abnormal movement. If any of these three symptoms are present, it is generally indicative of a rib fracture.