How long to stay in bed with a rib fracture?

Written by Zhang Ying Peng
Orthopedics
Updated on November 24, 2024
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Rib fractures are very common clinically. After a rib fracture, it is necessary to rest in bed, immobilize, and reduce activity, otherwise excessive pulling of the ribs will cause pain. Generally, the bed rest period is about 10-14 days. Generally, after two weeks of treatment, the ribs will form fibrous connections and no longer cause severe pain. After two weeks, appropriate activity out of bed can be resumed. At the same time, oral antibiotics can be taken to prevent infection, as well as medications that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis to enhance the absorption of the hematoma.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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What are the symptoms of a fracture?

After a fracture, three characteristic manifestations occur. The first one is abnormal movement. This abnormal movement is due to the formation of an unusual activity of the fracture ends in the affected limb, known as abnormal movement. The second one is called deformity, which is also due to a significant deformity in the affected limb after the fracture ends. The third one is called bone crepitus, also known as bone rubbing sound, which is the sound produced when the fracture ends rub against each other. These three are specific signs of a fracture. In addition to these three, there will also be severe pain in the affected limb, and this pain is very intense, rendering the limb immobile. Secondly, there will be obvious swelling, which is caused by bleeding in the medullary cavity of the fracture ends. The third is functional impairment, as the affected limb will definitely be immobile after the fracture.

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Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
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How to care for a rib fracture

For a rib fracture, first, the patient should pay attention to rest. Local effective and secure external fixation should be done. You can tie a chest band or a rib fixation band on the affected area to stabilize the fracture, which can effectively relieve pain and is beneficial for the healing and growth of the fracture. Then, in terms of diet, it is important to consume high-protein, high-energy, high-nutrient, low-fat, and easily digestible food, such as fish, milk, eggs, lean meat, shrimp shells, and some fresh vegetables. These foods are rich in nutrients and also contain a lot of calcium, which helps the healing of fractures. This is the method of recuperation for a rib fracture.

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Written by Zhang Ying Peng
Orthopedics
40sec home-news-image

How long to stay in bed with a rib fracture?

Rib fractures are very common clinically. After a rib fracture, it is necessary to rest in bed, immobilize, and reduce activity, otherwise excessive pulling of the ribs will cause pain. Generally, the bed rest period is about 10-14 days. Generally, after two weeks of treatment, the ribs will form fibrous connections and no longer cause severe pain. After two weeks, appropriate activity out of bed can be resumed. At the same time, oral antibiotics can be taken to prevent infection, as well as medications that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis to enhance the absorption of the hematoma.

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Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
1min 1sec home-news-image

How to exercise with a patellar fracture?

After a patellar fracture occurs, through immobilization or surgical treatment, it's possible to actively contract the quadriceps early on to strengthen muscle exercise and avoid muscle atrophy. Ankle pump exercises can also be performed, which are beneficial for the contraction of the calf muscles in the lower limbs, can help prevent thrombosis, and aid in the recovery of function. After the removal of external fixation or once the wound has healed, one can actively flex the knee joint. For example, by sitting at the edge of the bed with the knee naturally hanging, the knee joint can be flexed to 90 degrees. If there is difficulty in bending, one can push the healthy limb backward against the injured limb to help bend the knee joint. For exercises exceeding 90 degrees, one can lie flat on the bed, then flex the hip joint while holding the thigh of the injured limb with both hands, and allow the knee joint to naturally bend through gravity. This exercise can help restore the flexion and extension functions of the knee joint.

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Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
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What to eat with a rib fracture

The diet for patients with rib fractures is not much different from that for general fracture patients. It is advisable to eat more high-nutrition, high-protein, low-fat, and easily digestible foods, which can facilitate the healing of fractures. Additionally, consumption of calcium-rich foods, such as eggs, milk, fish, or shrimp shells, can be beneficial. At the same time, taking calcium tablets and vitamin D can also promote the healing of fractures. Furthermore, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there is a belief in "like cures like," so for rib fractures, consuming ribs, such as pork ribs, could theoretically help in the healing process according to this theory.