# Punched in the ribs...broken or bruised?



## Bill Mattocks

I was at my 'visiting' dojo last night, and we did some sparring without protective gear - something we always use in my 'home' dojo.  Took a shot to the ribs, down low, which knocked the wind out of me and hurt the rest of the evening.  A sharp, bright, pain which I could really feel when breathing in and out, moving, stretching, etc.

I took a couple Motrin last night and went to bed - woke up a few times when I rolled over in my sleep and 'hit' the spot.

This morning, it's a tad worse.  No bruising, and I can press in on the rib in question without extreme pain, but it does smart some.

Broken?  Or just bruised?  I'm told if a person cracks a rib or breaks it, the pain is intense - this is not what I would call 'intense'.  It surely does smart some, though. I sit down or stand up and go 'oomph', if you know what I mean.  I doubt I could do situps right now.

Wife wants me to go to the ER.  I'm thinking it's just a bone bruise and not that big of a deal - besides, I'm told they can't do anything for a cracked rib anyway except hand out painkillers, which I'm not into.  Pain I can deal with - I just want to make sure I'm not being macho-stupid here.

Anyone get a punch to the ribs like this before?  Sorry, my inexperience with sparring is showing...


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## Nolerama

I think you bruised it. However, you should get it checked out. If it is broken, you run the risk of the broken rib puncturing a lung (although I think it's unlikely from a punch).

I got slammed in a sparring session about a year ago and felt a slight pop in my rib. It took three months for that to heal! I couldn't laugh much. But it's not the worst thing that could happen. Either way, I wish you a speedy recovery.


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## JadecloudAlchemist

Sounds bruised. But if you unsure better to be safe or sorry.  Many times before get injuried far worse then they think and at times people get injuried and think it is really bad. If your pain is severe,having diffcult breathing,pain when breathing you should get it checked out to rule out more serious complications. Good luck and good health regardless you seem to come off as a strong minded strong will person it will help your healing immensely.


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## Twin Fist

just a bruise

a broken rib feels rather like a knife going in you whenever you breath

doesnt matter though, all you can do either way is tough it out.


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## seasoned

I took a reverse punch to the ribs a while back. At the time it hurt, but was tolerable. It was the next morning when I tried to get out of bed that it was the worst. I literally had to roll over onto the floor and stand up from there. It turned out to be a very bad bruise, but it felt like I was hit by a truck. I had a knot on by lower rib, and that rib hurt for months. The best thing that came of it was I had to spar with that side back, with a sponge and a wrap on it. Got pretty good as a south paw.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I hope your's is no worst.


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## terryl965

It is a bruised rib, if it was broken it is like a knife going though you. Not much can be done with it except time for recovery. Try to keep to light duty for a few weeks.


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## Bill Mattocks

Thanks, guys.  It does not feel like "a knife going in" and it's not as bad as some of you guys have had, so I am going to go with 'bruise' for now and just monitor it.  Sorry to hear that it will take so long to heal up.  Well, goes with the territory.  It took my knee a long time to get better after I wrecked it three months or so ago.  Such is life for MA'ists, I guess.

That'll learn me to block better, eh?


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## celtic_crippler

Trust me; anyone that's had busted ribs will tell you, *If you had bruised, or worse broken ribs...you would DEFINATELY know it. There would be NO doubt in your mind. :wah:*


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## Bill Mattocks

celtic_crippler said:


> Trust me; anyone that's had busted ribs will tell you, *If you had bruised, or worse broken ribs...you would DEFINATELY know it. There would be NO doubt in your mind. :wah:*



Kinda what I thought.  The fact that it hurts when I breathe or laugh and is painful to the touch, but not such that I can't stand to touch it, makes me think it's just a bone bruise.  Don't know what else it could be, since I can't see a bruise on the skin (yet) but it hurts enough to wake me from sleep if I roll over on it.  I'll live with it.  Kinda sucks, though.


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## Brian King

Agree with the others. Mostly just not broken. When broken you or your wife when feeling firmly on each side of the pain would be able to feel the rib pieces slide. The ribs are designed to be flexible and to protect the internal organs and absorb shocks to the area. Just because they are designed to be independently flexible doesnt mean when one rib has to move that it doesnt cause pain (especially if that area was tense before the impact inhibiting the ability to move with the blow and lesson the impacts damage). The cartilage around the rib and the fascia around that area likely was pulled and stretched and perhaps torn. 

With injuries given by students I recommend that you both the giver and the receiver do a little work together hitting and taking hits to the ribs. On the bruised side the hits can be pushes until healed. The receiver takes hits to get over the natural fear that develops with injuries and the hitter gives hits to get over the fear of injuring someone. Once you are healed up in that area then take a bunch of strikes (hard as you can take) so that in your mind you realize that indeed you are healed and so that you do not develop unnatural movements or flinches to protect that injured area.

I guess not all the students there punch sloppy? Good to work without protective gear as use that gear in my opinion risks developing bad habits such as thinking you can take a punch to give a punch without sustaining some cost for the contact.

Speedy recovery and hope that good lessons learned (LOL many of lifes good lessons "suck")
Regards
Brian King


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## Bill Mattocks

Brian said:


> I guess not all the students there punch sloppy? Good to work without protective gear as use that gear in my opinion risks developing bad habits such as thinking you can take a punch to give a punch without sustaining some cost for the contact.



Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it!

As to the 'sloppy punches', I guess you were referring to my observation that the white belts in this dojo have sloppy punches in a different thread.

Well, they do.  I wasn't trying to toot my own horn, but as an orange belt, I quickly found that I was beating up on their blue, purple, and green belts last night.  Some were younger/smaller than me, so that had something to do with it, but I was generally just dominating them.  So they paired me up with the highest-ranked black belt student, and he was more my speed.  He was faster, stronger, and better than me, but after he administered the shot in the ribs that doubled me over, he came up to me later and said that my sparring impressed him.  It was a very nice compliment, especially considering I haven't sparred more than a few times since I've been training MA (less than a year).  I only have my prior experienced getting punched by drunks and knocking out idiots when I was in LE decades ago to rely on.

I really have to watch my power in this dojo.  We did something called 'the gauntlet' last night, which was very much like the gauntlet when you get promoted in the USMC.  We did kicks, punches, hook kicks, haito and shuto chops as the others passed by and then we got it ourselves.  I always practice good form and expect others to do the same to me - so I hit.  Not 'hard' to hurt, but 'solid' which can hurt.  Unfortunately, I knocked out a female with a single haito to the solar plexus, and made her cry and I felt so bad.  I apologized profusely.  The black belts gave me shots that staggered me, but the other students just pawed at me.  They must think I'm some brutal thug!  I have to tone it down here.  In my dojo, we 'hit'.

As to the sparring gear - I have it, I wear it, but sensei told me that although I was free to wear it, in his dojo they do not because he believes that the thickness of the padding causes people to learn to misjudge punches and also not to learn to take a hit.  So, when in Rome...

Anyway, the black belts in this dojo can all toss me around like a rag doll, no doubt - but the others really can't.  So I got whacked by a black belt, and it hurt!  But I can take it.

The guy who got me:

http://www.cunninghamisshinryu.net/index_files/Page912.htm

Chris Duke, san-dan. He's a tough customer, but a great guy.


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## Rich Parsons

Bill Mattocks said:


> I was at my 'visiting' dojo last night, and we did some sparring without protective gear - something we always use in my 'home' dojo. Took a shot to the ribs, down low, which knocked the wind out of me and hurt the rest of the evening. A sharp, bright, pain which I could really feel when breathing in and out, moving, stretching, etc.
> 
> I took a couple Motrin last night and went to bed - woke up a few times when I rolled over in my sleep and 'hit' the spot.
> 
> This morning, it's a tad worse. No bruising, and I can press in on the rib in question without extreme pain, but it does smart some.
> 
> Broken? Or just bruised? I'm told if a person cracks a rib or breaks it, the pain is intense - this is not what I would call 'intense'. It surely does smart some, though. I sit down or stand up and go 'oomph', if you know what I mean. I doubt I could do situps right now.
> 
> Wife wants me to go to the ER. I'm thinking it's just a bone bruise and not that big of a deal - besides, I'm told they can't do anything for a cracked rib anyway except hand out painkillers, which I'm not into. Pain I can deal with - I just want to make sure I'm not being macho-stupid here.
> 
> Anyone get a punch to the ribs like this before? Sorry, my inexperience with sparring is showing...


 

Bill,

Years ago I missed the block and did not get out of the way of a spinning heel hook kick. I missed it by that much. ][ 

Upon impact, I saw bright light and lost my breath and knew I was in trouble. I collapsed into the fetal position on the ground. Upon entering the fetal position on the ground I could breath again as the rib had been dislocated and upon impact and reset upon knee on ground in fetal position. I staid there for a second or two the catch breath and then got up. 

I walked it off and was sore and just did minimum work for the rest of the class. I did go see my doctor and he checked my out and stated it was not broken nor really bruised but that I could have bruise the cartiledge with the pop out and back in. I was in pain for a few days to a week. 


That being said, I cannot say how important it is for people to get checked out even if it is just a bruised rib. I know it is money. I know it is time. I know the doctor will tell you not to do it anymore, and that maybe the wife will use it as data for an arguement for you not to spar. But given all the headache, it is better than being wrong and having something serious going on that could have been stopped or corrected if caught soon enough. 


Good Luck


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## bowser666

It is why i say , when training, safety first.  Don't train without some protection. Injuries just keep you out of training.  Me personally i wont let anything get in the way. Sorry to preach but....................

P.S.  If anything it saves you lots of $$$$  in Medical bills.


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## Makalakumu

Wear protection.  I broke ribs on my left side during a tournament and dislocated two on my right side during my 2nd dan test.  Both of those injuries took me out for a long time, with the latter preventing me from being able to pick up my newborn son.  In my opinion, the prices that I paid were too high for what I received.  

As we get older, it will get harder and harder to shrug off these injuries.  Wear protection and enjoy your training more.


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## bluekey88

Sounds like bruised ribs.  I exeperienced something similar (though i was wearing protective gear) when I got hit by a back kick at last week's competition.  It's been a week and i can now cough and laugh without too much pain.  I've broken ribs and the pain is much more intense and the recovery much slower. 

The only bit of advice I was given was to make sure you took some concious deep breaths every hour or so.  Pained ribs make one breath shallowly.  If you don't take time to get some air deep into your lungs you risk getting bronchitis and/or pneumonia.

Peace,
Erik


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## MJS

Bill Mattocks said:


> I was at my 'visiting' dojo last night, and we did some sparring without protective gear - something we always use in my 'home' dojo. Took a shot to the ribs, down low, which knocked the wind out of me and hurt the rest of the evening. A sharp, bright, pain which I could really feel when breathing in and out, moving, stretching, etc.
> 
> I took a couple Motrin last night and went to bed - woke up a few times when I rolled over in my sleep and 'hit' the spot.
> 
> This morning, it's a tad worse. No bruising, and I can press in on the rib in question without extreme pain, but it does smart some.
> 
> Broken? Or just bruised? I'm told if a person cracks a rib or breaks it, the pain is intense - this is not what I would call 'intense'. It surely does smart some, though. I sit down or stand up and go 'oomph', if you know what I mean. I doubt I could do situps right now.
> 
> Wife wants me to go to the ER. I'm thinking it's just a bone bruise and not that big of a deal - besides, I'm told they can't do anything for a cracked rib anyway except hand out painkillers, which I'm not into. Pain I can deal with - I just want to make sure I'm not being macho-stupid here.
> 
> Anyone get a punch to the ribs like this before? Sorry, my inexperience with sparring is showing...


 
Fortunately, the hard shots that I've taken to the ribs have been nothing more than a bruise.  If there is anything broken, cracked, etc., I believe there is nothing to be done, other than taping them up real good.  For peace of mind, it may not be a bad idea to get an xray.


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## Stac3y

I agree that it sounds like a bruise, not a break, BUT...my husband broke two ribs skateboarding (he landed with the edge of the board under him), and he was in pain, but functional. He refused to go to the doctor until two months later, when he noticed that he could hear a click from the bone ends rubbing together when he took a deep breath. So it is possible to break ribs and not know it for sure. Then again, my darling husband has an intense aversion to doctors, so he is unusually stoic about injuries.


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## Stac3y

Deja vu, (vuja de?) Bill! I got NAILED in the ribs by a side kick from one of the black belts last night. We were going pretty hard, and there's no padding on the bottoms of our feet, of course. I can't remember another time I've yelped in pain from a blow when sparring, but I did this time. He felt bad, but really, it was my own fault--I walked right into it. I finished my round with him and sparred for another hour or so, but dang, it hurts! 

How are yours doing? Are you training while they hurt, or sitting out to recuperate? I'm not sitting out--my husband and kids are out of town this week, so I'd have to be puking not to go to class every night--I only get that chance once a year.


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## just2kicku

I have fractured my ribs, bruised them and dislocated them away from my sternum (still got a lump on my chest). What you describe Bill, sounds like a good ole bruise. 

You could try bandaging it up real tight, that will take away some of the pain. If it's tolerable, you could wait it out also. I was told that there's really nothing that can be done except waiting it out.

Good luck


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## Bill Mattocks

Stac3y said:


> How are yours doing? Are you training while they hurt, or sitting out to recuperate? I'm not sitting out--my husband and kids are out of town this week, so I'd have to be puking not to go to class every night--I only get that chance once a year.



I got punched on Friday, and gave it the weekend to recuperate, but I had dojo last night, and let me tell you, it HURT!  We were practicing falls and rolls - that didn't go over too well with my hurt rib.  I ended up taking it pretty easy.

However, just doing what I did made it ache like crazy. I didn't sleep very well last night, a lot of involuntary groaning every time I changed position while sleeping.  Wednesday is dojo night again, we'll have to see how it goes...

Sorry to hear you got a shot in the ribs too!  Bummer!


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## BLACK LION

Any popping sensation when you breath or sit or move?  

Often, when hit in a target area of the ribs the after effects can be pretty debilitating even if not broken...  bruised ribs are very uncomfortable and hinder most things that associate upper torso movement and breathing.  

From what it sounds like, you took a good shot and it may take a week to get back to normal...then it will remain a sensitive spot for a bit. 

Sounds like you were caught in between pain and injury... more force and it could have been bad.  

Hope you get better , faster...


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## Bill Mattocks

BLACK LION said:


> Any popping sensation when you breath or sit or move?



Yes, now that you mention it.  A tiny 'pop' if I take a deep breath - but only for a moment.  Subsequent deep breaths and it doesn't do it again - until later.  It's also kind of weird that I can't really localize the pain down to a precise spot like you can with a typical bruise, when you know right where it hurts and can put your finger on the spot.  This one is kind of up front near the sternum and about two inches under my left nipple.  I can get a slight 'pop' feel if I press in there, which hurts a bunch too.  I can even hear the 'pop' noise if I'm quiet.


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## Frostbite

Hello.  I'm an internet doctor.  My official diagnosis is:














Get an X-ray.  You'll feel a whole lot better just knowing what the hell's wrong with you.  In my unofficial capacity as forum lurker though, you probably just bruised them.


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## Steve

Chances are you neither bruised nor broke a rib.  From what i've seen, it's usually something done to the soft connecting tissue.  If you haven't been to the doctor, I would agree with the others and suggest it.  That said, I wouldn't be surprised if he recommends that you take it easy, and use a compression wrap to give sone support.  

From personal experience, these take a while to heal and are very easy to reinjure because you start feeling better and try to push it.


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## Stac3y

As I mentioned earlier, I took a hard kick to the ribs on Monday night. I noticed this morning that the ribcage on the side that got kicked doesn't stick out as much as the other side. I'm pretty sure they were symmetrical before. This is starting to worry me a little bit....


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## ATC

Bruised or Broken really does not matter. Nothing any doc can do for either. Would just be a waist of money to go to the doc. They don't even wrap them.

I had a broken rib a few times and let me tell you, you cannot even lay down or get up without taking 10 minutes to do either. I was out for 6 weeks before I could do anything. Had to sleep in a chair sitting up the entire time.

Got punched in the rib and had them bruised also a few times. Not as bad as broken but still hurt for quite some time. Still pushed through the pain but they hurt for about 3-4 weeks. The pain was not as intense as a broken rib but it hurt something awful none the less.

Ice, and motrin is all you can do. After about a 3 day you can do heat but you will need to ice after each practice.


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## bigmoe

Bill when are you going back to michigan


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## Bill Mattocks

bigmoe said:


> Bill when are you going back to michigan



Looks like I'm driving back on Saturday/Sunday.  I'd like to stay home longer, but although I can work from home, my boss likes to see my face in meetings for some reason from time to time.


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## BLACK LION

Compression wrap definately for a couple weeks... rub some dit da jow or zheng gu shiu on it before compressing it.  

I am not the guy to tell you to run out to the doc for a dose of radiation.   I am pretty extreme in my activities including skateboarding as mentioned above... I also ride a motorcycle and have been hit as well as thrown from it...I have done some fubar things to myself. 

You will know when something is really wrong and when your just milking it. Most often, ribs a like toes... they wrap em and give some 800mg motrin and send you home.


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## Bill Mattocks

BLACK LION said:


> Compression wrap definately for a couple weeks... rub some dit da jow or zheng gu shiu on it before compressing it.



I have no idea what that stuff is...like Icy Hot?

Where would I get it?  This isn't California...


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## BLACK LION

hahahahhhahhahahh.... 

Short on Chinese merchants aye??  

Dit da jow is wht is used for Dim Mak training as well as Chin Na so its geared for damages from impact or pulls or strains etc ... Zheng Gu Shui is basically the same.  

It is not petroleum based... its all herbal and looks like jack daniels.  

It works wonders and is very potent... Ill take it over the oily crap any day.  

a 100cc bottle is like 3.00 and you only need a small ammount.


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## Stac3y

Thought I should post this, since several people have recommended compression bandaging. This is from MayoClinic.com, a reputable source, per my medical librarian training.

"*Therapy
*In the past, doctors would use compression wraps  elastic bandages that you can wrap around your chest  to help "splint" and immobilize the area. Compression wraps aren't recommended for broken ribs anymore because they can keep you from taking deep breaths, which can increase the risk of pneumonia."

Here's the link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/broken-ribs/DS00939/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs.


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## Nolerama

I was the recipient of a pretty vicious takedown last night and ended up bruising some ribs.

It made me think about this post.


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## Steve

Stac3y said:


> Thought I should post this, since several people have recommended compression bandaging. This is from MayoClinic.com, a reputable source, per my medical librarian training.
> 
> "*Therapy*
> In the past, doctors would use compression wraps &#8212; elastic bandages that you can wrap around your chest &#8212; to help "splint" and immobilize the area. Compression wraps aren't recommended for broken ribs anymore because they can keep you from taking deep breaths, which can increase the risk of pneumonia."
> 
> Here's the link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/broken-ribs/DS00939/DSECTION=treatments%2Dand%2Ddrugs.


Hey, I hope that it was clear in my post that I was suggesting compression during activity only. I wrapped my ribs when I went to class to train and it definitely helped.

Along similar lines, I cringe whenever I see some out of shape dude wandering around with one of those lumbar support belts on.


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## still learning

Hello,  Most Doctors will tell you ..nothing they can do for Bruise ribs...except, let it heal by it self....Asbrins or MOTo helps some...If you can get pain killers?  ...Yes this helps the  most..

Your natural body movements is what will cause it to heal.....laugh or cough....hurts alot more...sleeping and movements...this hurts too...

Lesson here?  ...don;t get hit in the ribs....( too many times for us too)...hate getting hit there!!!  expect at least the first week to hurt more...by the second week less pain...third week you will hardly notice it....

Aloha,   Now you know how to hurt someone...that will last for a while? ...


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## Haze

Sounds bruised or maybe a tear in the soft tissue between the ribs. You could wrap it to sort of compress and stabilize the area. 

I have had injuries like this and sneezing or coughing  along with other movements is a real pain.

My wife use to tell me, "Leave some testosterone home and take your sparring gear instead."


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## sgtmac_46

Bill Mattocks said:


> I was at my 'visiting' dojo last night, and we did some sparring without protective gear - something we always use in my 'home' dojo.  Took a shot to the ribs, down low, which knocked the wind out of me and hurt the rest of the evening.  A sharp, bright, pain which I could really feel when breathing in and out, moving, stretching, etc.
> 
> I took a couple Motrin last night and went to bed - woke up a few times when I rolled over in my sleep and 'hit' the spot.
> 
> This morning, it's a tad worse.  No bruising, and I can press in on the rib in question without extreme pain, but it does smart some.
> 
> Broken?  Or just bruised?  I'm told if a person cracks a rib or breaks it, the pain is intense - this is not what I would call 'intense'.  It surely does smart some, though. I sit down or stand up and go 'oomph', if you know what I mean.  I doubt I could do situps right now.
> 
> Wife wants me to go to the ER.  I'm thinking it's just a bone bruise and not that big of a deal - besides, I'm told they can't do anything for a cracked rib anyway except hand out painkillers, which I'm not into.  Pain I can deal with - I just want to make sure I'm not being macho-stupid here.
> 
> Anyone get a punch to the ribs like this before?  Sorry, my inexperience with sparring is showing...



Probably just mildly bruised......it's difficult to diagnose over the internet, but generally cracked ribs would be so bad you wouldn't tolerate it well.


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## Drag'n

I've got 2 broken ribs myself at the moment. 
I think I originally broke them in a tournament a couple of months ago.
I heard that it was REALLY painful, but although what i had hurt, I wouldn't describe it as "like a knife going in". So I figured I was just bruised.

I took a few weeks off sparring till the pain had eased up a bit.
Then the first day back at sparring I took a side kick right on the sore spot and it hurt like hell.
The next day the pain was worse so I went and got it x-rayed.
Sure enough 2 fractured ribs.
So the doc gave me pain killers and an elastic body wrap and sent me on my way.
So its worth getting it checked out. Just to be sure.

The wrap really helps ease the pain.

But nothing helps ease the frustration of not be able to spar for a couple of months!!!!!


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