Broken ribs

[1oldcoyote]

Closed chest wound; I have experienced that while being a medic. Multiple adjacent rib fractures are called a "Flail Chest". Flail chest injury is when a person has multiple broken (adjacent ribs). One can palpate/feel the area & or sometime see the outer chest wall abnormality. Especially noted with the victim breaths. That patient, I kriss/crossed ie; Over lapped his chest injury with medical tape. All tape extended beyond the injured area. Taped at least twice the size of the injury site. To "assist" in stabilizing those broken ribs. Adhering them to the rest of that portion of the (non-injured) rib cage.

 

[1oldcoyote]

Speaking of medical tape. I'm not sure what is on the market now days? As it's been quite a few yrs now since I was a medic. I suggest using tape that will adhere well on sweaty/blood covered skin. Tape we used back then. IF... the skin surface was wet/bloody/sweaty.... That tape did not stick very well.

 

[1oldcoyote]

I will also add. Behind each rib, lies an artery, vein & nerve. IF, any of those broken ribs lacerate that artery. It is bad news. As that artery continues to bleed & fill up the space(pleural space). Between the inner chest wall & lung. That lung will eventually be compressed & or collapse. Making breathing much more labor some/difficult.

 

[R.K.]

Speaking of medical tape. I'm not sure what is on the market now days? As it's been quite a few yrs now since I was a medic. I suggest using tape that will adhere well on sweaty/blood covered skin. Tape we used back then. IF... the skin surface was wet/bloody/sweaty.... That tape did not stick very well.

Maybe this stuff? Leukotape. I've not tried sticking it to wet skin, but it holds up through a week of showers (taped up my Achilles' for tendonitis.) Works great for covering blisters and hot spots, and I'll tape down gauze with it when I have a need for something bigger than a bandaid. I keep some wrapped on my trekking poles for when I'm out and about, right next to the duct tape.

 

[6mm Remington]

Never had to try and fix broken ribs but was on the receiving side of one broken rib and one cracked rib on the left side of my chest on my side. Montana Golden Gloves tournament can do that to a guy. (Many years ago.) Got the ribs broken in a semifinal bout which I won with a young man from Billings Montana. Tough son of a gun. I won the fight but about an hour after, and my adrenaline dumped, oh man did it hurt. Hurt to laugh, ride in a car. Went to the ER since I was supposed to fight the net night in the championships to see if I could do it or not. Doctor never took any x-rays and just told me that I had some really bruised ribs and he suggested I not fight again for 2-3 weeks. Hey the championship bout was a fellow from Canada who was a 5 time Canadian national champion and won a bronze medal in the 1976 Olympic Games. His name is Carmen Rinke and he lost a decision in the semifinals to the German who won gold. Hell yeah I'm going to fight him. I had been training for that fight all year long knowing that Canada was coming down to our tournament.

Needless to say the next night even warming up shadow boxing and hitting mitts was Painful! Went out there the first round and he had watched my prior bout where I got my ribs clobbered. He went right to work on them. About half way through the first round he hit me with a good shot to the ribs and my gloves dropped. You could tell I was hurt and the ref gave me a standing 8 count. Yep I'm fine lets go. Went another minute or so and he stuck me again on my left side below my heart. Crap the gloves dropped again and it hurt. Another 8 count. Yep I'm fine ref, lets go! Just about through the first round and he tagged me a hellish shot to the ribs again and this time it dropped me to my knees. Three 8 counts in one round and the ref automatically stops the fight.

Summation: Broken ribs are serious and they hurt like nobodies business especially after the adrenaline goes away. Still a neat honor I felt getting to fight one of the best amateur fighters in the world.

 

[1oldcoyote]

Never had to try and fix broken ribs but was on the receiving side of one broken rib and one cracked rib on the left side of my chest on my side. Montana Golden Gloves tournament can do that to a guy. (Many years ago.) Got the ribs broken in a semifinal bout which I won with a young man from Billings Montana. Tough son of a gun. I won the fight but about an hour after and my adrenaline dumped oh man did it hurt. Hurt to laugh, ride in a car. Went to the ER since I was supposed to fight the net night in the championships to see if I could do it or not. Doctor never took any x-rays and just told me that I had some really bruised ribs and he suggested I not fight again for 2-3 weeks. Hey the championship bout was a fellow from Canada who was a 5 time Canadian national champion and won a bronze medal in the 1976 Olympic Games. Hell yeah I'm going to fight him. I had been training for that fight all year long knowing that Canada was coming down to our tournament.

Needles to say the next night even warming up shadow boxing and hitting mitts was Painful! Went out there the first round and he had watched my prior bout where I got my ribs clobbered. He went right to work on them. About half way through the first round he hit me with a good shot to the rigs and my gloves dropped. You could tell I was hurt and the ref gave me a standing 8 count. Yep I'm fine lets go. Went another minute or so and he stuck me again on my left side below my heart. Crap the gloves dropped again and it hurt. Another 8 count. Yep I'm fine ref, lets go! Just about through the first round and he tagged me a hellish shot to the ribs again and this time it dropped me to my knees. Three 8 counts in one round and the ref automatically stops the fight.

Summation: Broken ribs are serious and they hurt like nobodies business especially after the adrenaline goes away. Still a neat honor I felt getting to fight one of the best amateur fighters in the world.

Your lucky none of your broken ribs didn't lacerate an artery. I never had a broken rib. However, I've taken some stout hits elsewhere. Some were during fist fights. Some were non-fight related trauma. Back when I was a young buck.

 

[pilsner]

Speaking of medical tape. I'm not sure what is on the market now days? As it's been quite a few yrs now since I was a medic. I suggest using tape that will adhere well on sweaty/blood covered skin. Tape we used back then. IF... the skin surface was wet/bloody/sweaty.... That tape did not stick very well.

K or Kinesiology Tape of the various brand names like Leuko Tape are awesome!
Hot spot on your heel? Tape it. Shit will hold for a week and might pull the scab off when you remove the tape if you don't soak it first.

 

[MN280]

Broken ribs hurt like hell! I fell off a horse on the ride into a drop camp in the Flattops in 2019. Tried to hunt for the week but really bothered me. Still had to endure the 12 hour ride home. A week later I got tired of listening to my wife complaining about me complaining about the pain and went to Dr. Yup, 3 broken ribs. Still bothers me at times.

 

[elkhnter]

Didn’t know all that taping was necessary. Feel when a ladder kicked and caught the top rung of scaffolding a couple years back. Knew I broke one until I got to the ER. Nope, broke 5 up the left side.
Never taped or wrapped at any time. Was off work for 6 days.

 

[Charlie Bob]

Same here , I broke five ribs at the same time and never got taped . Did have to do the breathing through the tube trying to lift the balls thing though , it sucked .