Broken Ribs & Rib Fracture Surgery 

Thorough and well explained! Thank You.

I really like this kind of video! Can you pls start doing some more of these?

Nice explain Drew brees got ribs fracture and had questioned but you explain it very well blow my mind it get heals by it self wow God is great.

Story writers will benefit from videos like these a lot as you also explain what happens AFTER the first aid process. Thank you!

Hi Dr. Parker, This is my first time on your channel. I sustained a rib injury last Thursday, so it’s been 9 days since the injury. A friend ended up on top of me during a fall in a soccer game. I was fine immediately before the fall, during the fall and after the fall. The injury occurred as I was trying to get up because my friends dead weight was over my right-middle torso side, and as I was trying to get up I saw the outer (outside of the S-shape) edge of my rib fold and pop; I felt immediate pain, and it has stayed in that position since. x rays the morning after showed no bone fractures according to the doctor I saw, who believed I had a bruised rib. Since then I’ve spoken to two other doctors, and I don’t know who to believe because I feel I have been misdiagnosed. Being an athlete all my life has given me a thorough knowledge of my own body, and I immediately know when something feels or looks wrong. As a result of this injury, my torso does not look the same. My body type is athletic, and I am thin enough to naturally have some outline of my ribs exposed, after this injury, the right side of my rib cage no longer has this shape. I feel that due to this fracture, the lower right-half of my rib cage has collapsed from the point of the fracture, and I am not doing well. I’m afraid my rib cage is going to heal/stay in this deformed shape, and I don’t know what to do at this point. This incident has made me very upset at the fact that I have damaged my body, and I hope there is something that can be done to fix the damage. Currently sad. John

This is great! I had rib plating for 9 broken ribs. My surgeon felt that tylenol and acetaminophen should manage my pain. I dont know what f-d up mindset he has, but Ive suffered for 6 weeks miserably. Im going to see a pain management doctor next week. All I want is my life back 😣

Thank you Buck! I broke a rib five days ago and this is by far the best advice I've seen on line, and I have been looking around alot. I took to fasting and I tried to move around. I thought what you said was very clever and well informed. I have noticed that my belly looks swollen. How bad is that? I will follow you, of course!

It is 2022 and hospitals are NOT doing this. I need to be in the hospital.

Just broke 6 ribs. Hell of a pain. Hospital for 6 days, multiple pain injections and bed rest. Now home and walking and recovering . Still much pain, 4- 6 weeks healing.

I got hit by a car in a crosswalk riding my bicycle this past 2020 Valentine's day and the force of the impact threw me from my bike and I landed straight down on the top left side of my head. I had a helmet on which saved my life. I suffered a left non displaced rib fracture, another contusion under my left armpit, a fracture of my left little finger, blunt chest trauma and more deep bruising of my left shoulder. I refused any Opiate pain medication right away and 3 weeks later I still maintained without it. I have been taking Ibuprofen and Gabapentin. I have headaches everyday, all day long. My left toes go numb from time to time and my left knee has caused me to limp when I walk. I was told I did not have a concussion the day of the accident. My eyes are so dry all day long along with the headaches, I sometimes see double while reading as well.

2 years ago: MVA Sweet Subdural hemtatomaaa!! 5 fracture ribs. 2 days later. PNA set in and lung collapes Vented for 2 days...Fun stuff. Drugs are good.

Im 55. I broke 21 of my ribs in an atv accident. They were sticking out the skin of my right side. Punctured lung, spleen, kidney and diaphram. It only hurts when I can see. Only got a weeks worth of pain meds. Opiod crisis? I had my own opiod crisis.

I'd love to hear you address a displaced xypoid (xyphoidectomy), from a high impact sport injury, like windsurfing, martial arts, snowboarding, sky bouncing, ect.

I saw a dream where I went down a hill with my bike and crashed into the tree in X formation. It somehow didnt hurt in the dream and my classmates told me that dont take it out but i took it out and snapped it in half and then i had a huge hole in my chest

I have 4 broken ribs and three fractured ribs from a motorcycle accident in Daytona Beach a week ago . My pain level is off the charts. I did not go to the hospital for two days after the accident. How long do you think this is going too last?

Two nights before the scheduled test flight to fly faster than the speed of sound, Yeager broke two ribs when he fell from a horse. He was worried that the injury would remove him from the military mission and went to a civilian doctor in nearby Rosamond, who taped his ribs. Yeager told only his wife, as well as friend and fellow project pilot, Jack Ridley, about the accident. On the day of the flight, Yeager could not seal the X-1's hatch by himself. Ridley rigged up a device, using the end of a broom handle as an extra lever, to allow Yeager to seal the hatch.

I broken three of my ribs and the hospital sent me home I am 60 years old and know one has help me out and I have three broken ribs and know one cares about me and it happened on December 22, 2018 I fail inside the bathtub taking a shower and it did not have anything to hold on to and it is still been taken care of

Certainly understand the pain. For a few MONTHS now have had 2 badly broken ribs and a badly compressed thoracic rib. Very tight, sore, hard to breathe and sleep without chest feeling like it's folding in half. Coughing and sneezing are torture as is movement which gets worse and worse. Constant massive pain in sides, centre of chest and back now extending all across bottom of top chest ribs on front as well. Think it just keeps breaking over again every time I move. Sometimes can't even hold a glass because glass is too heavy. Older person living on own with osteo. Causing BP of 170 compared to normal 110 to 130. Will likely take years to heal so can't even pick things off of floor. Often also feel short of breath. Spend most days and nights not moving. Multiple bsources roken bones are not for wimps, that's for sure. Sometimes can't even turn head at night. Great video. Thanks. Only question is, is it possible for both sides of each of the 3 broken bones to eventually heal forever broken and detached which could make them slip past each other at every bend and lift and break repeatedly for a lifetime or even cause other ribs and spinal parts to very easily break?

I have a question I fractured my rib bone in for me I have to like walk on the pressure so I walk like really weird and I’m scared that I’m gonna be stuck like what should I do?

my wife had her gall bladder taken out and after the operation she had this bad pain in her side for months and she just kept asking what was going on, eventually after almost a year of wandering around asking doctors what the hell was causing the pain, one of them figured it out and said it was probably a nerve where the rib attaches that was damaged on a side note, you will pay for it one way or another eventually, either it'll heal bad and you'll live with the pain it'll cause later on in life, OR you'll have to get it fixed later anyways. i fell in my friends basement, didnt think i hurt anything, i felt fine, it was tender thats was all, so i went about my life, 10 years later, i can't hardly walk on this thing and it's because i broke my knee cap, i wouldnt have this issue had i just went to the doctor and got it checked out. so just go see a doctor when you hurt yourself, i'm only 39 years old and i have a limp, it's so dumb, and was totally avoidable

Broke a couple ribs 10 months ago. I seen 9 doctors. The last being a thoracic surgeon. He diagnosed a non union rib fracture on my 10th and a 9th rib that is trying to heal. Huge annoyance, but not excruciating pain. I can do quit a bit but the breaks are on my back. When they go out of place, I can feel the pocket with my hand on my back. When they go back in, I can feel they are uniform with my hand. I just can't understand why they haven't healed in almost a year.

I had 4 rib fractures ribs 5-8 and separation with hepatic steatosis. :(

I have a upper left rib fracture/broken and it hurts bad and iam 35yrs old

why does is feel like my rib is bent with a big bulge where the crack was its been three months, will my rib ever be as strong as the others? will it always be bent? nobody mentioned realigning or surgery to me and I'm a boxer so id like to know that its healed strong

I was involved in a head on collision broke my foot, leg, 4 ribs, sternum and nose. It hurt so bad. I also had to use crutches and or a walker I thought I was going to die from pain. Still recovering and was nervous about the outcome so far no surgery in any of my breaks. The hardest thing is not working out, walking and in general being way less active. Thank you for the video!

My husband fell of the roof of our 2nd story home while doing our Christmas lights. The ladder slid. He landed on our fire pit that was lit and he broke 4 ribs, scrapes, cuts, mild burns and has really hurt his wrist and scapula from the brunt of the fall. What can I do to make him comfortable and make sure he does while home? What can I tell our young kiddos to not do (ages 11, 7 & 6) When should I bring him back to the hospital if something may be wrong? Thank you so much ❤

Craziest thing, i was slightly pushing something up against my chest and ended up fracturing a rib on the left side right above my heart I believe, i heared a slight crack and then all of a sudden the pain rushes to me and it's kinda hard breathing, getting up from bed, leaning, coughing using any muscles on my left side. I would take time off work but... I'm struggling financially so I dont want to. Anyway for me to deal with this while working or at home?

In the 3rd world country called Netherlands, i had a bicycle accident, they took x-ray but they told me that there is no fracture without showing my xray which is the usual practice by gangsters in netherlands. Now 2 years later I am having difficulties breathing. I took xray and i see two unhealed broken ribs hiting my lungs while inhaling.

I broke a rib snowboarding and it healed slightly incorrect 22 years ago. It kind of sticks out of my chest a little and prevents me from surfing to paddle on my stomach. Any advice?

Too much talk and too little information. The skinny version is that cracked or broken ribs are going to be excruciatingly painful for 7-10 days, painful for another week or 10 days, with increasing normal mobility and mild to moderate discomfort for about 10 days. Some doctors will give no pain meds, others will prescribe Tylenol 3, and irresponsible ones will give a script for opiates. I had 8x5g morphine tablets for my last break, and it only turned the red hot pain to stabbing pain. Painkillers will not aid healing so although it may sound cruel, the best option is to ride it out by catching up on your reading and other low movement. activities.

I fell, breathing hurt, but I can breathe deep. Breathing through nose, laughing, coughing.. hurts something brutal. 5 days in, I lost my voice, a little clear phlegm. I have been active since injury, constricting makes it worse. No fever, no blood, no headache, no shortness of breath at all. I know heal time can be about 6 to 8 weeks. Pain is back to front sternum. I don't feel displacement, just large affected area.

I live in New York and the doctors didn’t do anything but send me home with pain pills I have three broken ribs on my back hard to breathe don’t know if I need surgery !

wrecking your car/vehicle jumping off a 12 foot tall wall thing

HIM: ALL THAT GOOD STUFF ME:😳😳😳

Not sure that you’ll see this, but I have a question if you don’t mind. I definitely fractured at least one or maybe two of my ribs about two weeks ago. It seemd to be slowly getting better, but for whatever reason today it has begun to be extremely painful. Regular breathing hurts, sitting, standing, or laying down, it doesn’t matter. It hurts In the front and in the back, which is made it hard for me to identify the exact location. I hate going to the ER, especially when I’m in pain like this.

Do you know anything about sternums. I dislocated my sternal manubrium joint

Can I fracture my ribs from sneezing

I was standing on a table for some reason and it fell and It hit the sharp bit. I broke the table

I suffer from Stage 4 Congestive heart failure. Wondering if the ribs could be surgically broken and lengthened, giving me a larger rib-cage volume?

I fractured mine on the right side from coughing. They sent me home with pain meds. I almost wish they had kept me in the hospital. I am 63 years old. It is so painful 😖

Hi i would like to know can i safely perform CPR on a friend who has had open heart surgery, but is also needing 2 more open heart procedures. Would i crack the chest wall open if something was to happen Thank you

Dr Buck I fell a few days ago last week . My back hurts and so does my chest and stomach . Everytime I try to sleep on the side I normally sleep on my side now when I sleep on my side since I fell it hurts . Is this a rib fracture ? I haven’t been to the doctor yet . It also Hurts somewhat when I breathe .is this a rib fracture ? I hear it could just be sore on my side and how long do I take to heal ?

Older guy when my dog undercut my feet landing with single apparently nondisplaced fracture of the rib. Back on my feet, thought maybe only a deep back bruise. Next morning, coughed and resulted in fully displaced break... extremely painful! To ER, pain meds, CT and back home. Literally had to slide out of bed for several days, but 5-6 days in, good to go. Big, big difference between nondisplaced and displaced fracture of the rib!

fell a few days ago, and it hurts to breath when I try to get up from sleeping or bend over

I was boxing 2 years ago and fracture my ribs . Sat out only for a week and started sparring again and my sparring partner hit my at the exact spot and my rib broke . Didn't had insurance at the time so I never got it check. Its been 2 years. when I lay straight I feel like my bone is poking the floor . What should I do?

Hello, Dr. Parker. Great videos. Thank You. I had an accident, fell and got hit between the thorax and the abdomen. We did anteroposterior x-ray. It didn't show any fractures, but the twelfth and the eleventh ribs cannot be seen on the x-ray. We did ultrasound of the abdomen, everything seems ok. BUT, I FEEL SOME FRAGMENTS MOVING WHEN I LAY ON MY BACK AND MOVE, OR WHEN I INHALE DEEPLY. I think one or two lower ribs are broken. Pretty sure. I am a dentist. We studied the whole body. Seems like a little less moving after few days, but it's still there. What if the moving persists during the time? Do You think that I could stop feeling that? Or should I get plates? Thank You!

I've got 2 broken ribs, one displaced and a third cracked. On my right back. I can feel one of the breaks move when I breathe. I am nearly immobilized between the recliner and bed. I spent 5 hours in the er. -10 mins admission 10 mins for x rays Talked to doctor for 6 mins. I got sent home with 5mg Percocet 3x day. Lidocaine patch. And and NSAID.. I'm in agony.

Dr Parker, you're able to get your thoughts and experiences across very well. Have you ever thought about teaching?

Fell off my bike three days ago. Thought I’d maybe bruised/fractured a rib but pain was manageable for the first two days. Now on day three the pain has become unbearable. Can’t walk without serious pain and keep feeling a clicking around the area as though the rib is moving. I’m surprised it’s all of a sudden gotten much worse. I’m still not sure whether there’s any point going to the doctor!?

Broken ribs are terrible i broke 9 10 11 12 last week and they hurt like satan has on stilletos fresh from hell and is putting out a cigar on my soul with them Unfortunately its extremely hard to get pain management because of all the drug abusers. Basically i was told theres no treatment other than time.How long should it be before the Dr. takes a second look to make sure everything is healing correctly? Also i take ice baths twice a day half ice half cold water it seems to help. Apricot would be a good color too

I am more confused now, after listening to this. 😳

Doctor I was in accident with 8 ribs were plated what can I do to recover faster plus collar bone and shoulder bone in general how many months to heal

I had 2 ribs plated about 3 weeks ago,the pain is still pretty bad during my recovery.The surgeon said that i'll feel alot better after 2 weeks.Is the recovery from the procedure supposed ro be this miserable?I have to go back to work in two weeks and im worried i might not be ready.

please,Doctor I have a question, I am 56 years old women, My rib no4,7,fracture because Drunk driver hit me on Freeway, and already 6 months is not healing yet, I am still inpain, Do I need surgery again?, and I had CTScan two times, i don't want to much xray and ct scan again,Thank you so much

Hi Doc, I had an accident in a Motorbike few years back. It impacted my right lower ribs but an immediate checkup at hospital didn't show any fracture. I was prescribed pain killers and muscle relaxant for few days. And after that there was mild pain only which was on and off. But since last 1 year that lower right rib region is causing lot of pain, visually seeing in mirror the lower right ribs (9-10th ribs are compressed inside and look abnormal) while the left rib looks perfectly fine in place. I did check with a doctor few months back and after x-ray showed nothing wrong, got a CT scan done which also showed no fracture or anything wrong. I have this poking pain in my lower right ribs when I am sitting , sleeping on my back and certain postures.. I am having this pain and stress daily basis and it is effecting my work and family life , I avoid doing much work or go out with family due to this stress and pain. I feel this is close to slipping rib syndrome. I feel there is tissue, cartilage damage in that area. I showed last week to a general physician and he upon seeing my ribs did note the assymetry between left rib and right rib, he noted the Right lower ribs have compressed inside significantly compared to the normal left side..and in the lower right ribs there is bruising , redness and dark patches. He told me to consult a orthopedic or general surgeon. I used to have Migraines since few years, which used to cause anxiety and Muscle tension but I doubt that alone has caused this rib deformity- it could have added to the already injured rib region to get more out of place due to stress. Is there a solution to my problem doctor , CT scan has not shown anything...but there is structural deformity which causes daily pain and misery. Can those lower right ribs compressed inside by set back in position by using metal plates etc ? Or the only option is to surgical removal of the deformed part? I fear for my future and life just because of this. I will really appreciate if you can respond to my email of what you think about my issue and solutions. which kind of specialist should I consult.

My problem is I have chronic pain and am on meds for osteoarthritis with stenosis in the spine and osteoarthritis. I've had 3 joint replacements about to have #4 when I broke my ribs and I was bleeding under my skin. I also have Ehlers Danlos and have torn I don't know how many tendons - hence the blood. After 3.5 hours at ER a doctor condescendingly said there's no treatment and I can't get meds because I have a PM Contract. Basically, when I go to the ER for a bad tear they treat me as a drug seeking junkie. Sometimes I'm left waiting alone watching nurses go in and out for food. I sit and wait for discharge papers. This time I left AMA. I should have just rolled out with their chair. This is how I learned ER is worthless unless you're shot or having a heart attack. It would help people like me to get people like you to lecture ER.

I just learn that I broke my rib three years ago and it didn't really heal and now I need surgery that's the cause of my chronic pain

I got punched in the rib, i think ita a bruised rib, but while i move around or in bed i feel like something is moving inside, kind of like when you have a muscle not that you move, except this one feels bigger. What could be that feeling? On the front side i sometimes feel like what feels like a liquid buble of something moving inside

I am having pain on off from rip fraction for almost 12 years.but don't know what to do

It still aches after 4 months but now pain is mostly tenderness and soreness and soft tissue paim how many more months it takes to go normal

hey doc, i was in a crash 3 years ago. and my ribs hit a center control console - which was large unmoving metal box. my ribs hurt right away. i told the ER that is where my pain was. and they said my ribs weren't broken and nothing was done about it. fast forward to today - i have pain every day, i can push on that area and i hear a clicking sound. i have been taking over the counter pain killers - mostly naproxen sodium, nearly every day. i am not the most in shape person but i want to be. i try to take up running. when i run if i breathe deeply the pain intensifies and i have this taste of blood in the back of my throat. then i'll end up being quite sore in that area for days after. so it makes it difficult to stay wanting to continue to run. i would like to get treatment for this but if they cant see the ribs are broken on an x-ray then how can anything be done about it?

I have a non union rib fracture do i need surgery?

Hi I wanted to say how can a drummer break his ribs like Tommy lee he broke his ribs twice from 80s band motley crue I guess he drummed so hard to have his ribs break please let me know if you can do that because motley crue is touring with other groups soon like joan jett defleppard poison

I fell off a ladder framing a house on a Friday I got some perco’s a bottle of gin, tonic water and a bag of ice. I started coming to on Sunday and a lot of the pain subsided

Need help, broke 5-10 ribs in sept. 3 ct scans later they are not healed. What should I do?

So glad I only broke one, multiple broken ribs sounds like a nightmare

I know this has nothing to do with this but, is it bad that I can see my ribs through my skin like when I arch my back?

greetings from australia, i have a rib fracture, is it okay to inject the fracture with a steroid and lignocaine, i am in a lot of distress as it happened yesterday.

I'm not sure but why ribs are broke and can only take paracetamol

Hi my name is cyndy . My husband had a car accident on Friday and they told me he has a total of 6 ribs broken. He was just discharged yesterday . But his ribs move he says when ever he moves he feels them dislocating. Should he get surgery for that?

I have recently broke ribs 5,6,7,8 and my back hurts in one area.

Why is it changing? (From not needing surgery) Did people all the sudden stop healing? 😐

It’s been 6 weeks since falling off of a horse with ribs antlat 5-7th and postlat 3-7th fractures along with L4-L5 spinous process fractures all with some mild to moderate displacement. I have seen two ERs and three different doctors and a spine specialist. I can feel my ribs move and pinch with what feels like a dull butter knife when I try to lift or move arms overhead. None of the providers in my area seem to care or refuse to treat ribs saying there isn’t any treatment, just time. ?? I’m not done riding horses either! What if I fell again in the future?

If you have had trauma to the body and have beliefs that its fractured, SEEK MEDICAL HELP, get a professionals opinion. You could even feel fine for a few days then immediately be in agonizing pain, stay safe people

Hi Dr Parker, I was diagnosed with a bruised rib on my left side after a fall..I am recovering from the ACDF post operation week 2. After the fall,I experienced an excruciating pain on the left side right where the ribs are. I was thinking it's just a an inconvenience and I will be able to manage the pain by taking the morning. I was wrong, I am having difficulty breathing because it hurts to breath and the pain is unbearable. Today I was at the urgent care to check out the pain. I was told after the chest x-ray that I have rib bruises. My question is does the x-ray really is sufficient to show a bruised rib or should I have a CT scan to make sure it's not a rib fracture? My pain is still very excruciating and I'm still hurting pretty bad on where I was told I have a bruised rib? Should I have my ribs checked again by my PCP? Btw, I'm 53 yrs old and like I said recuperating from my ACDF surgery 2 weeks, please do respond..thanks for your wonderful video.

I have an accident when I was 5 yrs old now,I’m 25 n i,m from India .i have a problem in my ribs cage ,my rib cage has a defomalities figure I mean uneven figure but the doctor always used to prescribed me a pain killer I even gone trough a withdrawal symptoms for getting too much pain killer for a long time but I quit to take the medicine now I dn’t know what my life will be I,m always thinking about myself to die cuz its hard for me to breath n my inner parts is feel like squeezing my lungs n now I can’t even sit too long,plz tell me something for good and help me out

I don't want to breath anymore , and my teeth are falling out too .. life has always sucked

Got tossed a few days ago doing some jiu-jitsu and didn't really feel much pain until after class. It is on my side around the 8th rib and I can sleep on it in any position and it is tender but nothing severely painful. Breathing doesn't hurt at all. After 3 days it is feeling a little better, I have no bruising and can jog, hit the heavy bag etc with minimal pain so I am not sure if it is fractured or just bruised?

I have a question can a rib fracture be proven in court if it happens during a assault? My husband got me down on the ground and was punching in my back and sides he got a lawyer and trying to say I fell the report says non displaced posterlateral 7th rib fracture.

Hi Dr. Parker, I've had a non-union rib fracture on the first rib for over 7 years now which is very rare. The pains and aches are daily and have not found a doctor with a solution so far. What would you recommend? I have and X-ray I can send as well. Thanks!

Yeah good luck on pain meds not a liable option can't move can't breathe have copd! In other words I'm toast! So in reality there's nothing you can do!!But hope you live!!!

This doctor is hottttt

Heya there I'm is from Australia and just found out that I have a crack rib or broken rib from a X-ray but I had this pain for 6 months and thought it was something wrong with my liver or kidney the pain is just below the ribs on the right side so I had lots of blood test and scans and CT scan on my liver and kidney looking for stones or a liver function tests but everything thing came out all clear ? But I am still in pain and had a X-ray and found out it a crack rib or broken rib or 2 can it be possible it pushing on my liver ? I'm is in pain and had it for 6 months and Dr only give me pain killer as all the time I been on pain killer

I got hit by a SUV while walking

My rib Is in loads of pain plz peas comment

Sir my x ay is I have broken my two ribs

Can you break any ribs by being obese??

I fractured a rib when I was young but it didn’t heal correctly. What should I do?