Bruised ribs: how long to wait before riding

[featuretile]

A few days ago, I fell off my bike while getting started on a hill. My elbow was scraped and hurt, and I had a scrape on my knee, but I got up and continued to ride. I had a little pain in my side. When I got home, my ribs really started to hurt. Everything else is getting better, but the ribs still hurt. I can't sleep on that side. I've been icing it and taking Advil.

I did some reading on broken ribs, and it seems that there would have to be more point specific pain and difficulty breathing (which I do not have), so I assume they are just bruised. The club is doing a ride that I have been looking forward to in 3 days? How long should I wait before I ride again? How long until I feel ok?

[Pedal Wench]

I crashed a few years ago right before a weeklong tour. As long as I didn't climb out of the saddle or get really out of breath, I was okay.

Do what feels comfortable for you.

[lph]

I'm certainly not a dr. so take this with a heaping handful of salt, but I once bruised my ribs by sliding off my own handlebars and slamming into them because it was raining and I wasn't wearing gloves and I had my hands resting on the tops aka "suicide grip"... ... anyway. They hurt for ages. I never had sharp pains or point-specific pain or trouble breathing, but they ached for weeks. Riding or no riding made no difference.

[OakLeaf]

One of my buddies crashed his MTB this fall. I think he was in worse shape from wrenching his neck than from bruising the ribs - he said he felt like he'd been run over by a truck - but he was back riding slowly on the road within 3 days. It was longer before he was up to the pounding of off-road riding.

[featuretile]

Thanks for your info. I did go on a short hike yesterday and that was alright. Today, I am starting to feel better. So, I'll do the Wed. ride since it doesn't sound like it will do me any harm and I'll just have to wait awhile for healing. At least it doesn't hurt as much. The ride is a field trip to San Francisco to go across the Golden Gate Bridge to Tiburon and take the ferry back.

[featuretile]

Yesterday was incredible weather to ride around San Francisco bay. I did the ride and it was fine. It was actually easier than I had expected. The bike position didn't really hurt my ribs. They are still sore, but getting better.

[Andrea]

I'll echo what everyone else said...
I dislocated/bruised my ribs twice this year (once on each side!). They take forEVER to get better, but I was able to ride while I was recovering as long as I stuck to seated efforts. Standing was pretty painful, so I generally avoided it.