I got so sick and coughed so hard a few weeks back that I cracked a rib. Very painful. Should I rest totally until the pain is gone (I've swum once in four weeks and it's depressing me) or should I swim through the pain and deal with it? I know I probably can't do any more damage.
Thanks for any suggestions and happy new year.
Former Member
Stress from the swimming will slow down the healing of the fracture.
I'm also skeptical when you say that you can't hurt it any more by swimming. It's your muscle action that cracked it in the first place (coughing). I wouldn't bet on the impossibility of muscle action doing that again, even with different activity.
And, above all, what does your doctor tell you? You did go see a doctor, right????
and here.. read up:
www.row2k.com/.../ribprev.shtml
swimmer rib stress fracture
If that was my rib, I'd give it a rest.
Reverse,
Let it heal...or you might end up injured longer, and out of the pool longer. For now, do what your doc tells you and be sensitive to the pain in your rib. Walking or hiking could be substitutes right now...
Think long term, not just for today. That's the only way to cope with an injury. Each day you're out of the pool, is another day of progress towards healing.
Best of luck, you'll be back soon,
jerrycat
Instead of Swimming why not try doing kick sets? You will be in the pool, less stress on your rib, and you will maintain some of your endurance and fitness.
Good luck on your recovery!
I did the same thing about 10 years ago and swam through it. Swimming wasn't too bad. Just could never get comfortable sleeping:mad:
It is truly amazing the power in a cough. I used to get bronchitus every year, the only thing I could do is to try to stop the coughing with a real strong cough medicine. Right now I am nursing a pulled abdominal muscle from coughing.
Used to take strong asthma medicines, which seemed to make me get the bronchitus every year. Haven't had bronchitus sinch I stopped the Flovent.
Still, talk to your Doctor. I have know my Doc for 17 years, he knows I got to swim:D
