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Floating rib injury
Hi friends!
Unfortunately I believe I hurt one of my floating ribs (lower ribs that only connect to the spine on the back but are free on the front). It was doing the Jallegra, I felt a sudden slight pain as I was pressing my body to hold me in place. I ended up my pole session and it was not too bad, I did not think I had hurt anything, I thought it was just normal soreness. Next day I was still in low pain when doing specific moves. I tried low flow and it was OK, but then when I was warmed up I tried to invert on the left side of the pole, so the aching right side of my ribcage was pressing the pole while I was lifting my legs and OUCH! I did not invert. The pain of the pressure discouraged me. I got very scared.
This was one week ago. I’ve been well through the week. Not totally painless but it would only hurt in very specific moves, like stretching myself up to reach something from a high shelf, or quick turns in bed. Breathing is fine, coughing and sneezing is slightly painful.
I tried to pole and invert again yesterday and did not happen either – still same “discouraging” pain.
I think I’ve improved slightly but anyway I’m going to see a sports doctor, or maybe a chiropractor, what do you think is better? (I’d say doctor and he can refer me to chiro if needed).
Anybody has experience with these types of injuries? I’ve seen some posts about fractures, mine does not feel like a fracture since the pain is pretty tolerable. Maybe the cartilage or a hair fracture? Or maybe the rib is out of place, since it’s a floating one and maybe easier to displace under pressure?
What about taping (KT-tape)?
I will probably focus on splits for the next couple of weeks and maybe some light conditioning and cardio. I can run with almost no pain although I know it may not be the best exercise, maybe static bicycle is better.
Or maybe it’s time to revisit Veena’s beginner chair rutines…
I have a pole camp coming up mid July and I’m afraid I will not be 100% by then 🙁
I appreciate your advice and sharing your experiences.
Thanks!
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10 Replies
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I’ve had several cracked ribs (not from pole) and the only thing I could do was wait it out. It took 3 weeks after each injury before it didn’t hurt anymore. That’s just me, though. Each time the doctor said there was nothing to do but wait. Maybe your doctor will handle it differently.
I did wait a couple of months before trying inverting again,I didn’t want to hit the injured rib on the pole. -
Ouch, theses kinds of injuries are annoying! I’ve never had a sudden sharp pain, but I have experienced dull, recurring pain after doing Allegra or Jade on a pole that’s a larger diameter. I just laid off anything that required too much twisting for a bit and it was fine.
I’m guessing some rest will be all that’s needed. However, you should always see a DR if you feel it’s not improving.
As polegramma said, if it’s broken (doubtful) they don’t do anything my understanding is it’s the same if it’s a strain or tear. Rest, rest.
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Thanks for the responses ladies! Yikes, it’s so difficult to rest when you are an active person 🙁 But yes, I have to think long term… two months seems long now but it is not that much if you look overall. Maybe time to focus on something else.
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Something else I noticed with my healing cracked or broken ribs – when they heal sometimes they form a bump on the surface of the rib that you can feel. The doctor told me this is the fracture callus. I guess all bones form a callus as they are mending. You don’t always notice them on a rib, but this one was large. Just to keep in mind, if you do find a bump on the broken rib after a few weeks, it’s OK. But you should check with your doctor anyway.
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Thanks for the info! I hope mine is not broken…
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Hi!It is the first time i write here although i follow the blog almost for two years.
I had my rib broken last year while doing jallegra. My experience was very similar to yours, i felt no pain or discomfort at all while being in jallegra but i did hear something like a *crack* when i let my leg go off the pole. The next day i felt no pain so i tried poling and i felt what you call discouraging pain when i tried to invert. I still could do my abs workout without pain though. On day two i had a sharp pain when cleaning my house, but it was just for that moment and then veeery slight pain when turning or stretching my back, but i knew i had to go to the doctor. I had an xray and it was broken as i mentioned above, and of course doctor told me to rest.
At the beginning it was very frustrating because i had to rest although i did not feel the pain. Then i started wondering what other people do when they don’t pole (or swim for me). At the end, i decided to avoid any exercise for three weeks (i had plenty of time to spend with my friends and program my future training). The fourth week, i already felt fine but gave it some more time to heal well. So after a month i was back in pole, i hadn’t lost any of my strength and i have had no problem since then.
However, i do not practice jallegra or broken doll anymore. I still cannot understand what i had done wrong but i remember that even the first time i tried allegra in my pole class i avoided inverts for two weeks, but i did not go to the doctor back then. My back is very flexible so i do not think this is the issue and i am very comfortable in jade and similar moves. I could not find anything similar in poling blogs when i searched that last year (as you do now) and my pole instructor said she had never heard that either.Anyway, I keep hearing Veena’s sweet voice in my ears saying “not every move is for anyone, this is an advanced move” as she says in the jallegra tutorial! Maybe my torso is not “designed” for jallegra!
I still hope that your rib is not broken, but please go see a doctor and rest anyway! Chances are that you will be fine until your summer camp if you give your body the chance to heal (whatever that injury is)!
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A similar thing happened to me from a bondage split a few weeks ago. To me it hurt, yes, but it felt like something was out of place. I tried rolling and twisting and nothing. Eventually I ended up taking a muscle relaxer hoping that would loosen things up all allow it to go back into the correct spot…. a few hours later I coughed and it popped and it felt so much better. It was sore to the touch for a few days after but then it was back to normal.
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Thank you Allyson and Euthalia and everybody else!
I went to the Chiro today. He took some X-rays and made some tests and examination. I need to return tomorrow for the diagnosis and discuss treatment. But the good news is that he thinks it’s muscular… a muscle strain in the lower back area maybe. He told me that floating ribs are higher in the back (OK, I thought I knew more about anatomy!) and the pain should be more up towards the back and not to the side/front that is where I mostly feel it. I’ll know more tomorrow anyway.
I asked him about rest and he confirmed that yes, rest is needed now but hopefully they’ll get be back on soon. Fingers crossed!!
I’ll keep you posted. I don’t know why, but writing here helps me feel better… kind of feel your support.
Love XXX
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Update: no rib injury, yay! It’s muscular. The x-rays showed that one of my hips was higher than the other and the spine was curving to compensate. Probably the muscles were messed up too, trying to compensate this. So it looks like that Jallegra “annoyed†the back muscles even more and probably I strained one of them. I think the Serratus posterior inferior or an oblique but it’s difficult to tell. I think Serratus because it attaches to the lower ribs, where I was feeling the pain initially.
The chiro adjusted my back to release my pelvis and realign my hips (ugh! hate it). That same night I could feel my back a little “weirdâ€, like too relaxed, and I was also a little light headed. But the muscular pain had diminished. I could still feel it but less. Next morning I woke up feeling much better, back and head fine and less muscular pain.
I can still feel a little pain on the side on my body, the pain has shifted from ribs/close to the spine to the outer side. But overall I think I’m close to recovery. No pole for me yet though, I may try easy low flow this weekend (I have Veena Beginners sexy routine on the radar) but I will wait one more week to increase the intensity. I’m itching but I know I have to wait.
Sorry Jallegra, you are a pretty move but I’m adding you to my Blacklist “not for me” of pole moves.
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I’m so glad to hear you don’t have a rib injury! Wishing you a speedy recovery, and looking forward to seeing your beautiful flows again soon!
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