Broken Ribs

[Deanobambino]

Just wondering if anybody here has experience going back to freediving after breaking ribs. I broke 3 ribs on my right side in a paragliding crash about 7 weeks ago. It was a bit more than just cracked bones, the x-ray showed a couple of quite jagged breaks where the ends of the breaks had separated from each other. I guess this caused some muscle tearing in the area and I guess that's why I've been doing a fair bit of grimacing over the last weeks!
Anyway I'm starting to feel a bit normal again, I can laugh at jokes without crying with pain at the same time, and I'm slowly thinking about getting back into the water. I'm curious as to any experiences anyone might have had with this... how long after the break did you get back in the water? Did you feel fully healed on dry land but find the pressures on the ribcage caused pain at depth? Any other observations or advice you might have? Obviously I will take it nice and slow and not push any pain I might feel but it would interesting to hear how others have fared.

 

[EcchiK]

Good luck with the healing up mate!

I can't say I've dove after a broken bone. However, I do have a collar bone that I seperated 6+ years back that still bothers me in the water. Definately stay with your advice and take it REAL slow. I can imagine that the still weak bones won't hold too well if you go deep.

My best advice would be to talk to your doctor. Or better yet, a doctor that is familiar with scuba/freediving and ask his advice.

 

[nz676]

oh man i broke the ribs on my left side in a motorcycle crash and its more the muscle tear and tissue damage that cause the pain it took me two months to start diving again better to be safe as muscle damage can be finicky and easily redamaged if its not fully healed my ribs also punctured my lung so it required a little extra healing time as i had to have a drain tube cut into my left side to release the pressure on my lungs and heart.so play it safe take ur time the water will be there when u heal up and it will be all the sweeter after the wait cheers speedy recovery

were are you from in the nz im from kati kati

 

[Deanobambino]

Thanks for the encouragement - it certainly feels like a long healing process. At least I didn't puncture a lung though. Of course the weather has been great while I've been injured...
I'm from Wellington originally but the last place I lived for more than 5 years was Taupo. That's before I discovered freediving though so I've never dived the lake. I've been living in Europe for the past 6 years but am thinking about heading back home soon. I have been looking at the Tauranga area as a possible destination. How's the diving in the area? A nice place to live in general?

 

[nz676]

awsome place to live tons of dive spots i usually just drove along the highway and scouted locations its so easy with the road running the coast north and south and you have access to bay of islands for a day trip the city is a bit busy i moved there when i got older from kati kati as kati is really small i liked it i always wanted to go diving around the mount but surface currents just rip on the back side and the beach is for surfing as the swells get fairly big but ur within a short drive to lots of good dive spots