Busted Up Rib / 4-6 weeks???

[wheezy]

What would the effects be of diving with a cracked rib. It's NOT completely broken.. just cracked. Doc says about 4-6 weeks to completely heal.

DOC: What do you think? I don't really have any intention of diving, but am wondering what WOULD happen if I did. Would the pressure cause MORE damage???

thanks

(at least the diving conditions stink right now so I'm not too bumed out about it)

 

[trymixdiver]

Your right about the conditions! very crappy today.

I would think you would be doing more damage by diving. At the very least you would prolong your recovery and agravate your current situation.

Good idea to stay dry for a few weeks like the doc says.

Andy

 

[ScubaJorgen]

I am not a doctor, disclaimer, etc. etc.

Trymixdiver, why do you think recovery be delayed by diving? Just because of the equipment you have to carry on your upper body?


Wheezy,
I don't know how you cracked your rib. What I do know that your lungs are right behind it. Be absolutely sure they're not damaged. If they are, this could mean serious trouble when diving. A girlfriend of mine had a car accident. Some metal strip stiched her breast, damaging a rib and a lung (pneumothorax i think)! She was not allowed to dive a year ;-0. Take care...

 

[trymixdiver]

yip, thats my reasoning. I have never had a broken rib but i would imagine certain movments would irritate the injury. I think you would have pain and to slap on scuba gear and go diving cant be a good idea. I am will to bet his doc told him not to dive.

I am assuming cracked ribs are not pain free.

If you sprained your wrist would you play ping pong ? no i dont think so because it would irritae / agrivate the injury. If you choose to play and endure (sp) the pain then your going to prolong the healing process IMHO.

Andy

 

[wheezy]

I can't even put on a wetsuit at this point it hurts so bad.

Having a punctured lung is not the biggest deal in the world (I've had two, at the same time no less which is a VERY big deal) and a broken sternum

You would think I would have learned by now and sold my dirtbike... but no, I continue to hurl myself through the air like a fool.

Thus the nickname wheezy by the way

ANYHOW.... I'm on the road to recovery, I'll give it a solid month before I dive again. My lungs are o.k., just a cracked rib which is also MUCH different than a rib that is completely broken...

My initial question was actually about pressure, if having a cracked rib could suddenly turn into a broken rib and punctured lung which at depth I would imagine would be a bad thing.

 

[BillP]

Hi wheezy:

Others have already mentioned the mechanical effects of lugging gear around, etc. To answer your question about the effect of pressure on ribs: When a diver freedives, the increased ambient pressure of the water column presses on the ribcage and if he dives deep enough it could presumably deform an injured rib and possibly worsen the injury. When a diver breathes on scuba, the air pressure in his lungs equals the ambient pressure in the water column and his ribs are no more deformed by that pressure than they are at the surface.

HTH,

Bill

The above information is intended for discussion purposes only and is not meant as specific medical advice for any individual.

 

[John Reinertson]

The biggest worry about a broken rib, as mentioned above, is a punctured lung.

Punctured lungs at the surface are a moderate problem, causing shortness of breath, pain and (in the case of tension pneumothorax) can be life threatening.

At depth, when a lung is punctured and collapses, some of the air you are breathing leaks into the space around the lung called the pleural cavity. This is called a pneumothorax.

If you are at 3 Atmospheres absolute (around 68 ft seawater) and rise to the surface, that trapped air expands to three times its volume at depth. Thus a small leak at depth can be an enormous problem and is extremely dangerous.

A pneumothorax is an absolute contraindication to diving and a history of collapsed lung is enough of a worry that someone with previous collapse should get clearance from a diving doc before returning to diving.

Diving with a "cracked" rib is therefore somewhat dangerous, and the specifics of your case and your risks should be evaluated by you and a doc familiar with diving.

The other risk (true with any painful injury) is that with a very painful rib cage, your ability to respond to an in-water emergency with increased effort may be seriously impaired, and you may be unable to rescue yourself or your buddy if something bad happens.

Murphy's law states that if something bad can happen. it probably will.

The first corollary of Murphy's law is that when something bad happens, it usually occurs at the worst possible time.

Dive safe.. let the bubbles be in the water column and not in your rib cage.
John

 

[wheezy]

Good info.. thanks. Like I said I have no intentions of diving until I'm healed up.

I'm actually thinking about selling the ol' dirtbike this time. I'm getting too old for this stuff.