How To Treat Fractured Ribs Video

Fractured ribs can be painful injuries treated by a doctor and requiring pain management and adjustments in daily activities. Learn how to treat a fractured rib and stay fit in this sports medicine video.

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See a doctor about intense pain
Wear an elastic wrap
Sit up in bed
Reduce physical activity

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Mike Vera is an athletic trainer the Roger Clemens Institute at Memorial Hermann Hospital. The Clemens Institute is the largest, most comprehensive medically based sports program in the Southwest.

MIKE VERA: Hi, we want to talk about the treatment and management of fractured ribs. Depending on the mechanism of injury that can occur, flag football, coughing, some type of violent contraction such as squatting with weights, the thing you want to understand here is that if you have pain, especially intense pain, obviously see a physician. If the physician X-rays and there is a diagnosis of a possible fractured rib and they determined that it is fractured, there's several ways to manage the injury. The easiest way is with an elastic wrap to provide support for the ribs. Another thing you can also have is purchase a commercially available rib support. You can manage it by sitting up in bed, being careful with the activities that you do. Usually, they restrict you from 24 to 48 hours initially from the diagnosis, and pain management is a big thing. Remember, fractured ribs can lead to some other complications. That's why it's important you understand, depending on the mechanism of injury, how you feel can determine if you should see the doctor. But obviously, the big thing here is support. If they have been diagnosed as fractured, you should support them at all times, sitting at work, sitting at home, sitting in the car. And that's about it. Good luck.

How to Treat Fractured Ribs Video

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