Took a minor blow to the ribcage and wondering how long pain will persist.

Robos A Go Go

Last Monday I slipped in the bathroom while crouching down and took a blow to the right side of ribcage from the side of the tub. There was the initial pain in the area of impact, which was to be expected, but some time after I noticed a feeling of pain from underneath the rib cage. This pain was largely unnoticeable, save when I coughed, which caused a sudden, slightly sharp pain, or sucked my stomach all the way in, which caused a pain that lasted for as long as I kept my stomach compressed. It also hurt to get up from lying down if I did not favor my left side. I was a bit worried, but upon doing a little research I found that this was likely just the normal result of a rib injury and nothing to worry about. Furthermore, I believe the results said I could expect the pain to dissipate in a week.

It's nearly one week later, and my symptoms have changed a bit. The pain from sucking my stomach in and coughing is nearly non-existent, the area where I took the blow is only slightly tender, and coughing just causes mild discomfort. It still hurts my right side to get up, though, and I am feeling some uncharacteristic discomfort in my lower back, like cramping.

I'm quite sure this is nothing to worry about, but I still think I ought to know from people who have taken similar hits if everything is more or less progressing as expected. Also, I'd like to know if doing some stretching is liable to help or hurt matters, and if I can jog without worrying about aggravating my condition. I was in the middle of a workout plan and I don't want to miss another entire week when I was just starting to enjoy myself.

P.S. I don't really want to see a doctor about this since I feel I'd just be wasting his time, as the odds of my minor injury and minor pains being indicative of a more major problem feel very slim. If anyone thinks that's wise at this point, however, I'll be receptive to the advice.

Seeks

You might have just bruised (well... pulled, since it's a muscle, but... whatever) your diaphragm.

Apparently that can cause weird pains in other parts of the body (muscles), trouble inhaling deeply, etc.

Draco_Auric

That sucks man, rib injuries take forever to heal. Usually 4-6 weeks before you're totally fine. It sounds pretty minor though if coughing doesn't hurt much after only a week. You're probably to work out as long as you aren't planning to drop heavy things on your chest. There isn't much point in going to a doctor over rib injuries either even if you had broken ribs all they can do is give you pain killers.

Shogun

How big of a person are you? I ask because this really big dude at work did a chest bump with this other guy in the kitchen and he cracked a rib. He never went to a doctor and now he's having a lot of complications. It might be a good idea to get checked out.

Robos A Go Go

I'm 6'1 and pretty skinny.

I don't think I'm in store for complications since, even if I still have problems, I do seem to be getting better with time. That said, did the same thing happen to him?

RUNN1NGMAN

An injury to those little muscles between your ribs can take quite a while to heal, because it's pretty much impossible to avoid using them. It can stay sore for a few weeks.

The lower back pain might just be because you're recruiting those muscles to compensate for the muscles you bruised.