Anyone else have/had this injury?

[Norm3333]

I pulled an intercostal rib muscle. Located right under my left nipple.

Has anyone else had any experience with pulling one of these?

I pulled it after hitting balls for ~5 days straight and lifting weights (moderately) after my range sessions.

It has felt like a bruised/cracked rib. After 2 weeks it stopped hurting when I breathed. After 3 weeks, I was able to start running again.

I won't swing a club until I am sure what to do. Don't want to lose the entire summer.

Not sure what to do for rehab.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[pshizz]

go to your doctor, and have him reccomend physical therapy! I pulled/strained a muscle in my back, and just today my doctor reccomended me for PT. I want to fix this problem right away, because i injured my back (same muscle) last thanksgiving. I just reinjured it last thursday right before i was about to get fit for a 909 d2. It sucks, because now im going to miss around 2-3 weeks...but at least im fixing my problem and wont be out for the summer!

[JCDot33]

my mother did this putting clothes into the dryer one day ... we rushed her to the emergency room because the "chest pain" was so sharp (it was on her left side too, was pretty scary there for about an hour) ...

I have done the same thing from hitting too many balls in consecutive days (but on my right side) ... it hurts like hell to breathe, and hopefully no one makes you laugh, because you want to kill them ...

only thing that heals this one is time (and a little ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium, AKA Alieve) ... take a week to 10 days off from hitting balls and then try to do some research on stretching those muscles ... and when you do go back, take it SLOW ... start with chipping and pitching as these movements should give you about half range of movement and speed. Don't go ripping the driver first time out of you will be out for a lot longer than you want to be.

[thr33]

Wow, i never even knew that you could do that from swinging a golf club! Hope you feel better! If it's any consolation, i sprained my right pinkey from playing golf :(

[Norm3333]

Thank you guys for all the responses.

One thing I did notice was that everyone that responded, has a single digit handicap.

I wonder what that means?

And yes, you can injure yourself by doing one motion over and over. I did some research and it's called a repetitive stress injury.

[LBlack14]

I did, spent 5 days sleeping sitting up in a chair it hurt so bad. Just took it easy for a couple weeks and haven't ever had a problem since. That was in 1991.

[leezer99]

I'd go and see a physical therapist or your chiropractor if you have one. My chiropractor is a golfer and when I showed up with a similar rib problem he was able to fix me three days before going to Hawaii. By the time I got to Maui my rib felt fine and didn't hurt a bit. He also was able to adjust my hips which helped me rotate back and through the ball. It's worth the $40 co-pay to play golf pain free.

[Norm3333]

I'd go and see a physical therapist or your chiropractor if you have one. My chiropractor is a golfer and when I showed up with a similar rib problem he was able to fix me three days before going to Hawaii. By the time I got to Maui my rib felt fine and didn't hurt a bit. He also was able to adjust my hips which helped me rotate back and through the ball. It's worth the $40 co-pay to play golf pain free.

How can a chiropractor help with a muscle strain between ribs?

[JCDot33]

One thing I did notice was that everyone that responded, has a single digit handicap.

Just means that we have spent a lot of time practicing and we get these things occasionally .... means you are on the right track!

[Norm3333]

Just means that we have spent a lot of time practicing and we get these things occasionally .... means you are on the right track!

That's what I was thinking.

Before I hurt myself, I must have hit 2000 balls grooving a new swing. Was hitting better than I ever have, now I can't play. Sometimes I really hate this game.

[M2daRizzle]

my mother did this putting clothes into the dryer one day ... we rushed her to the emergency room because the "chest pain" was so sharp (it was on her left side too, was pretty scary there for about an hour) ...

My mom did the same thing. We were convinced she was having a heart attack so I drove her to the hospital. Luckily it was just a pulled rib muscle. She thinks she did it picking up my nephew some how.

[JCDot33]

(I could handle golf having cross checking, but I would also request that golf have a "big glove save" you know the type ... the one that makes you stand up and yell "DAAAAAAYUM" ~ the type that can turn the momentum of a game in a heartbeat... )

Yep, my mother was down stairs in the basement doing laundry and she came back upstairs and away we went to the hospital ... EEG & EKG tests showed nothing abnormal and the docs determinted that she pulled an intercostal muscle and she was as sore as hell for the next two weeks.

[MrKadash]

I had something similar happen to me in 2005. I actually tore a chest muscle near my sternum away from the cartilage in a part of my rib cage in June of that year while hitting balls on the range. It took me out of action for the rest of that year and didn't swing a golf club for 8 months. My first round following was in April of 2006. There was absolutely nothing that could be done other than rest and no golf, which sucked. I remember writhing in pain for three weeks when I moved a certain way, during deep breaths, and while sneezing. Even to this day almost four years later I can feel the loose cartilage in my rib cage move around during certain activities, but it does not hinder me in any way.

[Norm3333]

I had something similar happen to me in 2005. I actually tore a chest muscle near my sternum away from the cartilage in a part of my rib cage in June of that year while hitting balls on the range. It took me out of action for the rest of that year and didn't swing a golf club for 8 months. My first round following was in April of 2006. There was absolutely nothing that could be done other than rest and no golf, which sucked. I remember writhing in pain for three weeks when I moved a certain way, during deep breaths, and while sneezing. Even to this day almost four years later I can feel the loose cartilage in my rib cage move around during certain activities, but it does not hinder me in any way.

Wow, I don't think I ripped anything. I am now running and breathing deeply after 3 weeks. Pain was gone after 1 week. Soreness is lingering though.

Did you have any bruising or swelling? How did you tear it so badly swinging a club? I damaged mine, but it was more gradual. If you have anything else to add please do. Thanks for you post.

[MrKadash]

Wow, I don't think I ripped anything. I am now running and breathing deeply after 3 weeks. Pain was gone after 1 week. Soreness is lingering though.

I had no bruising or swelling which was the oddity, and I don't specifically remember doing it on any certain swing. I just remember hurting BAD when finishing my range work that day. I went to the doctor the following day and went through the tests (x-rays, even a cat scan) which did confirm a torn muscle near the sternum. Interestingly enough my doctor told me if I were a proffessional athlete (NFL, NHL, etc.) I would be an immediate candidate for surgery, but because I'm a normal "Joe" I was resolved to rest and no golf. It took two months before I could go through a day without feeling any effects of the injury.

[Norm3333]

I had no bruising or swelling which was the oddity, and I don't specifically remember doing it on any certain swing. I just remember hurting BAD when finishing my range work that day. I went to the doctor the following day and went through the tests (x-rays, even a cat scan) which did confirm a torn muscle near the sternum. Interestingly enough my doctor told me if I were a proffessional athlete (NFL, NHL, etc.) I would be an immediate candidate for surgery, but because I'm a normal "Joe" I was resolved to rest and no golf. It took two months before I could go through a day without feeling any effects of the injury.

That is some story. I am not in pain near as badly as you were.

Did you do any rehab? I have been stretching several times a day. It's funny, as each day passes, I feel less pain incrementally. A movement that caused pain 3 days ago, is now pain free. For the first week I couldn't roll over in bed without feeling a sharp pain. That took ~3 weeks to feel no pain. How long was it before you could swing a club? I have swung a club in my living room, but am afraid I might reinjure it so I stop after ~ 10 swings. I don't plan on going to the range until I completely don't feel it at all.

[alcorn]

Go to your doctor and get it checked out. You don't want injure yourself worse than you already are.

[ncfreemason]

My ribs hurt to. I have been having horrible pain for 4 weeks. My doctor says its costalchondiritis. I think its a fractured rib. I am very frustrated. Anyone want to talk about recovery? If so email me. Thanks. Aaron