diving with broken rib

[DiverRtNY]

I have DAN insurance and I will be giving them a call.

 

[Kmart4321]

I have DAN insurance and I will be giving them a call.

Please post a summary of what they tell you so we can all learn.
Thx and happy travels

 

[DiverRtNY]

I guess you can look at anything as causing a contraindication. People prone to spontaneous pneuomos are a contraindication (tall, skinny, etc...). COPD patients are a contraindication. Bullous emphysema is a contraindication. Broken rib is a contraindication. Heart disease. CHF. And i know divers who have these diseases/disorders. I hear people on here with debilitating diabetes who shouldn't be diving. Because they are chronic they aren't looked at as a hazard. I'm not going on a rant about how to convince myself that diving with a rib injury doesn't have a hazard. On a physiological level, it shouldn't. Pressure is pressure is pressure. Taking a shot to the ribs might cause an issue but none more than on the surface. It's just being in an environment that also has some risks of its own demands respect. With 12 ribs, one has a crack. If there was pressure being exerted specifically on that rib there would be an issue. Why don't our ears explode? there isn't a rib cage surrounding them? Because the pressures exerted are equal. Same with ribs. hence why it doesn't feel like an elephant is sitting on our chest when we are diving. There is more discomfort wearing a wet suit that's improperly sized at 1 atm than diving skin at 5 atm. Think about it. Will I be more cautious? yes. WIll I notify my dive buddy I am doing a slow descend so I can be aware of the impact (if any) diving has on my rib and I might be thumbing dive? of course. I'm more concerned getting flesh eating bacteria when scraping across some coral. We all should. But these are risks we can't really avoid so we dismiss them. I appreciate everyone's insights and responses.

 

[vincent54]

A month ago I fractured two ribs in a waterski fall. Went diving the next week to Gilboa. It was terrible. Never do it again. It was fine until the gear shifted on my back and felt like it displaced the ribs.. I about sh$t my drysuit. It was the longest day ever and I had to drive back to Mi. Still can't lay on my side and it's been over a month.

You can dive with the broken ribs, but it will be miserable and not worth it. BTW, I don't even remember the dive, I was crying and moaning too much.:baby:

 

[uncfnp]

I understand that the standard recommendation is no diving with any fracture for a number of reasons including the fact that the pain may make you less able to dive safely, the injury may make you more susceptible the DCS and it may also mask DCS symptoms. You will be two weeks out and healing is usually about 6 weeks.

I'm with vincent54 on this one. I can't imagine the pain one could have with strenuous activity and a rib fracture. The ribs are of necessity a mobile structure and no way to splint.

But beyond the pain and increased injury risk with remote access to care. Can you rescue your dive buddy?

 

[Chugwhump]

I have doved several times with damaged ribs.

I was injured playing ball when I was a kid,
slipped and fell at work a few times,
and wiped out running across a parking lot to my truck in a sudden rainstorm.

After each occurance,
I was subsequently checked out by a very experienced professional trainer from the Green Bay Packers,
a Medical Doctor,
and a superior Chiropractor.

They were ALL experienced divers.
They all told me at the time, that if I could move about, lug the gear (especially the tanks) into a truck, and then on to a boat, without limiting pain, that I would be fine.

Your results may differ.

Chug
One year into the typical 3-5 year cycle between injury.

 

[DiverRtNY]

I'm expecting pain. Especially, with the shifting of BCD and tank repositioning. Gotta love Dominican and their relaxed pharmaceutical corners... jk!jk! that's a different ball of wax not requiring a response!! But a good point has been brought up regarding me being an effective dive buddy... That opens up another realm outside of my selfish instincts, the safety of others. Point taken. I'll respond shortly with DAN recommendations...

 

[Bratface]

Hmmm....I just read your profile and with your profession, I'm surprised you would consider diving with a fractured rib. You also say you are new to diving with under 50 dives if your profile is up to date. Consider if you get in ripping current or have some other troubles. I can understand your disappointment at not going on your trip but I agree with other divers about pain and possibly your greater risk for DCS. I will be interested in hearing what DAN has to say, and thank you for sharing the information. Personally, I wouldn't do it. I went to Fiji and was cleared to dive after having an ear squeeze the month before. I did two dives but had difficulty and pain. I didn't dive for the rest of the week and was invited into the village every day to hang out with the Fijians. It was one of the best vacations I ever had.

.

 

[extremetito]

Given the very limited information available about your injury (i.e., which rib, location on the rib, nature of the fracture, underlying soft tissue injury, your general health, particularly pulmonary health), the major clinical issue with a minor rib injury 1 week out, will be pain and the associated splinting. The issue of pain will be different for every individual-but in this specific case will be affected by the stress the straps/equipment/weight/movement will place on your chest wall at the injury site. At the very least, put on your kit, move around, take deep breaths, and see how that feels.

Please update this thread with your experience whatever you decide.

 

[undrwater]

If you decide to dive; please be transparent with the operation / buddy / whomever else. I really hope you put the response from DAN here.