Surfing Waves

I went in today for x-rays (waiting to find out results in a day or 2) from surfing attempt about 3 weeks ago. It was the first time I had the opportunity to surf since July which I also got the same rib injury (same place on my ribs). That time it took about 6-8 weeks for the pain to go away in my rib area (it was only 98% recovered but I still always felt slight pain if I stretched a certain way).

It seems there is a place on my right side of my ribs that gets really sore and swollen just from lying on the hard board and paddling with my arms. Both times I surfed (only 2 times thus far), it got so sore I could barely roll over in bed for a few days. Anyway, I don't know what the problem is with me, but was wondering if anyone else gets really sore places on their ribs just from pressing against the board while paddling (or muscles under ribs..I'm not sure if its bone problem, muscle problem or both..waiting for x-rays). I'm really worried that this may be something that is going to prevent me from continuing surfing... (yikes!). Might have to revert back to body boarding perhaps...never had the pain doing that in the past.

i had it when i first started i think it was from moveing my body when i was paddling but it does not happen now

yea i used to have that but, it was never bad enough to get x-rays
i dont get it anymore, i think i just got used to it
it might be from arching your back to much and putting to much weight on the lower parts of your ribs

It's from rocking side-to-side.
If you are sorer on one side, you are leaning on that side more.

A wetsuit top will help a little.
Mostly it's a matter of practice.

-doug

I have never had this happen. I say wait and see what your doctors come up with. It sounds like there is more to it then just paddling out on your board. My uneducated guess is you would experience the same thing on a body board now.

I used to get 2 bruises on my ribs, making it look like i had 4 nipples.

Ohh man, I know what you mean. For me it was like my sternum was broken. It hurt like hell for about a month. I think it is a newbie thing. Your body just has to toughen up a little. After about a month the pain went away. I am an old geezer ( 48 ) and at times it hurt to breath (even on shore) but I kept at it and it went away. I first thought I had bruised my sternum but figured out it was muscle after awhile.

I hope you are still good to go.

i knwo this sounds really stupid
but maybe if you could find some kind of extra padding to put in that area, to absorb the choc.
Try going surfing and not staying long in the ater, then go longer and longer.
thats my uneducated guess.

I have a rashguard that messed me up real bad.
I started wearing a different one and it helped. Also, I washed the one that was rubbing me a couple of times and it seemed to help..

When I first started surfing my right side ribs hurt in great multitudes. I couldn't sleep on my right side for a couple weeks. It went away after a little bit thou.

I had something similar when I first started surfing. my ribs hurt so much and it was sometimes agony to breathe for a few days after. I thought maybe it was my asthma (similar feeling to having a rope round your lungs, but painful to touch also) When I mentioned it to the dr he said it was just a muscular thing. I don't get it anymore, so it's probably just a case of your body adjusting to it or something. hope you feel better soon. x

Apparantly theirs a latin word for that problem:

..............Wimpus maximus!

I recomend that you strap a cushion to your board to prevent further injury

FishKid Wales wrote:I recomend that you strap a cushion to your board to prevent further injury

I would suggest giving me your hard and uncorfortable fiberglass board, and go out and purchase a really soft foam board. I'll even take your glass board for free.

fishkid wales wrote:[quote]I recomend that you strap a cushion to your board to prevent further injury


is this what they call an arm chair surfer

If you're lifting your head up high off the the board to look over the water while you're paddling, you're going to be putting all your weight and pressure on your lower ribs to support your upper body.

So, basically, you need to sacrifice your neck muscles to save your ribs a bit, or paddle with your head down more.

rich r wrote:If you're lifting your head up high off the the board to look over the water while you're paddling, you're going to be putting all your weight and pressure on your lower ribs to support your upper body.

So, basically, you need to sacrifice your neck muscles to save your ribs a bit, or paddle with your head down more.

Thanks for all of the input (even fishkids sarcasm...funny stuff!). I think Rich r probably summed it up best...lifiting my head up high does put all of the pressure onto the place on the ribcage where I keep experiencing the pain. In fact, its been 3 weeks since I've been in the water, if I were to lay down on the floor and lift my neck up, I still feel a great deal of pain from the pressure placed on the ribs. When I give surfing a whirl again (probably not until May due to the weather and lack of proper winter gear), I'll try to keep my head down most of the time when paddling and not arch my back up as much. My goal is to surf much more regularly next year so hopefully its just as much of a "conditioning thing" as poor technique and my body will toughen up some.

I kind of had the same thing this summer -- doc said it was probably a rib strain/sprain. I thought it was from overuse since I had suddenly been surfing every day for about a month after only sporadic sessions during the school year. Talked to another surfer who said it can happen from paddling over waves when you're going out, and kind of landing on your ribs. I make sure I brace myself for any hard landings now!

Well I spoke to the Dr office a few minutes ago. Believe it or not, my ribs were actually fractured and are now healing (based on the x-ray results). I have a hunch they got broke over the summer and I re-fractured them 3 weeks ago. I drink milk everyday...my bones shouldn't break that easily (never had a broken bone in my life...35 years old). Anyway, I still need to talk with the Dr. directly to see if my surfing days are over or not (actually they never really begun). I don't think re-breaking ribs every attempt is worth it since I'm sure they will be more prone to cracking than the 1st time. I'm really bummed out!!!

I would think that if you let them fully heal first, then going surfing after that wouldn't be a problem. But, what do I know; I'm not a doctor.

Actually healed bones are less likely to break again, since the way they heal usually creates extra buildup of bone, making it stronger.

You must be laying wrong, or something to put that much stress on your ribs, though.