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I stupidly bruised my rib recently and was hoping anyone out there can suggest training exercises while the rib heals. I laid off all workouts for a week and the rib seems to be healing a bit. I'm going crazy and need to start training again. I seem to be able to work lower body without any pain. However, any suggestions for back/chest/delts? I really appreciate it!

Ribs are a little bit different from lots of other injuries around the amount of pain to 'tolerate'
Initially, there is a time when it is advised to just stop and let it heal...
Then there is a time when you do you reps up to where the pain onsets - but not through the pain!
And then, more quickly with rib bruises than lots of other injuries, you can work 'in pain'... to go 'through the pain'
... bcse rib bruise can be an injury where pain is around long after full functionality has otherwise returned.
! this advice does not apply nearly as much to 'tears' in rib connective tissue, btw !
You have to find out for yourself where that line/time is and honor it.

High quality castor oil massage 6 days a week in AM
DMSO and high quality curcumin powder massage 2- 3 days a week in PM (RR has posted details on this forum...)

massage includes light spreading, to discomfort but not dark pain, of the sore ribs

hth

Well the best you could right now is rest,take rest for a while.let it be absolutely fine.
And after that get back to the the training.or you should consult a trainer that can help you in a better way.

Thanks for the advice! I'm not good at 'resting' so using time to focus on my form by using less weight in my routine. Core work is still out. Horizontal push/pull exercises still cause a lot of pain.

Its interesting to read both Brainsquirt and Archer's takes on training with a bruised rib since those seem to be the two most popular positions; training until it hurts or complete rest. I'm hoping a hybrid position will allow me to continue to train while not delaying the time it takes to heal.

One more time – maybe just for other readers now …
“training until it hurts” is not an adequate generalization of my ‘take’

I described a 3 stage process for the unique characteristics of certain rib injuries.

>The first stage is ‘complete rest’

>The second is ‘training to the pain, but not through the pain” (which is significantly and qualitatively different from “training until it hurts”)

>The third stage is ‘training through the pain’
… in recognition that the pain of many rib injuries often shows recovery to a certain point but then pain levels stabilize and still persists for literally years after the site is otherwise functionally ‘healed’
… in recognition that further ‘rest’ or reduction of training will not hasten the end of your pain
… in recognition that past a certain point or recovery, a return to ‘hard’ training will not significantly make this pain better or worse…
So, in this stage - acknowledging you got to go on - you train ‘through’ the remaining, residual pain… and weeks, months, or years later it does finally go away.

So rather than try a hybrid approach, I’m suggesting you try a ‘staged’ approach.
Which stage your injury is in is a process you must bring careful awareness to. Trust the pain messages to tell you which stage you are in. This will get you back to the training levels you want safely, realistically, and as quickly as hybrids you might design.
I have personally 'used' both methods. If nothing else, the staged method has greater life long learning potential in revealing the intracasies of developing inner toughness in spite of "the threshold of pain is the threshold of performance" 'law'...

Also, to the remedy list add –
chiroprs. typically don't really ‘understand’ rib nerve issues. BUT a few really do!Caveat !… shop carefully and be ready to drop quickly