Rehabilitation after broken ribs

The chest is the most important element of the human body. Inside the intercostal space are many organs of our body:

• The heart is the main muscle of our body, it is located above the diaphragmatic zone and is responsible, together with blood vessels, for pumping blood throughout the human body.
• Lungs - occupy most of the chest cavity and perform the function of gas exchange in the blood, saturating it with oxygen and at the same time removing carbon dioxide.
• The bronchi are the airways leading to the lungs.
• The thymus (thymus gland) is one of the main organs of the immune system.
• Lymph nodes, along with their vessels.
• Esophageal tract.

The chest protects them and not only, many muscles are attached to the ribs, including the largest - the diaphragm. The process of breathing occurs due to the contraction of the diaphragm and respiratory intercostal muscles. Not surprisingly, rib injuries are fraught with serious consequences. This is especially reflected in the elderly, with age, bone tissue regenerates more slowly and recovery after a fracture of the ribs takes longer.

How to recover from broken ribs

After the fracture of the ribs, the recovery is rather slow, on average about a month, and the rehabilitation period should be added to this period, and this is another 3 to 4 weeks. During this time, the displaced intercostal and vertebral-costal joints must restore their anatomical position.

To speed up the recovery process:

1. eat foods rich in proteins and calcium, which accelerate the regeneration of soft and bone tissue, as well as accelerate the growth of callus;
2. perform exercise therapy, breathe and sleep properly;
3. take procedures that stimulate blood flow and lymph flow.

Nutrition during rehabilitation

You should know that the pearl of the ribs and the subsequent recovery makes some adjustments to the nutrition process. Large portions are often unacceptable, as they cause discomfort, and sometimes pain in the chest, so you should reduce their size by increasing the number of daily doses to 6-7 times. This will allow you to receive nutrients in full. It must be remembered that proper nutrition in case of bone fractures helps to accelerate the healing of tissues and improves the condition of the whole organism. When choosing products, you need to know that human bone consists of mineral and organic substances. Minerals include calcium, phosphorus and some trace elements, all of which provide bone strength. To organic substances - collagen, which ensures their elasticity.

It must be understood that rehabilitation for a broken rib, arm or leg requires a person to take food that promotes a speedy recovery, enriched with useful micro and macro elements. The main goal is to get the necessary amount of nutrients required for recovery. When a bone is broken and the resulting tissue damage, the human body loses a lot of protein.

This loss must be compensated for by the protein found in food, otherwise the body will have to use it from its own tissues, mainly from muscle. As a result, recovery will be significantly slowed down. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to include foods with an increased amount of complete protein in the diet: milk and other products based on it, fish and other seafood, eggs and lean meats. Required for prevention purposes, take care of microelement and vitamin deficiencies.

Calcium is another bone building material. If it enters the body in sufficient quantities, then rehabilitation after a fracture of the ribs passes quickly. The main source of calcium are dairy products and marine oily fish. There is calcium, although in small quantities, in foods of plant origin, but it is easily absorbed. These foods include: asparagus, broccoli, carrots, parsley, dill, celery, seaweed, currants, cherries, grapes, gooseberries, and strawberries.

Recovery after a fracture of the ribs will not do without a certain set of products containing vitamins:

• Vitamin D helps absorb calcium and promotes bone growth. Its main sources are: fish oil, cod liver, fish (halibut and cod), beef liver, egg yolk, vegetable oil.
• Vitamin C contributes to the restoration of connective tissue. Most of all it is found in citrus and sweet peppers.
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and folic acid are involved in the creation of the collagen structure of the bone. Pyridoxine is found in seafood, eggs, liver and sunflower seeds. The main sources of folic acid are: liver, leafy vegetables, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

In addition, for proper nutrition during rehabilitation, the following trace elements are required:

• Zinc - accelerates the growth of callus. The human body receives it primarily from animal products. It is also found in legumes, as well as in sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
• Phosphorus - promotes bone growth and contributes to metabolic processes. Its lack in bone tissue leads them to fragility. The main supplier of phosphorus to the human body are: seafood, especially a lot of it in sturgeon caviar, cheese, beef liver and egg yolk. It is also found in legumes, buckwheat, oatmeal, walnuts and pumpkin.
• Potassium - takes part in the regeneration of bone tissue, dairy products and dried apricots are especially rich in it.

Along with foods that promote the fastest fusion of bones, there are those that need to be abandoned. First of all, in no case during rehabilitation for a fracture of the ribs, alcohol should not be consumed. It is also required to abandon products that leach calcium from the human body, such as carbonated drinks, strong black tea, coffee, and chocolate. You should limit the consumption of fatty and overly sweet foods.

Physiotherapy

Exercise therapy can be started only after a completely healed fracture of the ribs and the cessation of the chest area of ​​pain. That is, rehabilitation for a broken rib or ribs is possible only a month after the start of treatment and only under the supervision of a doctor. Thanks to physiotherapy exercises, the normal functioning of the lungs is restored, the risk of chronic diseases is reduced. This effect is achieved by using breathing exercises, coupled with special physical exercises. Here are some therapeutic gymnastic exercises, the use of which will help recovery after a fracture of the ribs:

1. The exercise must be done from a sitting position. A slow deep breath is taken, holding the air for 2 seconds, exhalation is performed. You need to do 10 repetitions.
2. From a sitting position, slowly raise, and then also slowly lower your hands, not forgetting to breathe evenly and deeply. 5 repetitions are done.
3. In a sitting position, the arms should be lowered and relaxed. It is required to perform lifting and lowering of the shoulders (as if shrugging them), holding them for 5 seconds in the upper and initial position. 5 repetitions are done.
4. The starting position is the same as in the previous exercise. Shoulders should be spread first to the sides, and then back and fix them there for 5 seconds. Then take the starting position and sit relaxed for 5 seconds. 5 repetitions are done.
5. Move your shoulders forward with their subsequent fixation there for 5 seconds. Then slowly take the starting position and relax for 10 seconds. 10 repetitions are done.
6. Good results are obtained by simple walking on the spot. It can be produced up to 1 hour per day.
7. A simple breathing exercise. Sitting to perform, with the same delay, deep breaths and exhalations. Exercise can be combined with watching TV and not limited in time.

How to recover from a broken rib using traditional medicine

Alternative methods of rehabilitation after a fracture of the ribs can be considered traditional medicine recipes. Although it is worth warning that the use of traditional medicine, no matter how harmless they may seem, require mandatory prior medical approval. Traditional medicine that promotes recovery after a fracture of the ribs are for external and internal use. For external influence, ointments and compresses from spruce resin, mumiyo, potatoes and geraniums showed themselves well. Inside, eggshells ground into flour are used, vitamin mixtures are prepared based on honey, nuts and fruits, and an aqueous solution of mumiyo is used.

The shell of an ordinary egg is very useful, as it contains a lot of calcium. There are 2 ways to prepare it:

1. Powder. Chicken eggs are boiled, the shell is cleaned of the film that is in the inside, and thoroughly dried. They can be ground in a regular coffee grinder. Such a powder is added to food, but you can take it that way. The required norm per day is not more than 1 gram.
2. Balm with medicinal properties. Requires a shell of 10 eggs, liquid honey within 0.5 liters, pomegranate juice (about 200 ml) and olive oil no more than 250 ml. The crushed shell is poured with juice and sent to the refrigerator until completely dissolved, after which the remaining ingredients are added and infused for 3 days. It is taken 10 ml twice a day.

Dog-rose fruit. Prepare clean sealed dishes, pour half a glass of berries into it and pour about one liter of boiling water, insist all night. Already in the morning you can drink it like tea, but half a glass during the day.

It is important! The duration of treatment for rib fractures with rose hips is determined for each individual.