Ouch! Anybody else ever do this?

[kathryn]

I did Boot Camp yesterday, which may have something to do with this, and this morning, when I woke up around 5 o clock for a bathroom visit, I had a not-quite-sharp pain in the region of my upper ribs on the left side. I couldn't ID it, and wondered if there was some way I could have bruised a rib or even cracked a rib during the night (I had no pain when I went to bed). In order to protect the area, I kind of curled my arm over it kind of like a brace. In my state of half-awakeness, I even considered that I might have to bind myself up with something (since ribs heal on their own).

In the REAL morning, when I got up, it felt about the same, but maybe a bit stiffer. I then realized that it felt better if I stretched my arm out above my head instead of holding it a my side. Now it seems like this is more of a muscle strain (in the serratus?). I now feel a bit tight in the area, and when I poke around, I can sometimes find a sore spot, but it seems like that's only when I first stretch out after an "arms down" position.

 

[suzannaerin]

Yes, I've done that! Actually, it was more in my side, lower ab area. The culprit: Cardio Kicks (haha, I was trying to punch like those hunky guys!!). Anyway, I went to the orthopedist and it turns out that I strained an oblique muscle. I couldn't do any oblique work until it healed--about a month.
If you broke a rib, you'll knowm because of the pain level. Also, if your breathing is any way affected, get yourself to an ER right away.
Hope you feel better soon! suzanne

 

[kathryn]

It's definitely not a rib, then. And it feels like it's pretty much o.k. now. It's almost like I got a bad cramp in the muscle (and curling myself around it only made it cramp up more). Seems fine now, but I'll be extra careful doing anything that involves that area for a while.