Rib Injury from Leg Press??

[dmlonghorn]

On my 3rd set, I brought the weight to my chest, not all the way and proceeded to lift and immeidately felt a very distinct pop on my lower left side.

Severe pain followed for about 5 mins, but it subsided to moderate pain and I was able to finish my leg workout.

The weight was not exceptionally heavy, but I was not paying attention to my breathing.

It has been 9 days since the incident and the pain is still very noticable, especially if I try to sleep on that side or run.

I've had broken ribs before and this seems very similar, I can touch the exact spot on the rib where I get most pain.

Has anyone ever experienced this or have any idea what went on?

Thanks in advance for your help & insight!

 

[the_alcatraz]

I'd go see a doctor and get an x-ray bro....no one on this board is entitled to give you medical advice of this sort....go see a doctor asap please.

 

[NJL52]

What happened is pretty evident. Your abs contract to bare the load created by the press. Every force is met with an equal an opposite force, ie the weight on the press has to be transferred to the floor. And this happens from the bar, to your feet, to your legs, through your core, to the support structure and, ultimately to the ground.

A weak rib or a quick compression of your abs means that the force passed the threshold that your rib could sustain and... snap.

There's the nerdy science version. But the answer you are looking for? Go see a doctor. Nobody can diagnose an injury with 100% confidence on the internet. If it hurts enough to stop you then it needs looked at.

 

[dmlonghorn]

UPDATE!

This isn't intended to be medical advice, simply my experience after the injury...

I monitored my progress and didn't begin feeling relief until day 14, where I could finally at least turn slightly to that side to sleep. It wasn't until day 18 until I could fully sleep on that side and day 21 until I was 100%. But during weeks 1-2, it definately felt like it was getting worse... eventually it came around.

I was able to continue my workouts with various modifications.

I'm removing seated leg press from my routine all together. I don't know the exact formula that caused the injury, but it's certainly not worth the risk of a re-occurence.

Good luck.

 

[ebonybro2010]

I have resolved that I will NEVER EVER EVER do leg presses EVER again! Everyone that I have spoken to cannot comprehend how I ended up with this injury doing leg presses, but I am glad to find that I am not the only one that has experienced this, based on the posts on this forum.

I have been nursing this pain for nearly 3 weeks. It got worse when I stubbornly went back to do the leg press again, even with light weight. It hurts to sneeze, cough and take deep breaths. As I type this email, the pain has pretty much eased up, since I took some time off from the GYM. Stretching the pain area, and rubbing ICY HOT ointment has helped a great deal.

I say to you if you ever get this injury from doing leg press excercise, abandon it all together. The standard way leg press machines are built were not made for all body types. The make-up and position of my rib cage is not compatible with these suckers! I am sticky with my leg squats, lunges, dead-lifts, leg extensions, and leg curls for Leg workouts. Thats got to be enough!

 

[V-Opolis]

did you do it jerky or to fast?

id say you prob got a moderate-severe bruising/pull of a muscle in the area from to fast a drop or jerky motion. but im not a doctor so id see one to be safe. Pretty sure if you broke the rib youd know it...

 

[musketeer]

I DISLOCATED a rib a few months ago. Never happened to me before, but apparently it happens quite often to then general population. My rib was sticking into the tissue which controls breathing so it was quite serious - I could only breath in halfway. I had bent over to pick up my one of my cats and it had started to try and get away and I twisted in a funny way and that was enough to pop it out. ((I regularly powerclean well in excess of my bodyweight and can do Pendlay rows with 140kg))

I saw my osteopath and he popped it back in. I recommend you see a professional and have them fix you or give a diagnosis.

 

[Bullmaster514]

I was just googling this injury Bc this just happened to me, and found this thread. I was
Recently doing seated leg press when I had decent weight on an brought it down a little to far when I felt a strange movement an feeling almost below my right lower side rib cage, I finished workout, but the next day it was pretty intense pain ! Hard to find exact location of injury but it is proceeding to get worse , it's been 8 days an I still having problems, It sounds identical to ur injury, did you ever get it diagnosed? For me it doesn't feel like rib , almost like muscle or something behind or attached to it, I knew immediately when it happened that it was not good

 

[rob8patmore]

This is identical to my injury now. I did this nearly two weeks ago. I was doing a very heavy set on incline leg press and as i pushed the weight back up i felt a pop in what felt like the bottom of the ribcage.

I have been to the doctor and she told me it was a sports hernia which i have to say i am not convinced. I am not a doctor so don't get me wrong she would know a lot better than myself but i have read about this injury on different websites and it doesn't sound my injury at all.

Like the guy who posted the original post, he said his got better between week 2 and 3 so i will give it time. Definitely get medical advice in case this is a different injury from yours.