3. A Bad Fall
Falls are common and they happen at a rate of a few thousand every year. Even though people might associate serious types of rib fractures resulting from falls with older people, they can happen to anyone and at any age – although there are many underlying health conditions out there (such as arthritis) which can make the likelihood of this type of rib fracture increase.
If you have sustained any type of fall where pain or bruising is present, make a trip to the emergency room or doctor to ensure that the break or fracture is examined; sometimes the damage might be worse than initially thought, and breaks and fractures can still be present even where you suspect that it was only a slight injury rather than a break.
X-rays can help to establish the extent of the injury and how to best treat it from there. For the recovery period, walking aids might be needed.