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Thread: Starr Method and Rib Injuries

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    36

    Default Starr Method and Rib Injuries

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    How would you approach the Starr method for a rib injury? After reading through old posts, I suspect I bruised or fractured a rib squatting a few days ago with a belt that was too high and too tight. I also discovered the old articles on the Starr method. I just haven't seen anything on how to apply Starr to a rib injury.

    My plan is to just start squatting and pressing really lightly every day until I feel better. Bench and deads are going to take longer I think based on how hard it is to even bend over to tie my shoes.

    All the bros on other forums suggest taking months (!!!) off to recover. Sounds like silly bullshit so I'm hoping for a more reasoned approach.

    Thanks in advance for the clarification!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    53,562

    Default

    A broken rib heals in about 3 weeks, no matter what you do. Fastest healing fracture in the human body. Either use a second belt above the regular waist position or use a knee wrap for some compression, and train through it.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    36

    Default

    Thanks coach! I appreciate the kick in the ass. Got into the gym today and added 5 lbs to my deadlift as planned. Ribs felt ok. Not great, but actually a little better after lifting.

    The pain only really got bad when the resistance was unilateral, like when I pick up a plate with one hand. Deadlifting feels great though. Go figure. Just need to move carefully when I load the bar I guess.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Portland, OR area
    Posts
    55

    Default

    Hi Jim --

    I had a similar problem early on. Belt was a bit too high, with a bit too much belly underneath it. Last set of 250lb squats, rep 4, I drop down, and instantly feel my belly pushing the belt up into my ribs, moving them out of place. At that point I had to finish the rep, and since I was almost done I went ahead and finished off the set and the rest of my workout (Press and DL). It ached but didn't hurt too much until the next day, and the day after that, and for the next several weeks. I took two weeks off waiting for it to heal, and had a scheduled physical which had previously been planned at that point. I asked the Doctor and he looked at me like "oh, that's too bad." He checked it out and said all I had was a strained intercostal, no excuse to stop squatting. Told me to pop the advils and avoid OHP (which I ignored).

    Long story short, hurts/aches for quite a while but shouldn't stop your gainzzzzz.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    36

    Default

    Thanks XTanuki for sharing that experience. I'm skipping the doc since I think they'll just tell me to take ibuprofen and maybe order an X-ray I don't need. Ibuprofen actually helps a lot, maybe because I usually avoid that kind of stuff and am somewhat sensitive to it. The pain is surprisingly intense when I skip a dose.

    So far I've been fine with nearly every lift, including squats, deads, presses, cleans, and snatches. The one exception is the bench press, which actually caused my ribs to pop a few days after the initial injury and made it hard to stand up straight for about a day. I've been pressing instead but will get back on the bench ASAP.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Posts
    255

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    starting strength coach development program
    I've done this a couple times, I guess because I'm too stupid to learn. Ibuprofen helps a lot, as does temporarily switching to my (narrower) deadlift belt for squatting. Sneezing and chinups are the worst.

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