Did you know ribs crack more often from coughing than from falling? It’s called a stress fracture of the rib cage. Golfers get it. Singers get it. Even marathon runners.
Traveling With Broken Ribs: Is It Safe? | QuartzMountain
So if you’re flying with a “cough fracture,” you’re in an exclusive club. Wear the pain like a badge of weirdness.
Also, older people heal slower. A 20-year-old’s rib mends in 3 weeks. A 60-year-old’s? Try 6 to 8. Age is just a number, until it’s a broken rib number.
The one thing that makes it all worth it
When you land, you’ll feel like a warrior. You survived cabin pressure, bad coffee, and your own skeleton trying to betray you. The vacation cocktails will taste sweeter.
Plus, you now have the best story for the bar. “I flew with broken ribs, dude.” Instant street cred.
Just don’t laugh too hard when you tell it. You’ll regret that second margarita.
