Fell 10 days ago

Hi, I'm 55 years old and was playing football with my 3 year old grandson. I threw the ball to him and he started to fall backwards so I lunged toward him and put my arms around him so he wouldn't bang his head on the concrete floor and kind of turned to the side so I would take the brunt of the fall.. When I did that I didn't block my fall since my arms were around him and I fell on the concrete floor with the football tucked under my left side almost under the left arm near my left breast.When I fell the football was between me an the floor and I came down pretty hard. I immediately knew something was wrong because of the pain under and around the left breast area and underarm area. I assumed I had cracked a rib. My question is I still have the pain and it has been almost 2 weeks. Should I go get an xray? Could it have been something besides a cracked rib? I know they don't do anything for a cracked rib so I wasn't going to go, but I will if it could be something more serious.The pain is there pretty much all the time, breathing, sleeping, sitting, even if I just have a sniffle and I sniff with my nose. Crazy. I just don't want to have a heart attack or anything like that.

[skydnsr]

It probably is something musculoskeletal.  It would be too weird for you to suddenly start having heart problems at the the exact instant that you fell.  Also, heart pain doesn't make it hurt to breath, but a broken rib can produce the exact symptoms you are having.  You could have broken two or three ribs, for all you know.

If you did crack or break something, I don't think it's unusual that you would still be in pain two weeks later.  I do think it is advisable, even at this late date, to go ahead and get an x-ray.  A least you will know for sure what is wrong, and you can get a doctor's advice on how to deal with it.  I think they still tape broken ribs.  After the doctor examines you and looks at an x-ray, he or she should be able to tell you what to do and what to expect.  

At 55 (and I say this at age 59 myself), perhaps your best football-playing days are behind you.  No more playing on concrete, for sure.  Congratulations on saving your grandson's skull, though.  You may have kept a three year-old from having a concussion.  That's better than a touchdown in the Super Bowl.  

Let us know what you find out from the doctor, if you don't mind.

[evewisewoman]

Hi spk676,

I would suggest making an appointment with your family doctor. Telling
your doctor the types of things you are experiencing. Your doctor will
no doubt examine you and he or she will do what's necessary.
Maybe you do need an x-ray, but you need a referral for an xoray from
your doctor. If you are still experiencing pain after 2 weeks, I would make
a doctor's appointment and let the doctor examine you. Better safe then
sorry as the expression goes. Falls can be quite tricky depending how
you fall. If the pain is there pretty much all the time, to me that's a sign
that you need to be seen by your family doctor. Also the fact that you
fell on a concrete fall with a football. Falls can be quite traumatic and
dangerous depending on where you fell and on what part of your body
you fell on. I hope you get relief from your pain soon.