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Editorial
Management of rib pain in rowers: emerging issues
  1. Anders Vinther1,
  2. Jane S Thornton2
  1. 1 Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Medicine O, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
  2. 2 Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine, Policlinique Medicale Universitaire, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
  1. Correspondence to Anders Vinther, Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Medicine O, Herlev Hospital, Herlev Ringvej 75, Herlev 2730, Denmark; anders.vinther{at}regionh.dk

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2014-094168

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    Introduction

    Rib stress fracture (RSF) is one of the most hotly debated and least understood of all rowing injuries. It has recently been stated that ‘the pathology and prevention of rib stress fractures will be one of the most useful areas of research in rowing injuries’.1 There is a pressing need for more quality research of RSF aetiology and epidemiology that will inform effective prevention strategies. The current ‘best practice’ management of RSF is principally based on clinical experience and expert opinions from the 20th century.2–4 This is likely due to few major advances within the field of stress fracture healing. Current management strategies, therefore, focus mainly on fitness maintenance and a graded return to rowing.

    Classic management

    As previously described2 ,3 a pain-dependent approach is taken, involving a period of complete rest until breathing deeply remains pain free, a period of non-rowing exercise—that is, stationary bicycling and lower extremity strength training—and, eventually, a gradual return …

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.