Single rib fracture. What to expect regarding the duration of pain-related disability? A retrospective observational study and review of literature

Background: Pain associated with rib fractures can last particularly long. While it is commonly advised in the outpatient setting to anticipate rib fracture pain to improve relatively within a few weeks, there is no evidence to support this statement. The aim of this study was to examine the duration of pain-related disability following single rib fractures based on the objective clinical records. Methods: This study retrospectively reviews the clinical inpatient and outpatient records of 37 patients with single rib fractures treated conservatively at our multi-hospital healthcare system from January to December 2022. The duration of pain-related disability was deduced based on several criteria documented in the patients' clinical records. Univariate and multivariate analyses of risk factors (patient age, sex, injury severity score, smoking status, fractured rib, and side) were performed to find a potential correlation with the time to pain improvement. Results: In this study, the clinical data of 22 males and 15 females with a single rib fracture and a mean age of 54.4 years (range 18.3–81.5 years) were assessed. According to the available clinical records, the mean duration of pain-related disability was 3.12 weeks (range 4–54 days). Analysis of risk factors showed a significant correlation between duration of pain and increased injury severity scores. Conclusion: While prolonged chest pain is common with rib fractures, a patient with a single rib fracture may be advised that their chest pain and associated disability would significantly improve within an average of 3–4 weeks. The severity of associated injuries was associated with a longer time to pain improvement.