Jill - Thank you for the responses! I do have a brace from before, but it never occurred to me to use it when practicing pole, great idea! I bet you fractured your rib on the pole, I know of girls who have bruised them. Problem is, I work at a club (bikini), and it seemed the girls were too competitive and catty to answer helpfully and advised me to never do any pole tricks again. It's so nice to find you all that take time to offer true support!

When I first learned to invert I think the problem was that I wasn't strong enough and ended up using the side of my body against the pole for support, which put too much pressure on the ribs. I'm guessing there are exercises I probably should have done to prep first. If anyone has any suggestions I'd still benefit, as well as other polers getting ready to invert (I'm new to SV and apologize if this has already been covered).

Licia:
It's weird because it feels like the pain is the bones, similar to when I fractured them, but prior to that I had pulled a rib muscle, and that also felt like bone pain, so weird! Now sometimes it kind of moves almost to my back, then back to the front of my ribs. Another weird thing is I've had it on both sides, and the fractures were just on the right, which makes me think it's not from that.

StudioVeena - This is very common when a dancer inverts without proper technique or without the appropriate strength. It can even be cause by overuse so even a seasoned pole dancer can have this pop up....You may have an Intercostal muscle strain. Rest.... and be sure your technique is correct and don't for get to stretch after your work out. I hope you feel better soon

Tine007 - [quote="Jill":qieoddnq] I'm guessing there are exercises I probably should have done to prep first. If anyone has any suggestions I'd still benefit, as well as other polers getting ready to invert.

Hi Jill,
hope your ribs will heal soon!!

Have you checked out Fleur's post "Am I ready for inversions?", it's the top one in the Pole Moves section:
http://www.studioveena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=793
She also has a video showing the monkey hang : http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/1529

Roxy-Pink also has posted some great abs exercises to prep for inversions:
http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/1019

StudioVeena - For those with lessons http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons... this is a good one for working on inverting.

Jill - Thank you so much for the great suggestions, I checked out the thread/vids and think I'll really benefit from getting back to basics and spending time with these strength-building tools. I definitely rushed into everything so I could show off on stage at work. I figured since I've always been fairly athletic I didn't need to waste time prepping my body. But now sitting at home w/ injured ribs isn't impressing anyone! I'm so glad I came to SV for the support I needed and now have some solid steps I can take.

I promise after the holidays I'm getting a camcorder and will start posting vids! I really appreciate everyone's help and support, and hope I can provide the same for others someday!

moonflower - Jill, I still occasionally get this pain and I've been dancing for a while. I think it usually happens when I get lazy and flip (for a lack of better word) out of an invert instead of lowering myself down with proper control. I usually invert with my left side next to the pole, but I've been practicing the other side lately to balance my body out and I'm getting the same pains. I know I'm strong enough so I think for me, right now, the problem is body positioning since i"m so used to inverting on the other side. I wish I had practiced inverting on the weak side earlier, I feel so lopsided.

I hope you feel better soon. And make sure you are positioning yourself correctly and don't drop or flip out of it.

Jill - Thanks Moonflower! I will keep those things in mind as well.

Jenahdawn - I know this is old but it's good to know it's not just me!

pegasusaerialfitness -

I actually broke two ribs when I first started Poling. I had bad form and was doing exerscises I wasnt ready for. When you invert, even though your hips should be infront of the pole, your back  (side) should not be on the pole. I was rotating my body slightly away from the pole when I would invert and hit the back and side of my rib cage..hips in front, but look at (rotate slightly towards the pole) Watch Veena's lesson and you will see..what I mean.. and crotch to pole...not catch heel and scoot up..if you catch your heel...you will be on the side of the rib cage. 

TinyDancer04 - Oh so glad this thread got bumped and I got to see it! I've had the exact same problem for the last 3 mths...apparently I have strained my intercostal muscles according to my chiro. It happened when I was doing a jade...think the twisting motion became too much for it. I had been poling a lot around that time so all I can guess is it was overuse... All my inverts are done with proper technique (at least I'm pretty sure lol). Anyways I'm still having trouble with it and hav to make sure I have plenty of down time between pole sessions. It's so frustrating! I also make sure I am fully warmed up before inverting now...which I used to be a bit more gun ho about !