Woman in China breaks 5 ribs from husband's hug, diets frequently & rarely gets sunlight

A woman in Jiangsu, China, suffered five broken ribs and a crack in another rib after her husband hugged her.

According to Chinese media outlet Jingshi Live, the woman's husband, surnamed Wang, embraced her after she complained of feeling cold.

He then heard a cracking sound during the hug, and his wife immediately crouched down in pain, unable to get up.

Wang said he had used normal force and had not expected the embrace to cause such serious injuries.

Wife endured pain overnight before seeking medical attention

Speaking to Hubei Jingshi Live on Oct. 19, Wang said his wife endured the pain throughout the night before visiting a hospital the following morning.

A chest CT scan revealed that five of her ribs were fractured, while another had developed a hairline fracture.

Doctors determined that surgery was unnecessary and prescribed medication, medicated patches and rest.

The woman has since been discharged and is recovering at home. She is required to return to the hospital for follow-up examinations every five days.

Doctors reportedly diagnosed osteoporosis

Wang said doctors attributed his wife's injuries primarily to osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones and makes them more susceptible to fractures.

He revealed that his wife weighed between 45kg and 50kg and had a habit of dieting, including skipping dinner.

She also drank at least one cup of coffee daily.

According to Wang, his wife worked at the family's shop, which was just a two to three minutes' drive from their home.

She usually covered herself up when going outdoors and hardly ever spent time in the sun.

Sunlight is one of the key triggers for producing vitamin D, which in turn helps to absorb calcium and maintain bone density.

Following the incident, Wang said his wife was focusing on her recovery and had started making an effort to get more sunlight and increase her calcium intake.

Fractures from ordinary hugs are uncommon

Yan Yanxiang, an associate chief orthopaedic physician at Wuhan Asia Heart General Hospital, told Jingshi Live that it was uncommon for younger people to suffer rib fractures from the force of a hug.

Osteoporosis was likely a contributing factor in the woman's case, he added.

Yan explained that the condition is closely associated with lifestyle and dietary habits.

He noted that the woman rarely spent time in the sun and drank coffee daily, adding that caffeine could promote calcium loss.

He also said excessive consumption of strong tea (along other detrimental lifestyle habits) and the use of steroid medications could accelerate calcium loss from bones.

However, the report did not establish that the woman's daily coffee consumption directly caused her osteoporosis.

Yan added that rib fractures generally do not require surgery if there are no complications involving the lungs or pleura (membrane surrounding the lungs), such as breathing difficulties or a collapsed lung.

To maintain bone health, he recommended adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, appropriate sunlight exposure and resistance exercises.