Chinese man hugs wife too hard, breaks 5 of her ribs & sends her to hospital

Woman in China fractures five ribs after husband gives her tight hug

A woman in Jiangsu, China, suffered five fractured ribs and a crack in another after her husband gave her an unexpectedly forceful hug.

The unusual incident recently went viral on Chinese social media, prompting doctors to warn that sudden squeezing or lifting movements can cause rib injuries, particularly among people with weaker bones.

Woman collapses in pain after husband’s hug

According to Chinese media, the incident occurred on 18 Oct when the husband intended to show his affection by giving his wife a tight embrace.

However, she immediately crouched down in pain and was unable to get back up.

She subsequently went to hospital, where a chest CT scan revealed five rib fractures and a crack in another rib.

Her husband, Mr Wang (name transliterated from Mandarin), later expressed remorse, saying he had simply wanted to hug her tightly and had never imagined that doing so could cause such serious injuries.

Mr Wang also stressed that he had not intended to hurt her.

Woman reportedly has osteoporosis

Subsequent Chinese reporting said the man’s wife rarely spends time in the sun and had previously been found to have some degree of osteoporosis.

She also has a habit of dieting, doesn’t eat dinner, and drinks at least one cup of coffee daily.

Doctors explained that a sudden squeezing and lifting motion could place uneven pressure on the rib cage.

The fifth to eighth ribs are particularly vulnerable to sudden external force because of their curvature and comparatively lower resistance to compression, they said.

People with osteoporosis or age-related bone loss may face a higher risk of fractures from such movements.

Doctors advise against sudden lifting hugs

Doctors stressed that people do not need to avoid hugging altogether.

However, middle-aged and elderly people, as well as those with osteoporosis, should avoid being suddenly squeezed and lifted.

When helping someone stand up, doctors recommended moving slowly and supporting them from under the arms or around the waist, rather than applying direct pressure to the rib cage.

Sudden pulling, twisting, or lifting movements should also be avoided to reduce the risk of injury.

Also read: Husband in China pleads for wife’s return after discovering her secret flirtatious chats with 8 men

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Featured image adapted from City Channel on Weibo.