Question
QUESTION: My xiphoid process protrudes and hurts to touch ever since I fell from a roof.  Could this be caused by a fall from 10 feet onto my butt, folding hard forward and back onto my elbows?

ANSWER: This could be a fracture or bruise to the xyphoid. A chest X-ray would be a good idea. This injury will take several months for the symptoms to subside. I am pretty sure the only treatment is for symptomatic relief.

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QUESTION: Thanks for your response.  I mainly need to know if such a fall could cause a fracture or injury to the xiphoid process.  In other words, is it possible to injure it in that way, causing it to protrude, without actually hitting it itself?

Answer
Yes, it is possible to have injured the xyphoid as you "folded hard forward" causing it to fracture, have the area examined for peace of mind, another thing to consider is that the abdominal muscles have an attachment to the xyphiod and the forces involved could have pulled severely at the xyphiod.