BACKGROUND Giant cell tumor (GCT) of the anterior rib origin is extremely rare. We report the first case of trauma-induced GCT of the rib. CASE SUMMARY A 22-year-old female developed a mass over the right anterior chest wall with pain 3 mo after a falling injury with blunt trauma of the right chest wall. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed a tumor originating from the right 6th rib with bony destruction, and a CT-guided needle biopsy revealed a GCT. We completely resected the tumor with chest wall and performed reconstruction. The pathological diagnosis was GCT of the bone. Twelve months after surgery, no signs of recurrence were observed. CONCLUSION GCT of the rib after trauma has not been reported. Meticulous history-taking and image evaluation are essential for the differential diagnosis of unusual chest wall tumors.