Mr. Beanz

All this talk about injuries etc, let's have a Clyde getting better thread!

My story, separated shoulder in an MTB accident about 3 months ago, feels like yesterday. Back and shoulder hurt so much I couldn't even sit on the bike for 3 weeks. I remember laying on the ground for a few minutes till I could get up. Walking back to the truck and then the 20 minutes it took me to get my cycling shoes off! Driving home having to cross the opposite arm across to use the turn signals, yes, I always use them!

As soon as I could I started doing stretching exercises hoping to regain full movement. I cant imagine getting old and not being able to raise my arm. I need my arm, I've had so much fun with it over the years, I aint letting it fail me now!

I remember getting back on the MTB couple months later thinking I can't wuss out going through life worrying that I can't handle the bike. First couple roadie rides weren't too great either. Seemed the body was in recoup mode and didn't want to respond for a few weeks. Couple weeks ago I started doing shoulder presses with dumbells once again. Wow, no pain or limits at all! One thing that sticks in my mind is Dad telling me, "You'll find out when you're 30". Then it was 35, then 40, thn 45! I'm still waitng for something to keep me down so that I can say, "it's old age"!

A little goofing around today and hey, I can still hold my bike out to the side! I dunno, maybe my wheels are too light, or is it the cf frame pump, maybe the suprelite waterbottles, or the uberlight bartape, or the ez lift seatpack and tools!

Who else is coming back or came back? Any Good sits?




OUCH! Walking back

crash by mrbeanz1, on Flickr

Hill-Pumper

Did this a few months ago in a mountain bike crash. It took a few weeks to heal with no issues. My shoulder was jammed in the same crash, which still bugs me now and again. It does seem to be doing better now that I have laid off the weight training. I hope to take that back up in the next week or so and see if it will hold up.

txvintage

Still battling back from the fracutured femur under my knee cap last year. Doc wants to do microfracture surgery, but I'm resisting. Still trying to build up strength but any type of mashing is a killer. Of course, three back surgeries means I'm almost always on some sort of comeback trail, but I've accepted that as a part of life, so it doesn't count much in my book.

Sprained my right wrist and the neck is a bit stiff from getting hit on the way into work last night. Glad I was in a car for that collision.........

Drew Eckhardt 

Broken tibia/fibula and kinked nerve. I didn't walk for a few months with the delayed union and nerve pain. Took a little more time off after the bone graft to close a hole in my tibia.

I'm still not back to normal strength and weight after three years.

CliftonGK1

I'm 2 weeks post LIS surgery and I've been doing some light exercise this week; just walking my dog around the neighbourhood, but it's more than I was able to do for the prior 2 weeks. I'm still not allowed to ride a bike for another couple weeks, though.

subzeroLV

About 4 years ago, I suffered a severe break of the tibial plateau. It took 2 plates and 23 screws (insert $6 million man theme music here), and 6 months of physical therapy. I'm still not back to 100%, and according to the docs, I never will be.

I just started riding within the last 2 months, and notice a huge improvement in mobility.

Edit: figured I would add a pic...

Mr. Beanz

Ouch! Pictures just seem to make it look like it hurt that much more!

Daspydyr 

I made the switch to clip-ins this month. On last Saturdays Century I fell over at the 68 mile rest stop. Smacked my knee. It is still hurting when I try to climb, can't take any force. If it doesn;t get better this weekend I guess it will be time to see a doctor.

That xray really made my day. I'm glad breakfast was a couple hours ago.

whitecat

Wohoo lets join in here - I smacked right into the concrete steel reinforced wall going about 20 mph thanks to the stupid driver, it was either that or the truck so I choose wall haha. Road rash on both palms (one day in a YEAR that I did not have gloves on, go figure), slight concussion, and left arm out of order for a week - impact nerve damage. Recovered fully, 'tis was about half a year ago. And yes, one destroyed bike frame, but it was on it's way out anyway so no big deal. I just had to get the replacement sooner. Luckily I'm back good as usual, only consequence is that I tend to ride more often, is everything alright with me?

jboyd

Last Saturday night (9:30 pm). Night ride on the local golf cart paths, tire slipped off the path and when I tried to correct, I went over about 20mph.

According to X-rays, a broken right clavicle, broken right middle finger (I hate that, because I use that one a lot Also, my right knee is not acting right. When I got up, I could still here and see the sparks of my bike as it slid down the concrete path (very steep). I was wearing my helmet pretty loose and it was off my head and spun around under my chin. Also, there was a yardsale of water bottle,
tool bag, one of my ergo grips and my Droid X that had come out of my pocket

The worst part of this was that my $80 Azonic 420 platforms. The right one looked a file had been taken to the end, and my WTB Race V seat ripped

The real worst part: Tonight as I post this, I am in the Mountains of North Carolina, and had plans to ride some mountain trails around Asheville. This vacation was planned in advance including priceline rooms paid for, so we went, but sans the bike as I am not up to it for at least another week.

Mr. Beanz

Not the middle finger!

Tom Stormcrowe

I'm waiting on biopsy results, and recovering from pneumonia again.

Wogster

I thought this was supposed to be about returning after, it's looking more like a crash and break thread.... Did I see last week that Peter_C was off the DL.....

Mr. Beanz

I'm thinking the mods will lock this thread soon!

jboyd

And then to make matters worse, when I got home, I did not tell my wife about the accident

My theory was this: After the wreck I did a quick self assessment. Everything seemed surprisingly in order. This theory was clouded by adrenalin rush and shock Anyway, back to the theory. If I went to bed and woke up OK, she would never have to know that I came very close to being seriously injured. Great plan, except that when I got up on Sunday, I could not walk and I knew my shoulder was in serious trouble, so I had to spill the beans. Mainly because i needed her to drive me to the hospital

When I told her about it, she was really mad and said: "You are acting like a child, riding at night and not telling anyone when you are hurt to avoid getting into trouble!"

My response was: "I AM NOT!!!!" and then I stuck my tongue out at her

cyclefreaksix

That's me in ICU about 5 weeks ago. I had a pulmonary embolism that turned into a bilateral pulmonary effusion requiring lung surgery. Woke up with 3 chest tubes, an arterial line, an IJ and a freakin' foley catheter and a morphine drip. Scary as hell and the pain was/is unreal. I've lost 30 pounds, most of it seems to be muscle. All in all I was in bed for about a month or so. Most of it is a blur, thankfully.

On 10-10-10, I rode 10 miles just to prove I could. Average speed was around 8 mph and my heart rate had to have been 200. It hurt like hell, but I did it. My lung capacity is half of what it was prior to the P.E.

Most of my rehab has been walking, but I'm gradually getting on the bike more and more. Hopefully, when I return to work, I'll be able to commute by bike as I have done for the past two years.

Mr. Beanz

Friggin' good story (can I say that on here?). Not the whole enchilada (can I say that on here?), but that you're working back!

That some major (I can't say that on here)!

Gina donated a kidney a few years back. (little pic of big scar in my sig) I honestly didn't expect her to ride again but she was back on the bike after a month (very slowly)

Rumpled

Jboyd's story really makes me laugh.
Back on to the real topic.
I tore a ligament in my thumb tagging a guy out at home playing softball back in May. Hey, at least I made the pay!
Had surgery in July and spent most of the summer of the bike.
But, I'm back!
My very first ride back was a MTB race at the end of August - the Over the Hump Series. I was totally gassed and only did 1 of the two laps. My thumb hurt like an Oedipal female dog!
I've been getting back to it and have even done 3 cyclocross races.
Right now, I'm sitting at a high school football game in the mist. To make that bike related, I rode 22 miles to get here.
The 4 miles home are gonna be cool and damp.
Heal up and get back tpo it, everuyone.

Rob P.

I blew out 3 disks in my lower back last December. I was off through February but the pain was too intense to keep trying to ride. Doctor visits, steroid injections, stretching and therapy...nothing seemed to work

In September I said screw it and started riding again (slooooowwwwly). I was totally out of shape. No cardio, no wind, no strength! 40 road miles killed me and I doubled my time/halved my speed off road. I used to suck at hills. Now I just suck everywhere.

But after a month of pain, tears and sweat (and more than a few curse words) I'm back up to 60 mile road rides again. Still not as fast as I was (10-12 mph avg now) but I'm working on it. It's still very painful and hills are sometimes impossible but I'm on the bike. Maybe by next season I'll be where I was last year. Here's hoping anyway.

Wogster

Yeah, actually I am off bike this week, not because I got hurt, injured, sick, nearly died or any of the other traumatic events, were moving and all my bike gear has been packed! The bikes are going in the moving truck....

slorollin

After cyclefreaksix's story I feel guilty mentioning having my knee scoped 8/13. Went back to Dr. 10/4 and he sucked 65cc fluid out and put some cortisone in. Still riding daily though. I can ride better than I can walk.

I've had 2 PEs myself but none as serious as that. Been on warfarin about a year.

marmot

That wasn't very mature. You're supposed to stick your fingers in your ears and yell "La la la, I can't hear you!"

MNRon

Over the years... can't even count them all without over-taxing the cranial muscle.. (three ACLs in one knee, several minor surgeries to the same knee, wrist ligament repair, etc.. you get the idea) About two months ago I fell and fractured three ribs. That kept me off the bikes for 5 weeks, THEN I get sick and have just started back. However, I am back and even though I've lost a lot of conditioning I just ride and keep working on it. At 53 I don't heal as fast as I used to, but I still ride so that counts.

Get better and don't quit..

HelpMeRhonda

Three years ago I decided to get my aching shoulder fixed. I ended up having: 1. labrum tear, 2. rotator cuff tear, 3. calcium deposits and the bone trimmed for better movement. The smart thing I did was, after the surgery, I quit my job and lost my insurance. So I couldn't swing the rehab. Man, what a mistake. My shoulder was sooo sore, and stiff. Both my kids are big softball / baseball players. I was playing catch with them daily. I couldn't throw overhand so I would throw underhand. Man, I got good. I could underhand a ball from home to second and put it on your nose.

Finally, after a year and a half, I was able to start doing things above my shoulder. Now it feels fine.

So Mr. Beanz when I see you holding that bike like that I get a jolt of pain.....

Neil_B

Add me to the list. I crashed in Reading today. I'll be hobbling until the swelling in my right knee goes down.