Well it happened: First crash
 

Was going downhill on a road I wasn’t familiar with along with a friend. Took the first turn fine but it hid the second that came fast. I feathered the brakes to reduce speed and was surprised the rear wheel skidded. I released the brakes to gain traction. At that point it was too late and I ran into the curb. my friend behind me also skidded but he was coming to a stop when he turned the corner and saw me crash. Grateful he was going slower and didn’t crash. I Went over the bars and landed on my left shoulder. Strava said I was going 38mph.


I’ve been in the hospital since the accident Sunday afternoon (I’m writing this Wed night).

broken clavicle, dislocation, three ribs broken, and punctured lung. Some minor injury to one of the spine bones and road rash.

im doing better but this really sucks. I know it could have been worse and I’m grateful. I also know this was my fault. I am REALLY glad it happened when riding with a friend.

One doc said it will be a year before I can bike. All others are more optimistic. I’m actually healing quite well they are saying. There is no way I’m giving up on biking.

my friend took my bike home. Not sure of the damage. Nothing obvious but a bent rear rack (looks like the bike went over with me and landed on the rack then in the bushes. other than that , I don’t really want to look at it 😀

I’m looking for experience from others to know what to expect. I told The therapists that I will do anything you want me to do even if it’s painful as long as it doesn’t injure me -I think they kind of like working with me.

Dude,that super sucks. I went over the bars and landed on left shoulder three weeks ago.I was just starting out so I didn’t have much velocity. Hurt BAD! X-rays showed nothing broken but it feels broken. Just now able to cough and sneeze with only moderate pain but still unable to sleep on that side.i started riding again this week and was able to do seven miles before the discomfort was too much. Obviously,i’m not near as banged up as you but you have my sincerest sympathies and wishes for a full recovery.

sorry for the results... but seems as most of that will heal with time...
many of us have been there, so we all sympathize - glad the noggin is ok.
clavicle - usually not that bad, just awareness and a relatively short heal time
from my personal experience...
dislocation - usually will reguire some 'adaptation' to not aggravate after the heal time
broken ribs will be the most apparent during heal time - as will the punctured lung - they can complain for weeks, but will quiet down for sure. pneumothorax - depending on size can be healing in a week for small or a bit longer... all a bit variable. Hard to sleep...
vertebrae - do pay attention to those, make sure the MDs define the injuries well and track the healing...
I've visited all those 'places'... a few return visits... LOL!
if there is a good side - your legs and hips - all OK ?
if so, walk, walk as soon as you're able, get out and do some miles.
If you're employed, hope that all lines up OK...
There's always BF threads to bring a smile to the face... LOL
Recover quick...
Yuri

Living is more than merely staying alive, so it entails some risk. Learn from it, and move forward.

Wishing you a quick recovery. Sh*t happens. Always decelerate before entering a turn (especially the ones that you cannot see the end) and accelerate when you exit the turn.

If they pin your collarbone, you can be back on the bike in a week.

The doc's timeline will be based on Americans of typical fitness, dietary habits, and overall health. If you're on here, that's indication you might beat that timeline. Which is nice, but it's really about the quality of recovery, not how long it takes.

I broke my neck October 10th, and rode my first indoor ride November 5th. The hard brace came off January 3rd and the soft brace about a week later. They said 2 days of recovery for every day immobilized. It really depends on what you call "recovered". I rode a 1000k a couple weeks before the accident, and wasn't back to that form for a year. But my first outdoor ride was 12 miles on February 15th, then a 100k on March 8th, and a 200k August 23rd. I'd say their 2/1 ratio was in the ballpark.

Get on the stationary bike as soon as allowed. Don't overdo it, but you're the judge of that. Don't move what you're not supposed to move, but move everything else in every way you can.

Do everything your PT recommends, as often as recommended. Make sure the PT knows your long term intentions. The PT will likely be overjoyed to have someone with some athletic drive.

There will be a psychological aspect of your recovery; don't be surprised or put off by that. That first outdoor mile ride was terrifying and wonderful.

It's good to be alive.

I'm so sorry to hear this. Broken ribs hurt bad, I hope you have good pain medicine and can avoid laughing out sneezing or coughing. Took a month and mine was good as new. Avoid stressing it beyond PT until you're mostly healed.

It is very important you take the time to listen to your body to heal and strengthen, while a little stubbornness will help push you along. My first and only "accident" was a hit n run. The lucky thing was I learned from martial arts to be limp and soft, instead of tensing up, and also rolling to dissipate the force, which saved me from worse injuries. The worst came a few days after when the dislodged crystal in my inner ear started flaring up and gave me BPPV for 7 weeks, which made healing the physical part nightmarish in the beginning.
Don't worry about the bike etc. All that can and will be replaced. Heal fast and well, and get back on the saddle!

Get well soon Symox. While recovering, do some online bike shopping.

Ouch.
Heal up.
Be nice to the nurses.

Ah man that sucks! Wishing you a speedy recovery. I am sure you will be back on your bike before a year, that's based on sedentary "average" folk, but do take things slowly.

I will also double recommend these two points below:

Movement, no matter how minimal, is key!

So sorry. That sucks. If I learned one thing after breaking my neck and having C1 & C2 fused after crashing in 2013 it's this........listen to your doctors. I crashed on July 24, 2013 and was back on the bike on November 1, 2013 thanks to the docs and the fact that I listened to their advice.

Ouch. Speedy recovery and then get back out there!

I just had a crash too… luckily it was just a zero-speed crash because I forgot to unclip before stopping. Scratches on my knee and elbow. 😂

Get well soon!

Heal faster than you took that turn!

Ouch... good luck on your recovery. Never under estimate a competent Physical Therapy provider. While you are recovering, do your research and find a good one and get on the list. I broke my clavicle a few yrs back and ended up having 5 surgeries to get it completely healed, it was a long road, the doc estimated 70% range and strength once healed. My PT got me almost 100%, he was a beast and hurt me, but I was glad I found him.

The pneumothorax will likely push that back a bit. If you have a chest tube to keep the lung expanded, you're not going to be riding with that in place. Once it comes out, you'll probably need a few more weeks to be certain that the lung stays attached to the pleural lining before risking anything that might knock it loose again.

I broke 4 ribs and my clavicle along with body bruising and rash last June. Sucked.
Rode 18mi home, which definitely didnt help.

Take your time on recovery- the ribs were the most frustrating due to sleep position.

My clavicle was so screwed up, the screws broke out of what bone I had left and they had to go back in and remove the metal and try and figure out how to put things in to make them refuse. I also have lots of nerve issues in my shoulder due to the damage I had

Well I’m out
 

Was allowed to go home from the hospital today. Woohoo

i feel like I’m healing quick but we will see

btw, I made another post on this, but since so many have replied that endured crashes I’ll ask here:

The bike now has a bent rear wheel (aluminum rim). It is not a dramatic bend (maybe 1/2 inch). Is this repairable by bending or can I just re true it?

Above all listen to the doctors. We can share our own experiences and many of us have crashed bad but your doctor is your friend. I was only going 12mph according to Strava when I face planted on the asphalt . I spent the day and into the evening in the hospital. MRI twice due to bleeding in my head revealed 5 broken bones in my face including my left orbital bone which holds the optic nerve . Had that nerve severed I would’ve been blind in that eye. EXray revealed broken left hand. Serious enough but I was ok. I was told by the doctors that I saw for my recovery, that I was off the bike for 12 weeks(my hand doctor rides). I did exactly what they told me and it was tough but better than more damage. The specialist for my head injuries said it would have been much worse without a helmet and if I bump my face again before the bones grow back together, I could lose my sight in one eye. I am sorry for your injuries , it sounds much worse than what I went through. Advil worked for me.

All too familiar
 

I crashed last February and suffered 4 broken ribs, a punctured lung, and broken clavicle. I wasn't going anywhere near 38MPH, but the damage was done. Five days in the hospital with a tube in my side to bleed the air out that escaped the lung when it punctured. The clavicle was fixed three weeks later. But...I was back on the bike in a few months, but only an indoor smart bike. Two ribs healed in a very precarious position and I can't risk falling on them again. If they break, they'd likely hit a blood vessel and I'd bleed out.

Anyway, follow the doc's advice, and don't rush things! It takes time and in the end it will be worth it. If you can, consider an indoor trainer if possible. Not road riding, but way better than nothing.

I went to a Trike after my Brain Injury Crash and Surgery.
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