zjrog

Certainly glad you aren't any worse! PLEASE be careful with that head injury. It will take longer to recover from that, which you can't feel or see, than the obvious physical exterior wounds.

Late August of 2011, 9 months after total left knee replacement. I was back on the bike. Loving it. I was happy, at 48, to have my life back post knee replacement. On a ride with a friend. Downhill, twisty canyon road. 40-45 MPH. I crashed. Not sure if I had a flat, or hit a rock or what. But didn't make a corner. My friend was behind me, saw I had a possible neck injury. I was out cold over 5 minutes. He literally sat on my chest to keep me down when I woke up. Now, I have no memory of this... Still. Or the next few days. I earned a helicopter ride though. I had the following, cracked C1, 2 and 3 vertebra, burst fracture T9, but damage to the T7, 8 and 10. 4 broken ribs. Significant road rash on my right shoulder, and broke a pinky finger (I can't remember which one, but probably my right...). Fusion surgery the following day, T7-12. Two rods and ten screws, none in the T9. One week in the hospital, 2 weeks in physical rehab. 6 weeks in a full TLSO "turtle shell" brace with neck/head support by day, and slept in a hard cervical collar. The collar was worn full time for 3 additional months after the TLSO brace was no long needed.

It took me 2 years to even get on a bicycle. And even that was in the safety of inside a bike store. It took another year to ride outdoors. And that, was due to a gift from someone I got involved in cycling when he was 14.

I repaired the bike I crashed on, new front wheel and handle bars. New bar wrap. I did ride it a little. In the end, I cannot get comfortable on THAT bike. And if it is cursed, I can't let someone else have it. It's fate is as an indoor trainer bike. It owes me, Or, maybe I owe it something. I refurbished my older steel bike, the "Old Friend" is mostly up to date, and due to losing over 130 pounds the past 2 years, I rewarded myself with a build of a lightweight bike. I still ride the bike that was a gift, a 29er hard tail MTB. And thinking a fat bike may be next.

But to this day, on many downhill rides, I'm on the brakes. It doesn't seem to matter how fast I go in the flats. Downhill, I just can't let it roll out.

1AvidCyclistCat

Wow zjrog brother you have boosted my hope for recovery and return to cycling sports by leaps and bounds: exceedingly inspiring accident story from beginning to end. I appreciate your nurturing encouragement as a fellow avid cyclist and for taking the time to share your experiences with me.

zjrog

I'm glad you got so much from that. I've had so many other issues to keep me off a bike in between things, I've become fond of saying I don't know if I'm too stubborn or stupid to know when to stay down. Three years ago I had my right achilles tendon repaired. Then weight became an issue. And now I'm staring down the possibility of my left ankle being fused and replacing my right knee. This past summer has been my best time on a bike in years, I'm not ready to give it up. At worst, I'll be on a tadpole recumbent trike..

1AvidCyclistCat

Yaiks! You are the Maximus Spartacus of middle Agee’s cyclists. Embrace our injuries as memory treasures of wonderful cycling adventures honor! Hey brother, I have the sport Trike Performer, purchased from Florida nice dealer, it feels like a cross between fast sports SUV and a go cart, he he.You are welcome to borrow it...

Jim from Boston

Recovery time after severe crash Not to interrupt this Mutual Admiration Society, but as I was reading this thread it occurred to me that all these accounts are of successful recovery and we’ll not hear of those who have left cycling (or this earth) after their incidents. I get the sense that like military veterans we too are reliving unforgettable traumas, and are proud of our sucesses.

1AvidCyclistCat

That is quite a humorous name for a mutually effected and affected dedicated, consistently engaged in the noble sports activity of cycling: bicycling. My goal as a severely injured soon to be a geriatric cyclist, is to help encourage and get motivated to bring the best after serious, major trauma.
I believe that the current over 50 population will continue to redefine expectations of aging: specifically aging well with honor, respect and motivation to encouraging our less than fit, not so healthy fellow elderly neighbors and friends.
Closed head injuries may have unpredictable short and long term unfavorable consequences. I experienced immediate mood lability with sudden episodes of sadness, crying with tearful moans. Severe trauma affects your whole being.
I embrace humor as an excellent therapeutic tool to help one cope better with adversity. I reject cynicism imbedded in deceptive humor: it’s quite unpleasant and disgusting, it is not beneficial or productive to either mocker or the one being mocked.
I have learned that by giving in genuine humility anyone willing can and will help magnify the rewarding, wonderful good deeds of loving others as oneself.

1AvidCyclistCat

Ogsarg, some friends ask me time after time if I was indeed riding a MOTOR-cycle, since it takes high levels of trauma force to fracture a scapula. Did you suffer any permanent deficits or did you loose consciousness?

1AvidCyclistCat

Alloo, most certainly will. It is very hard to look at my bicycles laying around like steeds feeling bored and neglected.

Jim from Boston

Well, @1AvidCyclistCat, as a presumably over 50 cyclist, I hope that you recognized my allusion to a "Mutual Admiration Society," between you and @zjrog to be a reference to a song of that name.

Ogsarg

The surgeon that worked on me said the same thing about the Scapula. Told me mine was the worst she had seen. I did lose consciousness but only for a short time and initially did not realize that I had. When I first stood up I couldn't see which was a little scary. It was like looking at the sun, just saw brilliant white. It was several minutes before my eyesight came back.

As far as long term consequences go, I have no functional impairment in terms of range of motion or strength or anything like that, but things did not all heal in the correct place so my upper torso is not symmetrical from one side to the other. Not noticeable with a shirt on fortunately. I also have a metal strap across my clavicle and a boat load of screws to hold it in place. Oddly enough, all that metal has yet to set off a metal detector at an airport and I've been through dozens of them.

zjrog

Not so much gladiator, as pugilistic dummy... My injuries are part of my story and I hear I'm inspirational far more often than I'm truly comfortable with. Now the offer to use a noble steed of speed, is quite generous. But I doubt we are close enough to make good on that... Bummer. I am collecting bike parts and frames, to build one of the Atomic Zombie trikes.

As a veteran, never in combat though, I'm just used to living with my pains and aches. Some just make me feel old before my time, then, there are the ones I've done to myself...

I agree, knowing they are resting, maybe upset at at me, mocking me at times... Just bothers me. Except fr the one I crashed on. That one has been enslaved to life of bondage on the indoor trainer...

Climb14er

July 2012... cycling with family, eastbound out of NoName, Colorado, just East of Glenwood, along the Colorado River on bike path. Sunday morning, beautiful. For once, bringing up the rear. Did a 90* under the overpasses, slowed down to a crawl, then the other 90*, came upon a section of concrete, unmarked, that sank, hit what felt like a curb, did not have the momentum to cross, stalled, came out of my cleats, backwards, crashed down on my sacrum. Immediate pain, laid there for minutes, in shock, checked, could move feet, family came back, needed twenty minutes, to basically get helped up, actually ride my back back down river, slumped over, waited all day for Sunday's traffic back to Denver to dissipate. Loaded me into 4Runner, strapped me in, drove back to Denver. Pain that night, tough to take, lucky for me had previous script Percoset, some relief. Called Doc, got in for exam, xrays and follow up MRI... fractured T12 and L2. Could barely lay down, walk... pain intense, constant. After one week, began to walk, could go 100 feet first day. Every day, little more...

Six months later, I was back walking and riding and hiking well... But the pain, still is with me 7.5 years later. I spin, ride and hike and when the pain returns, have to take on occasion, prescription anti inflammatory, sometimes prescribed low dose straight oxy, I stretch, on foam roller, soak, etc.

Bottom line... at least grateful and thankful no paralysis. With age, now 67, even in fine condition, nerve channels are narrowing, arthritis in lower back... the pain subsides on occasion, but WILL NEVER GO AWAY.

So... recovery... yes. Side effects from accident... unfortunately remain.

1AvidCyclistCat

That was a speedy recovery! Thanks for sharing.

1AvidCyclistCat

Wow, brother, that was quite an inspiring and resilient slow recovery. I had previous injuries, live with arthritis of hands and low back. Thanks for sharing!

1AvidCyclistCat

Almost 60, b day 01/11/1960. Being riding bikes since age 6. No prob mate: got it.

1AvidCyclistCat

I find myself in the same predicament: invested so much in my bicycles and not ready to give it up yet. I am very thankful to my Lord God Jeshua for blessing me so abundantly. Cycling sports have helped me recover much faster and to sustain less potentially crippling or disabling conditions post trauma short term or long term. [img]blob:https://www.bikeforums.net/432d1fa0-5148-45ac-9e81-edcb585bc876[/img]

1AvidCyclistCat

LMAO at your verdict for that bicycle [img]blob:https://www.bikeforums.net/af5b1d79-f059-448b-b5fc-e976e300fcca[/img]

1AvidCyclistCat

Dear fellow avid cyclist: thank you most kindly for taking the time to share and encourage me after my bicycle crash. As my trauma doctor was getting ready for local anesthesia to my broken x9 right ribs, my heart rate dropped to 28 and systolic BP dropped to 60! This lasted a few seconds, apparently side effects to the general anesthesia and pseudo tamponase due to having 500 ml or half liter ((2 pints of blood) pushing over my heart. The right chest tubes drained over 500 ml of blood but I did not need any blood transfusions, thanks be to my Almighty God.

zjrog

HAHAAAA! As the arbiter of my belongings, I found it fitting...

Miami Biker

OPin good company with crashes.

In brief my last accident was broken femur At age 72. Rode 13,0000 lie since.. Lessons learned were many. Like the advice to find a doc who rides.

Anyways 1) Do PT and keep it up as long as suggested if not more; 2) When ready start on a trainer or spinning at the gym to build. Up strength and heart lung. Safer than on the road; 3) Only if ready ride easy on road. Your body will tell yu when you are ready; Ride with a friend to start.

All this assume you want to ride again and your are convinced it will be safe. RemInds me what my doc said when broke collar. Bone about safety riding. He said it’s safe to ride, just not safe to fall.

You already knw we re all different so no one proves works for all. Best of luck and take your time.

bpcyclist

Thank you for that quote about falling--that was just fantastic!

diphthong

had a few accidents in my time that sidelined me for up to two weeks. i'm admittedly not the best patient, rarely sick and not real good at laying around. various concussions, hip injury, rib(s) injuries, shoulder
injuries and back injuries have conspired over the years to make me say "no riding." my biggest thing has always been to get up and at least walk (with a cane at one stretch) two blocks at my worst.
hurt like hell and took 20 minutes but the relief at getting out of bed and trying to avoid atrophy made up for it. slow, flat spinning is better than no spinning at all. i've found laying around is my worst enemy
and i've always felt that doing at least some physical activity, however insignificant, is helpful towards recovery.

BlazingPedals

I hope you guys don't mind, my plan is to suffer a serious cycling injury vicariously through your stories.

1AvidCyclistCat

What does not kill me will strengthen me. Thanks fellow cyclist: very motivating.

1AvidCyclistCat

Well stayed! If we lay down we go down but if you get up and move then your health wellness follows.