Injury Recovery: Your Story

[Sailor Ripley]

How about a thread of hope for those currently on the injured list. I know that a lot of us have been through some serious injuries and bounced back fairly well.

I know that Billy (Befoot) made it through hell and back after being hit by a truck back...I'll let him tell it.

Mine- September 2007: Broken femur, fractured pelvis, broken ribs, concussion. 12 weeks in a wheelchair. To walk again felt like an eternity, but it sure makes you appreciate the simple things in life. A friend helped me focus by inviting me to ride with him in the 24 hours of the Old Pueblo (Feb 2008 ). After that, I pronounced myself officially healed.

It's pretty awesome how the body can recover. Let's hear YOUR story.

[chuckie108]

Shattered my wrist at the Fontana national. Had surgery to plate it all together April 2. Started riding again 3 weeks ago, but with a wrist brace and only on mellow fire roads(Claremont Wilderness Park). Having a little trouble with the Ulna Styloid- it hasn't reattached yet(the Dr. say "don't worry about it"!)Last Physical Therapy session tomorrow morning. woohoo! I can't wait to get back on my DH bike- hopefully by the end of the month!

[A-NON-A]

Ouch you two ^^^^^

All I am dealin with is a closed fracture of the radial head. It happened 3 weeks ago and they removed my half cast/splint last week. I have probably 90% ROM all the way around. Only issues now are some pain and no strength. I can pick things up with the arm but it is unable to bear any weight.

[afgenkuong]

Long story short; I was goign to school, rammed into the back of a parked gardening truck on my bike (was trying to look back to merge into the car lane). Fractured three bones, one in each arm and one in my cheek. LOTS of swelling on my face + a gash.

= Wasted Summer Break.

Happened two days before school ended.

[SAR_boats]

I've never had a biking related injury

[A-NON-A]

Originally Posted by SAR_boats

I've never had a biking related injury

Bite your tongue... This was my first in probably 10 years riding off and on.

[ViLerocker]

Slightly dislocated should back about 3 weeks ago, which wasn't too bad. I've gotten good at popping those S.O.Bs back in. Bounced back from that fine and road the DH at Santa Barb. Bike Fest. My bastage of an injury is from work, where I pulled a muscle in my back. Never had a back problem before, and it sucks. Most nagging kind of pain I've even experience. Not terribly painful, but enough to keep you from sleeping well. Haven't ridden since SB.

[Keith B]

Hit a tree at around 25mph and shattered my radius, ulna and elbow joint. Cracked a rib, lost a fair bit of skin and had 12weeks off the bike. It was about 9months before it felt OK. Still got to have all the metal hardware taken out at some point, ulp.

[grenader26]

slipped off my peddles after going off a drop and fractured my testicle on my top tube. I have had 3 compression fractures in my lower back 3 knee surgeries broken collar bone 4 broken wrists and 17 got to the hospital concussions(these ae all snowboarding) and the that fracture was the worst pain in my life now I ride clipless.

[Sailor Ripley]

I failed to mention that my injury wasn't on a bicycle. I was racing motocross and was ran over after...Uh I can't remember. However, the bicycle was my focal point in recovering. My first ride back was liberating. I just rode around my rural neighborhood on dirt roads and the feeling of wind on my face was priceless.
After that incident I gave up racing motocross. Now I ride my bicycle(s) a lot more.

[mpmffitz]

Fracturing a testicle ouch! I collided head with another motorcycle while on my atv searching for sawmill. By the lords mercy I got up and hiked for help. Tore lay muscle and strained rotator cuff and sustained concussion the chiropractor was a hotty she found a new vertabrae but that will be saved for penthouse letter forum.

[CalEpic]

Originally Posted by SAR_boats

I've never had a biking related injury

Says the man who I'm going to change his screen name to SCAR boats

Heal quickly brother. (and please stop crashing)

C

[Zippy]

Spiral fractured my left, 3rd metacarpal (middle finger hand bone) May 24th. Had surgery 5/29 to put in 3 small screws to hold it together.

In a removable plastic splint now, but can't bear weight on it until after 7/6. Started physical therapy pretty quickly and probably have 9 more weeks of it. Bye bye '09 racing season.

Pics are on my 'blog.

[jeff^d]

Compound fracture of my left ulna & radius about 4" up from the wrist on April 5. Flew OTB on a fast descent during the Sagebrush Safari and superman'd into a berm. Surgeon said my bone acted as a kick stop in the dirt, she had to shave off 1/4" of the ulna where dirt was ground in, then screwed both bones together with stainless plates. Fortunately the bones snapped cleanly without splintering and I suffered only cuts and bruises in addition.

Still in a cast to just above my elbow, but go for new x-rays Tuesday 6/23. Radius is all healed up but I'm still waiting for the ulna to finish growing together. Cast will come off in a few weeks hopefully, then 3-6 months before serious riding. Eventually I'll get the plates out and be down for two more months.

[evdog]

Originally Posted by chuckie108

Shattered my wrist at the Fontana national. Had surgery to plate it all together April 2. Started riding again 3 weeks ago, but with a wrist brace and only on mellow fire roads(Claremont Wilderness Park). Having a little trouble with the Ulna Styloid- it hasn't reattached yet(the Dr. say "don't worry about it"!)Last Physical Therapy session tomorrow morning. woohoo! I can't wait to get back on my DH bike- hopefully by the end of the month!

Nicely done! I have the same plate

Broke mine on A-line at Whistler, on the big rock drop. Some kid crashed at the bottom and left his bike laying across the bottom, out of sight of approaching riders (me). I only had the cast on for 10days, back riding in 6 wks. I guess if you throw in enough hardware in it will be solid. Has been fine ever since, though it can wobble a bit when I shake hands sometimes. Adds character, I say.

Before:


After:

[DirtymikeTDB]

Radial Distal at practice for the third round of teh winter series, no cool story, I washed out near the finish line like a retard. Healed up fin, had a cast for about Two weeks, PT afterwords to keep full mobility. Got lots of heckling in, lots of beer in





Now, the wrist is healed up great.I have full strength back, and I go up to hit Woodward west with everyone..... and My dumbass leans a bit too far back at that last little shit kicker at the finish line, Smash the holy hell out of myself, it was beautifal. Crash at the finish line, full speed of fat guy landing on teh handlebars into the dirt.. Wasnt fun, Four cracked ribs, small fracture of the sternum, Bruised Femur, Bruised Tibia, and Torn Lateral Miniscus. Went to the hospital that night to get teh xrays, Knee was too swollen for the MRI right away, Started off with a total Immobilizer untill the swelling went down, went in that Fiday to Ortho, cool machine to stretch and pull ligiments to see if they were damaged, MRI to confirm. Got cool brace then that limited movement.....Ive not been the best at wearing it. Mostly goo dnow, still dont have full movement, and I dont expect to for some time. Been riding around the block a bit just to stretch out a bit. For as bad it is is, it shoulda/coulda been alot worse.

This would be how I spent my week off work



Should be around six months total for it to heal properly, but we will see

[randalnelson]

Had this hardware installed 05DEC08 Seven months later and I still havent gotten the ok to get back to riding. Next xray Monday 22JUN. Sure hope its all better. Its been perfect riding weather and I been missing it all.

22JUN had xray still broken may have to have bone graft in a couple of months if it doesnt start growing back together. Doc says its in a bad spot out on the end above my arm. Maybe if I am lucky I will get to ride again by 2010. This sucks bad.

[craig z]

This happend to some friends that were showing us around Sedona. Llama trail ... his wife washed out, and broke BOTH arms... this is one of em.

[jeff^d]

Originally Posted by evdog

Broke mine on A-line at Whistler, on the big rock drop. Some kid crashed at the bottom and left his bike laying across the bottom, out of sight of approaching riders (me). I only had the cast on for 10days, back riding in 6 wks. I guess if you throw in enough hardware in it will be solid. Has been fine ever since, though it can wobble a bit when I shake hands sometimes. Adds character, I say.

Evan, do you still have the hardware in your wrist? Mine is similar and my surgeon is saying she wants it out because it might cause me irritation when I get back to riding.

Originally Posted by craig z

This happend to some friends that were showing us around Sedona. Llama trail ... his wife washed out, and broke BOTH arms... this is one of em.

This looks familiar, I wish I had gotten a picture of my compound fracture. Stories are alright, but pictures are worth 1000 words...

Originally Posted by randalnelson

Had this hardware installed 05DEC08 Seven months later and I still havent gotten the ok to get back to riding. Next xray Monday 22JUN. Sure hope its all better. Its been perfect riding weather and I been missing it all.

What did you break? I can't tell from the picture. How did the x-rays today turn out?

[gooseaholic]

Back surgery, broken collar bone, broken ankle 5 times, broken foot, broken teeth ( still broken, gotten used to it),nose, wrist ect......... Thank god for beer. Still riding and waiting for the next broken something.