It’s been just over two weeks since my accident and with how my leg was feeling I was very optimistic of a quick recovery. Crutches have been hard work, and the long weekend in a wheelchair in Amsterdam was an eye opening experience. Let’s just say everything is a challenge, from planning every little trip out to the way people look at you.
Last Monday I had the staples out where they had entered my leg to do the bone joinery. It’s a neat scar, if a little pirate like. Yesterday I went to see the UK based orthopaedic surgeon. They took an X ray and said the Spanish had done an excellent job. But to be sure of a full recovery and reduce the risk of necrosis – that is the severed bone head dying due to lack of blood supply and requiring a full hip replacement – I should treat it with lots of care. And that means another 7 weeks of no weight bearing activity. To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement. You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone is very true as I stare longingly at my bikes hanging at the corner of my home office… where I can continue to work (thanks internet).
I miss out on the Cannondale Press Trip to Utah, I miss out on Fort William, I miss riding my bike.
This does mean, however, I can get stuck into Singletrack V3.0.
Unlucky break! 😉 Looking forward to hearing of your full recovery and being out on the bike soon.
Dear god tell me you saw an orthopaedic surgeon as well as an osteopath?
oh yeah. Edited. All this medical terminology is confusing.
Do as the doctors say, they have an awful lot of experience with hips.
But ask about physio.
There will be a lump of bone surrounding the break like a scar, this may never go away, and it could affect joint mobility.
I have the same break, same repair… Did what the doctors told me, then did what the evil physio made me, and now I have 2 working legs again. Good luck!
Oooch ouch ouch ooch! As one who is still healing from surgery six months done the line (the result of a break 3 1/2 years ago) you have my sympathy!
hi tom,did the same in august 08, just about as fully recovered as i’ll get now (running, cycling,swimming but slight loss of flexability). Be patient…ask for a bone densisty test if you are youngish, hips are hard to break usually, good luck,
mark.
P.s. if you ever want to chat about it email at hampton.dawn@virgin.net
Nice “pwned” shot. Is that your shadowy mansausage just under the pins? Must be made of dense stuff to show up on x-ray if it is…
markrh is right, cycling’s very strongly linked to osteoperosis, we sweat out a bucket of calcium… Road cycling’s worse than mtb because of the lack of impact but mtb is still pretty bad for it. Worth getting checked out.
Thanks guys, will ask about a bone density test and all that jazz. Maybe I need a bit of a calcium boost, time to eats me spinach.
V3.0, it’s worse than I thought. You’re hallucinating 8)
I hate to hear about these major injuries. I fractured 2 vertibrae in my neck in 1996 in a skiing accident. The neuro-surgeon at Geneva University hospital wanted to pin the breaks and have me back on my feet in a week or so. However, I’d have had restricted range of movement.
After an airlift back to the UK and having been deposited in Oswestry Spinal Injuries Unit (the Midlands centre!), they took a very different and conservative approach. 6 weeks in traction, follwed by 6 weeks in a full torso cast, followed by 6 weeks R&R. Still at least I walked out of there. Many don’t. I was back doing everything I did before, including skiing, within 6 months.
Look after yourself Tom. Do exactly what you’re told and you’ll be back on track in no time. Good luck.