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After managing to fracture a few bones recently the orthopaedic surgeon has told me not to do any strenuous exercise for another 6 weeks (already had 8 weeks off) - but he's told me I can ride an exercise bike for 15-20 mins or swim.
I totally understand that I need to rest to allow the body to rebuild but I'm wondering what the mechanics of why they say this - is it to not put undue stress on the body through general over exertion or is it to protect the fracture site?
Also, what is the definition of strenuous? Is this MaxHR (CV) or pushing the muscles (ie weight lifting)?
What did you fracture?
Main reason would be not to load the injured bone and surrounding soft tissues. If it's your lower limbs then cycling on exercise bike and swimming are non-weight bearing as opposed to running.
The overall exertion should have no effect on your injury and as a previously ?fit person going back to decent eercise should be no problem, though you'll have lost some fitness, but it wont affect the fracture
Other danger is falling off etc which can further aggravate the injury.
Just did an OTB and landed directly on to my already frozen shoulder.
No idea what additional damage I did but it took a good 10 minutes for the pain to subside far enough for me to stand up. I think breaking my hip hurt less.
What did I fracture... The left transverse process on T12 to L4
Ah, I can see why he said non-wt bearing and not too strenuous
Listen to the man (or woman) and take things easy, be guided by your pain and build up slowly, delaying activity by a few weeks means little in the long run
Thats the thing, I haven't got a great deal of pain. And its bone dry on the trails 😉
**** it, go ride, one life* and all that
*one body so don't listen to me
Sui - I can only read your first line and totally agree
Medics give advice as per what they feel is best recovery. Not always evidence based as often there is no good evidence.
As I say to all patients, 'I am here to give aadvice, you choose whether to liste to it'
Down to the the individual to decide priorities
Listen to the Doc. But also, listen to your body and put Docs advice into it's proper context. Remember, medical advice is natuarlly very risk averse. What a clinician would advise professionally and what they would do themselves are often very different things. Basically, only you know what you can do, because only you know how it feels, how hard you are going to push yourself, and what risks you are going to take. Go for it.
The first bit of advice I got was keep active and mobile, then 4 weeks later I get told take it easy and now I'm being told no strenuous exercise. Not sure if these are the same or different
I've been out for a few rides already and not had any real major issues, in fact I have more problems from being at work at the office.
The main problem I have is sleeping at night an it's not from where the fractures are but a different part of my back.
I'm thinking if I keep my wheels on smooth trails, dont move around on the bike and keep it to under an hour is there an issue?
I stopped taking pain killers a week after it happened so I could know my limits
Can I ask how you managed to fracture your tp's?
Misjudged a drop went over the bars, flew backwards through the air and hit a tree across my back. Pump in my backpack dug into my back and did the damage.
This is the pump [img] 
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I've been off the bike for over a month due to a knee injury and it's really bought home how important riding in nature is to me.
In your situation I would meet the doctor half way - give it 3 weeks then hit the trails, albeit slowly and avoiding the rough stuff.
Yeah, really miss just getting out for an hour or so (although I may have sneaked a gentle ride in here and there)
Get well soon.
If it's any consolation, I also had an accident involving my pump!
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The first bit of advice I got was keep active and mobile, then 4 weeks later I get told take it easy and now I'm being told no strenuous exercise. Not sure if these are the same or different
They are all exactly the same, but from a different perspective. They are all telling you to move about but not to go crazy and avoid anything that will makes things worse.
Badnewz thats badnewz
Currently a medic working occasionally in geriatric orthopaedics. 6 weeks seems to be the accepted mantra for all acute fractures although this will be very variable depending on the nature and location of injury. Overall the spine will take a while to be fully back to what you require to go mountain biking and will be vulnerable to refracture if you go out too early. Think like you need to feel you can fall on it to go back outside.
As for indoors as has been said low impact exercise particularly cycling and swimming should be fine after 3 weeks or so but be guided by pain. Any severe pain stop immediately! Hth's.