Fractured Pelvis, anyone had one

Sounds mad....and your medicine is being on STW;) hope your phone battery lasts!

Second opinions are worthwhile, which we would have in the old days, now everyone is too stretched!

Hope you heal soon.

Hello.

Yes is the answer. I broke/fractured my pelvis sleep walking off a roof (whilst on holiday 30+ years ago but many bones were broken - long story).

I cracked a 'keystone' shape bit out/off of it, but it settled back in place (I couldn't say exactly where on my-pelvis it was but I seem to recall the x-ray looked like an arch). It was three weeks before the fracture was found as I'd continued the holiday - i mentioned to the hospital upon returning that it hurt/stung/smarted when I walked. The subsequent x-ray found it. It was discussed at the time that the only real remedy was bed rest for weeks, but the useful time had passed.

30 years later I've no side affects *touch wood* form the pelvis.

Godspeed your recovery.

I haven’t myself but I was there when my riding buddy broke his in many places. 7yrs ago. Almost a year off the bike.

He’s had extensive surgery, lots of metal work and can’t walk very long distances (miles!). He gets hip pain but it’s remarkable how much he can bike now. I suspect hip replacements for him at some point but he’s just retired and is doing loads.

His accident is why I don’t go out on the road when it’s icy any more.

Double fracture a couple of years ago. Consultant was convinced I’d been hit by a car. I hadn’t, I couldn’t walk and the pain was ‘interesting’ if my left leg was moved. 

Spent a week in hospital but was back on the Turbo in 6 weeks. It was a stable fracture and gives me zero trouble.

A friend broke hers skydiving over winter 2023/24 and was mobile and looking forward to starting jumping again this year. Walking around in summer 2024 was a little tyring for her apparently, but she seemed fine most of the time.

For reference she is mid 60's and is hard as nails (apparently)

Yes, did mine MTBing in Switzerland. Air ambulance off the hillside, super efficient Swiss hospital and a few days later a private medivac flight back to Biggin Hill and a transfer up to my Mum's in London where I spent the next 3 weeks or so.

As a side note - TRAVEL INSURANCE! They paid up in full, no quibbles, arranged the medivac flight home, the works. Without them I'd have been screwed for many tens of thousands of pounds!

Anyway, I cracked the iliac crest of my pelvis, no actual break but it took close on 3 weeks before I was able to drive again and at least 8 months until I was back to full racing fitness. First few rides back were...interesting. Crawling up a hill in absolute granny ring vs normal riding of just getting out the saddle and giving it a few extra pedal strokes.

Very occasional twinges off it now when it's cold and I had some back problems for a while caused by some of the imbalance but that was all sorted through physio. You don't realise how absolutely everything in your body goes through your pelvis until you can't actually use it any more...

Best of luck with your recovery!

Fell off my bike back in November, fractured my Pubi-Rami, initially I couldn't move, first day or so. Even moving in bed was agony. 

After a couple of days I was discharged with a zimmerframe, a shitload of painkillers, and sent home.  Signed off work for a month.

Had physio courtesy of the NHS, which was great. Has taken 12/13 weeks to get fully mobile, but haven't got back on a bike yet. 

I'm out with a bucket load of drugs. 6 weeks of anticoagulant injections (why I didn't have them before, oh yes hadn't broken it). 6 weeks none load bearing with checkup at a more specialist unit. I'll take a few days off work and WFH for a few weeks. Been doing too much but I was told it wasn't broken. 

About a year ago I fell off my road bike and broke my pelvis. Was unable to move at all until the Ambulance arrived and took me to hospital. Was told that there was no break . I said that I couldn't be in so much pain from bruising , at which point they CT scanned me and discovered a big break. I was in hospital for 1week and then 5 more weeks of doing virtually nothing. After that I was pretty much recovered . Although I had broken it nothing was displaced so no operation was needed. If I knew how to attach pictures on this new forum I would show you the CT scan , I think you would be surprised that they missed it first time round 

I believe the CT scan is quite impressive. I'm going to ask for a copy as my colleagues want to use it for the students (it was a student and member of staff that examined me and said they thought I'd got a fracture to the hip socket).

I've a shoot load of DIY and jobs to do. When I said I'd been moving about mainly on one crutch but have been doing stairs without and going in the kitchen/across the office for a cuppa without crutches they we're horrified. I knew no better as my discharge notes say bruising. I've also washed and polished my new van, including going up step ladders to do the roof. I've been round the supermarket leaning on a trolly. All of this could have been a disaster if the break had become unstable. 

They were noticeably concerned this had been missed 6 weeks ago. They know xrays aren't that reliable.  

I'm not a patient patient ¡

I’m astonished you could stay mobile.

I’m no tough guy, but I’ve experienced a few broken bones, relocated a shoulder to finish a race, carried on with riding/life with various breaks/injuries I shouldn’t. However the Pelvis fracture(s) is the only injury I’ve actually screamed when someone has tried to move a limb.

At one point the nurses were going to set me up a bed in minor injuries due to the struggle moving me.

Fair play!

Posted by: jamesoz

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However the Pelvis fracture(s) is the only injury I’ve actually screamed when someone has tried to move a limb.

Geraint Thomas famously rode half the Tour de France with a fractured pelvis!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/wales/23114057

Although he did pull out of the Giro with a fractured hip in 2020 so maybe he's not quite invincible!

Hopefully hobbling around for six weeks hasn't hindered your pelvis healing properly and your employer will have no problem with you having some sick leave!

Employer is good. I can WFH, but I've been in work my usual 3 days. I only took 2 days sick as one was in hospital the other home answering just emails. Then flew to Madera (with newly broken pelvis) had some rest but managed a mile and a half hobble round Funchal. 

It could have been deadly. The discharge note basically says I've fractures (multiple) through the wing down through the socket and into the lower part of the rami. 

Will maybe look to take next week off sick just to rest then do some work. I have been struggling at home as my set up is not ideal any longer as I only use it a day or two a week (dining table).

I'm a bit in shock because I've been fairly mobile (not much for me as I am always on the go). Doesn't bear thinking about had the fracture moved. Although showing signs of healing it is not joined yet. 

The only break I had real pain issues was my spine. Main issue was muscle spasms and four broken ribs on top of the broken vertebrae. Moving me was hell despite the morphine. I was more comfortable once they got diazapan in me after I asked for something.

This break was very painful. I was going to ride it off but it was too icy to get my leg back over. Then realised I couldn't lift the leg.  

Finally got the scans through. I have a 3d model of my pelvis, and my god, I've ****ed it up. The left iliac wing is cracked top to bottom, and into my hip socket - this is very visible from the rear. Rotate to the front and there are two large cracks into my hip socked, and a dark area showing fragments in the front of my pubic ramus near the socket. Rotate round the back again, and the lower part of my ramus has further cracks.   X-ray looks normal.

I finally get to see someone tomorrow, three months after the injury.   I'm managing OK - I went camping at weekend and walked(on crutches) about 5 miles each day - I was shattered.  My left leg is very weak, and my right shoulder very sore from relying on a crutch.  Hip joint not too painful, but tendons on the inner side of my thigh that link to the pelvic bones are painful when extended to the side, and it's still sore to sit on most chairs - so the saddle is out !!

There shall be lots of questions tomorrow. How the hell this was missed, I don't know. It's a train wreck and quite shocking

Ouch.

Yeah, you messed yourself up good there.

I'm not a medic but even I can see that is goosed. Really impressive image quality on the scan though. 

Good luck!

I have a whole CD (that in itself was difficult to get access as our PC's don't have CD's - I dug out an old laptop). the 3d image is complied from hundreds of 'slices' from the CT - I've got them too.  It's OK doc's saying 'you've fractured it' but I like to know how bad. I've the images from my spine too, that I busted 9 years ago.

They did say I'd done a 'job' on it, I now know why.  I think bike riding is off for a while.

Had a follow up today and more x-rays. Doctor happy with healing and I can start to use the turbo and reduce the crutches. No real stuff just yet !

Join fossy's dots! Good to hear you're on the mend OK.

Good scan that, way better than my old X-rays! 

Good news everyone!

Pretty sure that's a sticker. But if you ask Brant nicely he'll send you a new one. ('Kin hell lads let's at least try and maintain standards, eh).

Above is the scan of my CT scan of my pelvis that the hospital assured me was not broken after carrying out an x-ray. Fortunately they listened to me when I asked them to take a CT scan  

Another bad one - was that contained to the wing ?

Pretty much , although, as you can see the crack goes right down to the hip socket. That could have been worse as that hip has been resurfaced and any damage would have been major surgery. The metal is the cause of that red stuff all around the socket as it interferes with the magnet. The hospital said that they didn't see it as "nobody usually breaks their pelvis just there. I realised that this was caused by a seal n'flate cartridge that was in the rear pocket of my jersey and, as it contains pressurised Co2, had absolutely no give to it 

Turbo is now set up with MyWhoosh. Did a 'slow mile to check it connected to the laptop. No hip pain so I'll start the recovery rides tomorrow. Physio booked in for 10 days away (nearest appointment). Going private, although promised via NHS, it will be a long wait.

Two mile walk yesterday without crutches - shattered afterwards. 10 mile turbo session (about 45 mins) this lunch time. Feel OK from the turbo session, nothing dropped off (leg).

I'm reading this with interest. 2 weeks past on Saturday (so, 18 days ago now), the road bike slid on something greasy on tarmac and I fell instantly on my right hand side; shoulder, ribs and hip took the force. I was hardly moving at the time, having had to stop a moment before for traffic.

At the time, I thought that the hip was dislocated, the pain was so great. A&E took xrays which apparently showed no fracture, so I went home on naproxen, which had now run out and I'm taken ibuprofen thrice daily.

I can stand on one leg without pain. I can walk, but the pain is centred in the inner groin area and is grinding in nature.

It feels more painful than it should, subjectively, than it should at this point in the healing process. And now I'm wondering.

Go get that checked out again. CT scan. Inner groin was most painful for me, felt like soft tissue injury but it was associated with the hip socket fractures.

Will do- thanks.

The docs will be more bothered if it's the socket - if it's the iliac wing or pubic ramus, these usually heal, but your 'ball' could have fractured the socket. Mine haven't been displaced so that's OK, but if you are mobilising on a fracture, that's not good.  Ibuprofen is no good for bone healing, so another reason to get checked out.

I couldn't walk on mine for a few weeks without crutches. Moving the leg sideways was very painful - probably linked to the tendons and muscles on the inside of my groin pulling on the fractures.

My fall was slow speed straight onto my hip, no external bruising or scrapes at all. When you came off did your leg/hip feel like you'd been given a dead leg, but a very painful 'dulled' pain. I probably should have insisted on a CT as the pain felt just like when I'd broken bones before, but I was due on holiday and didn't want to upset my wife.

Thanks again. I'll stop the ibuprofen.

The pain I felt on falling felt like how I imagine a dislocation would feel; it was as if the ball had moved backwards in the socket, and when I tried moving the leg it was almost as if it was being dragged along an inch behind the rest of me. Odd description but it's  hard to describe. Thats gone away now.

I can actually walk, fortunately. It hurts- if I started with 10/10 for pain 18 days ago (subjectively, its the worst pain I've ever had in my life as I did my shoulder and ribs at the same time) its probably about a 2 now.

I haven't had ibuprofen since about 2pm today; I'll leave it overnight and see how I feel in the morning. I will seek re-referral to the fracture clinic for review, which was mentioned by the casualty doc at the time as the thing to do if the pain wasn't settling.

Hope you get through the GP Receptionist Gestapo.  I ended up going back to A&E. Formal complaints now into PALS for the misdiagnosis, and a complaint into the GP Practice about the receptionist not allowing me any appointments despite medical evidence of a hip fracture from a physio, and the lack of follow up post diagnosis that was specified in a hospital discharge letter. 

What ever happens, I'm not going back to the Practice to see a GP or Nurse. I'll just use it for repeat prescriptions.

Yikes. That's awful.

Me

Drove my femur through my pelvis.  Tried to walk it off..

Had a 6hr reconstruction surgery....  including blood transfusion.

Then a hip replacement 5yrs later.

Had a really shit time of it.

However im alreet now.  Pm me if you want a proper chat.

Oh i was miss diagnosed. Twice and sent home...

Consultant turned up at my house looking rather sheepish.

Just glad I avoided surgery TBH. Will need a complete hip replacement at some point I've been told but really didn't fancy it at the six or twelve week point.  Been holding off booking a holiday.

Best thing ever the thr.