Recovery from broken neck of femur

753forme
753forme Posts: 59
edited April 2008 in Training, fitness and health
Hi all. I'm new on the forum. Before Christmas I broke the neck of my femur in four places and had a dynamic hip screw and a load of screws put in my left leg. Managing to get out on the bike now doing about an hour. Left leg much weaker than the right. Has any one out there had this injury before and any advice on how long it will take to get back to fitness.

I'd appreciate any advice people have. Cheers.

Comments

  • normanp
    normanp Posts: 279
    I had this injury - a single break from ski-ing. Two long bolts and plate with 2 screws. I think it is very important to get good physiotherapy over several months. I broke the leg in Feb and was not out cycling on the road til August. However I had a great walking holiday in the Pyrenees in July (instead of the Etape!) - using walking poles (a good idea anyway). The physio will guide you to build strength and flexibility - I had a complex series of exercises (not just leg - stomach & back too) + turbo sessions which varied as time went on and started well before I was allowed to put my full weight on the leg. Quite a lot was done to ensure that the glutes were properly in use and that core muscles were habitually engaged. This was all on the NHS by the way. After an easy cycling autumn I was back fully in action next spring and did the Gap-Alpe D'Huez successfully the next year. Age matters I think - I was 52 at the time so probably needed more time than a younger person - you don't say how old you are. It took a full 2 years before the leg felt pretty much the same as the good one without any aches - my walk is still a little uneven. I have decided to leave the bolts in - I don't want to be opened up again!
  • 753forme
    753forme Posts: 59
    Great to get a swift response from you NormanP. I've just turned 48 in March. Sounds like I'm doing okay given your experience. Like you I have had extensive physiotherapy, and I will need to keep doing loads of exercises on weight machines for the weak leg to get it back to the same strength as the good one. I've just been discharged by the NHS physio this week.
    I have figured out that my racing days are over but it's great to hear that It's possible to get back to doing sportives/audax. At present my weak leg is only about two-thirds the strength of the good one, and clearly it's going to be a long haul before it comes right. I'm finding it very tough when riding into a strong headwind or up a decent gradient. I'm fine out of the saddle but it's the power when sitting that is the problem. No doubt it will come with time - just need to be patient - thanks very much for the encouragement that your experience has given me.
  • normanp
    normanp Posts: 279
    Sounds like you are doing really well. Because after this break the two parts of the cartilege may not be running exactly along the same grooves as before there is a danger of arthritis setting in earlier for that joint - I don't think that there is a lot we can do about this but I decided that a fairly gentle build-back to strength is needed to give the possibly new alignment time to 'bed in'. I also religiously took glucosamine and chondroitin tablets and cod liver oil. I got back to full strength - and cycled faster than I had before... not now actually as I crashed into some roadworks a few weeks ago & crushed a vertebra (another story! I am confined to the Turbo for a few weeks... hmmm)

Categories