Bad Accident - 3 Months Off

pb21

4 weeks ago I broke my hip

It may be two more months till I can start to do stuff like cycling. Although I think/hope I will be able to do very easy stuff on my indoor trainer before then.

My fitness before the accident was good. I had been cycling for 4 years continuously clocking up over 30,000 miles in that time. I could go out and knock out 100 hilly miles in 6 or less hours comfortably and was reasonably fast over shorter distances.

What will I be like after three months of hobbling around on crutches (very unfit I expect) and how long do you think it will take to get back up to a strong level of fitness?

woodford2barbican

Firstly, sorry to hear about your bad luck and I hope you get back on your bike soon.

Luckily, I have no experience of any serious injury, but I was told once (and it is probably an old wive's tale but it may reassure) that it takes a month of focused activity to make up for a year of slothfulness.

I imagine that is complete balls - but I can't see that it will set you back that much - footballers snap limbs and are back playing at the top level iabout a year from the injury.

Perhaps that is something you could aim for - to be back at your previous level twelve months after the injury?

Anyway, good luck.

craiguk

PB, bad news hopefully you'll be on the mend and out on the bike before too long. One of the guys in our club had a hip replacement last october and he was out on the bike fairly quickly and has been racing already this year, putting in some good performances too. Just keep off the munchies whilst you are out of the saddle or it'll be a real struggle when you get going again.

steve palmer

I was fighting fit but on the 4th March I had an emergency bowel operation. My diet was liquid only for 10 days afterwards whilst in the hospital and I was told to stay away from any exercise for 6 weeks. Its very frustrating when you are a the top of your game so to speak and something comes along and ruins it for you. I cycle for fitness and am more interested in putting on lean muscle then being as light as possible for cycling. Nevertheless I was amazed at how quickly the body can come back from such a lay-off. I tried to eat well during my non-exercise period but the weight did fall off which was undoubtedly mainly muscle. Nevertheless, I was back on the turbo on the 6 week deadline and completed the Castle 100 for AMR (which I was registered for back in Jan) less than 3 weeks after getting back on the bike.

You sound like a much better/fitter athlete than me to begin with and I would be very optimistic about your recovery time. Don't rush it and listen to the doctors advice but I think you will be pleasantly surprised when you get the bike out again. Good luck.

pb21

Thanks for the replies. I am going to be really motivated in getting back into shape when I get back on the bike, like you say though I will have not to rush things.

I think it may take some time though as I will have lost a lot of strength and movement in my bad leg, which it seems takes longer to come back than other aspects of fitness.

graeme_s-2

Could you start doing some other sort of cardiovascular work sooner than you can get back on the bike? Might be worth discussing it with your doctor, I'd have thought swimming for instance might put less strain on your hip.