Doctors ordering off the bike

Mark Alexander

I've been forced off the bike by a big cat.
I came off and slammed into a Jaguar (it won). I have a cracked rib and have been forced to stay home and more seriously, off the bike.

How long does it take to go stir crazy?

Frank the tank

I would think it all depends on what ahem "distractions" you have.

Fantasia

Hi

Painful - worse bit with a cracked rib was trying to get out of bed first thing in the morning - I can remember crawling out and trying not to move anything.

Don't let anyone start you laughing - the pain is unbelievabel :twisted:

oakins242

Broken ribs are a nightmare.

Coughing, sneezing, laghing, shouting, almost anything with an ing, is painful, and there's not a lot you can do about it.

biondino

Mark, how long did the doc say to stay off the bike for? I cracked a rib(s) last Sunday while doing a somersault on my roadie and after 9 days I am desperate to get riding again. It's improving but still pretty uncomfortable and heavy breathing is out but surely I can have a pootle. Can't I?

Monty Dog

It can take 6+ weeks to recover from cracked / bruised ribs so don't expect any overnight recoveries

biondino

Yeah, this is the third time I've done it but the first while I've been regularly riding. I'd like to get back on the bike this weekend at the latest, i.e. 2 weeks after the accident, but is that unwise?

jimycooper

took me 6 weeks, any hard breathing from riding was massivly painfull, so stayed off completly

Mark Alexander

biondino wrote:

Mark, how long did the doc say to stay off the bike for? I cracked a rib(s) last Sunday while doing a somersault on my roadie and after 9 days I am desperate to get riding again. It's improving but still pretty uncomfortable and heavy breathing is out but surely I can have a pootle. Can't I?

She didn't say. I was too busy trying to chat her up and forgot to ask. My first race is on the 15th though.

No, I didn't get anywhere.

Fantasia

Hi

Mines was 6 weeks before it was ok.

I did mine horse riding - 1 week off the horse (as per doctors orders) - then I was back on, but the pain was with me for 6 weeks before it went.

rob_spedding

Tell me about it - I came off on Monday. Unlike you, no breaks - used my face as a brake though so I'm not as handsome as usual - just really, really sore, but I'm desperate to get riding again. And it's only been two days!

biondino

Fantasia - thank you, that "one week" thing is just what I wanted to see! Having said that, it's pretty sore today and the thought of a bumpy road surface makes me feel a bit ill. Could I get away with taking 80psi or so out of my 23mm tyres?

Of course what sucks most is I was actually beginning to feel a noticeable increase in fitness. Now I have to start again.

STEFANOS4784

Taking 80 psi out? Wouldn't do that personally unless you're running at 160 now :?
You've got broken ribs as well haven't you, must be the season for it, i'll have to be careful cos they do hurt

Mark Alexander

I was just beginning to feel stronger too. Being good is difficult. Write out 100 times. I must stay off the bike, I must stay off the bike, I must stay off the bike...... :twisted:

Don't let your tyres down to make the ride softer, you're more likely to puncture.

Cycling Dave

I'm on a back brace after fracturing three vertebrae, so am goin through similar (worse?) stir craziness than your good self.
I once went out on a club ride and mental maurice was riding on the drops at all times cos it was the only comfy position he could find. He's broken his robs the week previous.

Crazy man.

Just take painkillers, they're only ribs

Mark Alexander

Cycling Dave wrote:

I'm on a back brace after fracturing three vertebrae, so am goin through similar (worse?) stir craziness than your good self.
I once went out on a club ride and mental maurice was riding on the drops at all times cos it was the only comfy position he could find. He's broken his robs the week previous.

Crazy man.

Just take painkillers, they're only ribs

That takes the biscuit. good luck

cyclingmev

Cracked a couple of ribs last year, and nearly ended up through the ceiling when the Dr who was squishing my rib cage and asking 'does it hurt there?????' ...oh, such a gentle touch! Took about 6-ish weeks to heal properly, after not much sleep, almost passing out when i sneezed and laughed....low pain threshold, i'm only a woman!! Only just got back in a bike, as didn't have a spare after the accident and just got a new Trek...he's beautiful! Happy and rapid healing, back on your bike you'll soon be!!

PS on another note, my brother cracked his ribs years ago when a horse threw a strop and threw him off...never ride anything that doesn't have brakes and you can't control!!!!!

Mark Alexander

I think that I've got it easy. Compared to the recovery horror stories I'm reading here. It must have seemed worse at the time.

---CameraLucida---

Woah! You crashed into a Jaguar! We are talking the car, right?

Mark Alexander

yes.

biondino

Am going to have a gentle ride on Sunday (with tyres at maybe 70-80psi I reckon - for the first two years of riding my roadie I had the tyres at approx 60 psi which I thought was normal :oops: ) and I'll report back.

Things not to do with broken ribs #153: park too close to a fence, meaning you have to get in and out of the car via the passenger seat. OUCH.

Things not to do with broken ribs #154: be in the early days of a fun new relationship and think "I'm not going to let broken bones get in the way of my newly active love life". OUCH.

(NB #154 was from the last time I broke them. My current relationship has been going for too long for this to be a major problem )

Mark Alexander

sadly, no worries about rule 154 chanc would be a fine thing!

El Capitano

In 2007 I broke two ribs (near right collar bone) and my little finger - took the end of a MTB handlbar into the chest. That took me off the bike for a couple of weeks. Last year I took the saddle to the lower half of my chest, fractured a couple of ribs. (kept on riding for that afternoon, only realising there was a 'serious' problem the following morning. Again it kept me off the bike for a couple of weeks.

This year, I've already torn my latterial ligaments on my right leg. I couldn't walk for a couple of days, but still managed to turn over the pedals on the exercise bike within 10 days of the injury.

Yes, I do have a very high pain threshold. I don't recommend what I do to anyone. Let your body heal properly before you start any serious exercise.

I was once told by my doctor to stay of my bike for 12 months - I was recovering from having my stomach rebuilt. I was very good and did as I was told. I just took up middle distance running instead...

STEFANOS4784

biondino wrote:

Am going to have a gentle ride on Sunday (with tyres at maybe 70-80psi I reckon )

Watch out or you'll have:
Things not to do with broken ribs no 155. Trying to fix a puncture :shock:

Mithras

I'm into my second week of recovery, mnaged to kep riding until yesterday when I finally succumbed to a trip to A&E, now on Co-Codomol for the pain. Been told 3-5 weeks before I can resume regular activity (bearing in mind my idea of regular activity could involve fighting with people, or being hit wih large axes and swords). I'm already very PI55ED off, because I'll be on light duties at work.......I don't do indoors....... :x

Mark Alexander

Mithras wrote:

I'm into my second week of recovery, mnaged to kep riding until yesterday when I finally succumbed to a trip to A&E, now on Co-Codomol for the pain. Been told 3-5 weeks before I can resume regular activity (bearing in mind my idea of regular activity could involve fighting with people, or being hit wih large axes and swords). I'm already very PI55ED off, because I'll be on light duties at work.......I don't do indoors....... :x

De ja vu! Just got back from the docs and it sounds the same. sam advice ansame hard drugs!