OFF - ruptured ligament - medical advice sought

The Chingford Skinhead

Had an off this a.m. when a ped appeared from behind a bus without looking - tried to avoid but clipped him and landed on left shoulder. Hospital v slow but staff nice. no fracture or dislocation but ligaments ruptured and blooming painful. can't see fracture clinic until next week.

Any advice on reducing pain, keeping arm moving without more pain or feeling things move - yes i'm squeamish as hell - and recovery times much appreciated.

Ouch, ouch and thrice ouch!

jedster

nasty, sorry to hear that. Ice and anti-inflamatories. DId they give you any good drugs?

il_principe

Bad luck mate, you have my sympathy. I can't give you any advice at all, except to say HTFU as soon as you can and best of luck! Fcuking dozy peds.

greg66_tri_v2.0

ibuprofen for pain and to reduce swelling. You can mix it with up to a gramme of paracetamol once every 6 hours. Ice pack on the shoulder. Immobilise it.

Don't stay on that drug routine too long.

Usual disclaimers about not knowing what I'm talking about.

cjcp

If you take inhalers for asthma, there may be limits on what painkillers you can take. I have to stay away from Ibuprofen.

Bad luck, mate. Recover fast.

The Chingford Skinhead

cheers folks.

Ped admitted it was his fault swveral times and was v apologetic. offered to phone someone and to check i was ok - though his "it's your shoulder, isn't it" commentary wasn't helping !!! YES that's why i'm clutching it and trying not to whimper!!! :!: :shock: Can't fault the guy for trying to help and not trying to blame me - though if i'd hit him full on he'd have been on the deck & sharing my pain.

No advice from hosp on ice etc but will give it a go.

Drugs - co-dydramol tablets - dihydrocedeine, tartrate and paracetamol.
Side effects - constapation, lovely :roll: :twisted: . Nurse said try ibru... as well.

this one fingered typing is a real pain!

The Chingford Skinhead

cjcp wrote:

If you take inhalers for asthma, there may be limits on what painkillers you can take. I have to stay away from Ibuprofen.

Bad luck, mate. Recover fast.

No other medical probs so ok. Though i've broken / damaged hospital style 8 parts of my bhody - every single one on my left side :?

Underscore

Generally, the advice for these sorts of injuries is RICE:

Rest Ice Compression Elevation

In terms of recovery, rugby players with ligament damage seem to be out for about 3-6 weeks - ruptured ligaments usually require an operation and many months recovery. Hope you're suffering the former rather than the latter!

HTH,

_

The Chingford Skinhead

Underscore wrote:

Generally, the advice for these sorts of injuries is RICE:

Rest Ice Compression Elevation

In terms of recovery, rugby players with ligament damage seem to be out for about 3-6 weeks - ruptured ligaments usually require an operation and many months recovery. Hope you're suffering the former rather than the latter!

HTH,

_

:shock: :!: Flip - hope it is damage rather than rupture then . Doc said he hoped I wouldn't need surgery but my luck isn't always good! (no ship sherlock - see 1st post)

Noe the important Q - with those nike wrist bands still being trendy and kids keeping festival wrist bands on for weeks ... do i cut my hospital band off now or wait for daughter and friends to come in from college

jedster

co-dydramol

Yep, they should do nicely. Think Greg is right - don't want to be moving it for a little while yet.

BTW - my GP said I could take double the recommended dose of Ibuprofen for four days.

IME doctors pop pills like mad - they know that the maximum recommended dose gives huge margin for error and reflects long-term impact too.


J

Feltup

I ruptured my ACL and had surgery which meant I was out of action(ish) for 12 months. If it is a small tear then expect a few months before it is getting back to full strength. Ligaments take a lot longer to repair than bones. Sorry for the gloominess.

I would suggest that you get it looked at asap as that will speed your recovery. Do you have private health insurance? If you do get to a good sports physio straight away and they will be able to advise you on where is best to get it looked at. I had a MRI scan first but that was inconclusive so they did an arthroscopy to check it out and found I had totally ruptured it.

Fingers crossed you can get it sorted nice and quickly and that it is just a strain.

edit: btw I heard my ligament snap.

The Chingford Skinhead

Ceers Feltup. No private insurance but may go to local sports injury specialist for advice. Didn't hear it snap (did with my broken leg years ago yuk) and pain wasn't immediate so fingers ant toes crossed

Hard bit now will be facing Mrs TCS who will want to ban the bike etc - her sypathy will last 30 mins max before being replaced by "i told yopu so / bike has to go / Londfon paris trip is off etc"

Feltup

Fingers crossed with the missus, sounds like that could be the long term problem!

biondino

Massive sympathy, TCS. It's a double blow for us cyclists - being in pain and inconvenienced AND not being able to ride! makes me glad that I *only* broke a rib in my last accident. Get well soon!

sufferingpete

ruptured my ACL and had surgery which meant I was out of action(ish) for 12 months. If it is a small tear then expect a few months before it is getting back to full strength. Ligaments take a lot longer to repair than bones. Sorry for the gloominess.

I would suggest that you get it looked at asap as that will speed your recovery. Do you have private health insurance? If you do get to a good sports physio straight away and they will be able to advise you on where is best to get it looked at. I had a MRI scan first but that was inconclusive so they did an arthroscopy to check it out and found I had totally ruptured it.

Fingers crossed you can get it sorted nice and quickly and that it is just a strain.

edit: btw I heard my ligament snap.

Me also but took circa 2 years to be rasonalble fit.
I feel your pain!

Christophe3967

Jeez, that's bad luck. Pedestrians constitute the greatest threat to our general wellbeing IMO and there's nothing much you can do, other than assume some lemming is going to walk out in front of you after every bus or lorry. I am very cautious these days filtering down the nearside in traffic. Shoulders are slow to clear up, but you'll be able to get back on the bike well before its fully operational, so that's the positive bit. My physio was walking my fingers up a wall, holding a broom handle and doing bench presses, using the good shoulder to support the other. Once the swelling has calmed down, its all about exercising. Watch out if you have children, they'll forget they can't swing on your hand. I think its the only time I've used the F word in front of them :oops:

tiny_pens

Underscore wrote:

Generally, the advice for these sorts of injuries is RICE:

Rest Ice Compression Elevation

In terms of recovery, rugby players with ligament damage seem to be out for about 3-6 weeks - ruptured ligaments usually require an operation and many months recovery. Hope you're suffering the former rather than the latter!

HTH,

_

Without trying to be too pessimistic, do remember that professional athletes have access to the very best care and rehabilitation - including those electric muscle stimulators to avoid muscle atrophy whilst they are recovering.

Ligament injuries take a long time to repair because unlike muscles, there is very little blood flow taking the oxygen which is needed for repair. You may find a pain killer/ anti inflammatory based gel beneficial as it can take the drugs to the affected part of the body better and the massaging action of applying the gel can be beneficial in promoting blood flow to the affected area as well.

Last summer I damaged the ligaments in my knee and the biggest challenge for me was readjusting my expectations of injury length. I found an online article about how to rehabilitate and it probably took me about 3 times as long as the quoted times because I was trying to fit my rehabilitation into the time when I wasn't at work.

That said if you can discover the correct stretches (from a doctor or physio) then it can make a huge difference to the amount of time you take to recover.

HTH

Tiny

prj45

Christophe3967 wrote:

Jeez, that's bad luck. Pedestrians constitute the greatest threat to our general wellbeing IMO

So does coming out from behind a bus at a speed that means if there's a ped there you're going to go flying...

prj45

The Chingford Skinhead wrote:

cheers folks.

Ped admitted it was his fault swveral times and was v apologetic.

I can't work that out, he had as much right to be in the road as you, and you both did the same thing, pop out from behind a bus without really looking...

Sorry! Bad timingI know, but it's really sad to see a fellow cyclist taken off of the road by an otherwise completley avoidable situation.

The Chingford Skinhead

prj45 wrote:

So does coming out from behind a bus at a speed that means if there's a ped there you're going to go flying...

prj45 wrote:

I can't work that out, he had as much right to be in the road as you, and you both did the same thing, pop out from behind a bus without really looking...

Sorry! Bad timingI know, but it's really sad to see a fellow cyclist taken off of the road by an otherwise completley avoidable situation.

I totally disagree with you.
My positioning: I wasn't coming out from behind a bus. The road at this point is two lanes on my side. I'm in the outer lane passing the bus which is at the stop.

My speed: I'm not an scr type rider, my speed was moderate but enough to get me past the bus without it pulling out. So i was not speeding. even at say 10mph if you clip someone or something you'll go over if the contact is big enough. the level of damage is down to luck - or lack of it - in how you fall.

My view: unlike walking out from in front of a car my view of the ped was totally obscured by the bus.

Ped's positioning: it's a busy road leading to a busy junction 15 metres ahead with crossings plus a zebra crossing 20 metres behind. So he had safe options to cross the road

Ped view: he walked out looking left only. If i'd been motorised transport he'd have been in real trouble but i guess he looked with his ears

I fail to see what more i could have done. right lane, low speed. I could of course get off and walk at any busy road or sit behind buses all day - that would mean i abandon my right to behave like normal traffic but i guess i'd be spared your sanctimonious and ill informed twaddle

greg66_tri_v2.0

The Chingford Skinhead wrote:

My speed: I'm not an scr type rider, my speed was moderate but enough to get me past the bus without it pulling out. So i was not speeding.

Get out. Now. And don't come back until you are. :P

The Chingford Skinhead wrote:

even at say 10mph if you clip someone or something you'll go over if the contact is big enough. the level of damage is down to luck - or lack of it - in how you fall.

Bang on the money. Esp the last bit. Ask Liam Neeson.

Christophe3967

The Chingford Skinhead wrote:

prj45 wrote:

So does coming out from behind a bus at a speed that means if there's a ped there you're going to go flying...

prj45 wrote:

I can't work that out, he had as much right to be in the road as you, and you both did the same thing, pop out from behind a bus without really looking...

Sorry! Bad timingI know, but it's really sad to see a fellow cyclist taken off of the road by an otherwise completley avoidable situation.

I totally disagree with you.
My positioning: I wasn't coming out from behind a bus. The road at this point is two lanes on my side. I'm in the outer lane passing the bus which is at the stop.

My speed: I'm not an scr type rider, my speed was moderate but enough to get me past the bus without it pulling out. So i was not speeding. even at say 10mph if you clip someone or something you'll go over if the contact is big enough. the level of damage is down to luck - or lack of it - in how you fall.

My view: unlike walking out from in front of a car my view of the ped was totally obscured by the bus.

Ped's positioning: it's a busy road leading to a busy junction 15 metres ahead with crossings plus a zebra crossing 20 metres behind. So he had safe options to cross the road

Ped view: he walked out looking left only. If i'd been motorised transport he'd have been in real trouble but i guess he looked with his ears

I fail to see what more i could have done. right lane, low speed. I could of course get off and walk at any busy road or sit behind buses all day - that would mean i abandon my right to behave like normal traffic but i guess i'd be spared your sanctimonious and ill informed twaddle

+1

Actually I don't think prj45's read the posts fully, as I said that I ride slowly around buses and expect to see people popping out from behind them. Or perhaps he doesn't ride much in London. I never yell at peds, as I understand that they don't necessarily perceive the real risk they are exposing themselves too. We are all peds as well and I for one still find myself about to step off the pavement sometimes to walk past a slow moving crowd, before remembering to check that there isn't a cyclist coming up behind me. We're cocooned and don't think we're can be in danger when we're walking, but I guess we've learned from the news how serious low speed collisions can be.

dombo6

Christophe3967 wrote:

Jeez, that's bad luck. Pedestrians constitute the greatest threat to our general wellbeing IMO and there's nothing much you can do, other than assume some lemming is going to walk out in front of you after every bus or lorry. I am very cautious these days filtering down the nearside in traffic.

Do not do this.

It is very dangerous as peds do not expect anything to be coming between the vehicles and the kerb. Same with disembarking passengers. It is also how cyclists get killed by left turning buses, HGVs etc. If you filter on the OUTSIDE you can see oncoming traffic, peds should be more aware as they are crossing a road into traffic, and you are less lkely to get doored by a disembarking passenger.

Christophe3967

Dombo6 wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

Jeez, that's bad luck. Pedestrians constitute the greatest threat to our general wellbeing IMO and there's nothing much you can do, other than assume some lemming is going to walk out in front of you after every bus or lorry. I am very cautious these days filtering down the nearside in traffic.

Do not do this.

It is very dangerous as peds do not expect anything to be coming between the vehicles and the kerb. Same with disembarking passengers. It is also how cyclists get killed by left turning buses, HGVs etc. If you filter on the OUTSIDE you can see oncoming traffic, peds should be more aware as they are crossing a road into traffic, and you are less lkely to get doored by a disembarking passenger.

Really? I'd never have thought of that. :roll: :roll:

dombo6

Anytime. Glad to be of help, spreading my wisdom among the cycling community, making a new friend every day

biondino

Dombo6 wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

Jeez, that's bad luck. Pedestrians constitute the greatest threat to our general wellbeing IMO and there's nothing much you can do, other than assume some lemming is going to walk out in front of you after every bus or lorry. I am very cautious these days filtering down the nearside in traffic.

Do not do this.

It is very dangerous as peds do not expect anything to be coming between the vehicles and the kerb. Same with disembarking passengers. It is also how cyclists get killed by left turning buses, HGVs etc. If you filter on the OUTSIDE you can see oncoming traffic, peds should be more aware as they are crossing a road into traffic, and you are less lkely to get doored by a disembarking passenger.

Aaargh. You're not wrong, per se, but there are plenty of occasions when nearside filtering is fine and advisable, and plenty of occasions where filtering on the right is foolhardy or potentially fatal. Two key things: 1) on the right if you end up being forced into oncoming traffic you could easily be dead; 2) people, peds, drivers etc. expect cyclists to be on the inside. Doesn't mean they always pay attention mind.

So, filter safely according to the situation.

Christophe3967

biondino wrote:

Dombo6 wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

Jeez, that's bad luck. Pedestrians constitute the greatest threat to our general wellbeing IMO and there's nothing much you can do, other than assume some lemming is going to walk out in front of you after every bus or lorry. I am very cautious these days filtering down the nearside in traffic.

Do not do this.

It is very dangerous as peds do not expect anything to be coming between the vehicles and the kerb. Same with disembarking passengers. It is also how cyclists get killed by left turning buses, HGVs etc. If you filter on the OUTSIDE you can see oncoming traffic, peds should be more aware as they are crossing a road into traffic, and you are less lkely to get doored by a disembarking passenger.

Aaargh. You're not wrong, per se, but there are plenty of occasions when nearside filtering is fine and advisable, and plenty of occasions where filtering on the right is foolhardy or potentially fatal. Two key things: 1) on the right if you end up being forced into oncoming traffic you could easily be dead; 2) people, peds, drivers etc. expect cyclists to be on the inside. Doesn't mean they always pay attention mind.

So, filter safely according to the situation.

+1

What I didn't say was there is a recent long and informative thread on the subject of filtering. I do try to stay on the subject of the thread if I can, although going off at a tangent can be very amusing.

Ultimately, sweeping generalisations of this type are never helpful.

DonDaddyD

Hope you get better dude. Well wishes coming my way!

prj45

Christophe3967 wrote:

Actually I don't think prj45's read the posts fully, as I said that I ride slowly around buses and expect to see people popping out from behind them.

Hands up, I got it wrong, I assumed Chingford was flitering, not riding in his own lane. Sorry!

Christophe3967 wrote:

Or perhaps he doesn't ride much in London.

24 miles a day mate, from out West to the City and back.

The Chingford Skinhead

Update
Well, seen specialist. prob is with one of the bones in my shoulder - so better news than expected. Just need to keep arm immobilised for severasl weeks and hope bone settles back somewhere near right position to avoid the need for surgery. Occassional pain but generally just mild discomfort

Can't believe how frustrating it is not being on bike, knowing that a major planned tour is off and that mrs tcs wants to ban commuting ~(reinforced message at least twice a day) though thankfully not a ban on weekend excursions. One hand typing is also a nightmare.

I don't think access to web amd mags on bikes is helping though i do worry that a long lay-off may affect my confidence

Oh well, must learn to be patient... any tips?

woodford2barbican

No tips - but good luck with the Mrs.

Did you do this on Lea Bridge Road?