Broken battered and pissed off - Now with XRAYs

P-Jay

Worst weekend of my life. Should have been great, a take-it-easy ride at afan, birthday BBQ in the evening and then pack up my shocker to go to morzine. But took a tumble on Penhydd, a trail I've done hundreds of times and not a particually tech section. Hit a rock hidden by a grass, impact twisted the bars and snapped my wrist. Over the bars, faceplanted (fox make a very good lid so no I'll effects of that) tumbled over and over (I think) and crushed my elbow.

Had a 4 hour op to rebuild my elbow, nice big plate in there now, just waiting to hear results of ct scan it see if my wrist needs a plate. In a lot of pain and chances are I'll never have the strengh in my elbow for dh again, obviously won't be off the the alps this weekend.

Some things I've learnt from it. My elbow pads were left in the van, might have helped, might not have, but did shit for me in the van.

Helmets, yes every time

we didn't have a phone between us. Asking my mate to ho for help and lying on the ground with two broken arms for what felt like years was the darkest time of my life. No other riders arrived until the Amblulace was there. If you want to ride alone take a phone, not that there's a signal on that trail or I could have used it in my state.

It'll be months before I can even ride to the shops, and my never be able to ride trail centres or dh ever again.

Be carefully out there. The ground is hard at the mo, speed is easy and falls harder landings than usuall.

geordiefreerider

Unlucky mate but remember, doctors tend to pass the worst case scenario to cover their own backs, I had a really bad off when I was 18 fracturing both elbows badly they both needed screwed back together as well as my knee, trust me if you want to you WILL ride again just keep a positive attitude, do your physio properly and hopefully you'll be back on in no time, this is why I always ride xc with pads now, coz you never know when your gonna have a spill - good luck mate !!

bristolpete

Shit mate, take it easy and a speedy recovery to you.

Where are you based?

-liam-

Gutted for you chap.

We all take the risks I suppose. Can happen at any time.

I had a lovely one a few weeks ago that could of ended in tears like yours. 2 biggest bruises I have ever seen in my life, a lump the size of a tennis ball on my hip and grazes all down my right arm and right side of my body , I was lucky though.

I don't wear pads. I find them uncomfortable and restrictive. I also think they protect you from cuts and grazes and bruising but if you fall on your arm heavily they won't stop a break...my opinion.

Helmets every day of the week though.

snotty badger

:shock:

Thats some bad poopoo mate. I'm sure you'll be on the mend soon and back on a bike.

The good thing about MTB' is its enjoyable even if not hurtling downhill at 30mph+ so you can still get out once healed up nicely.

Just think you can start thinking what top XC bike to get...

cee

ouch,

make sure to do everything the physio tells you...make it your routine.

Recovery rates and final recovery post-op are always much better when you make sure you do what they tell you. make that your routine for now and hopefully get back on the bike later....

C

The Northern Monkey

Damn!!
Get well soon mate

cat_with_no_tail

Nasty!
Your extra man points are in the post. Get well soon.

counterculture

mate, i feel for you, like everyone says do what the docs tell you and keep positive, im sure you'll get back on your bike eventually.

bike husband

Hi mate,sorry to read your post, hope you mend soon and can get back to riding again

paul.skibum

Get well soon - your pain is my pain (only slightly lessened by me not actually being hurt and not really knowing you - this isn't helping is it?) IGMC.

Stormtrooper

Hope you get well soon i'd be absolutely gutted as i bet you are.
What part of penhydd was it on? i was up there sunday as i am on most weekends and worst of all on my own and your right about phones up there, they aint worth sh!t.

Raymondavalon

P-Jay,

Healing is as much mental as it is physical. Keep the spirits high, think positive and you'll be back in the saddle in no time.
In April last year whilst riding I broke my lower right leg in 6 places, 11 screws and a plate. The surgeon who bolted me back together told me I'd recover well, however his colleague at the fracture clinic wasn't quite as positive.

I am up and riding harder and better than ever - plus I am in my 40's so not quite a youngster.
If I can do it, you can too! Keep your chin up, your body will tell you what you need to eat to heal faster, follow it's lead and you'll be pushing down on those cranks in no time at all

Get well soon good man and keep us informed of the progress!

Si78

Stay positive pal, when all is healed and you have got your strength back I'm sure you will be back riding at all your favourite places.

Good reminder to everyone of the importance of wearing helmets, and taking phones or riding with mates.

Get well soon!

grantway

Sorry to hear Mate

Not wearing any Elbow Pads?

TimesLikeThese

If you have any more ops lined up then go private for a consultation at least. And preferably to a sports injury specialist for that joint. I did that for my knee and various physios have since commented that they are amazed at how small and neat the incision is (about 5 inches) and how strange it is for me to be able to straighten my leg again compared to others who have had the op! So I'm convinced a good surgeon can make all the difference.

I know it gets frustrating as hell but stick with the physio and dont try doing any weights/resistances too far over what you are meant to be doing. I tried doing squats at the gym and delayed my recovery by a few months! So always do your physio and start asap to minimise muscle atrophy.

So stay positive, stay focussed and you will be doing things again that some naysayers would think you couldnt.

bomberesque

my sympathies. I had a big off myself 8 weeks ago, thought I had broken my leg for the first few minutes, then had to wait 4 weeks for the swelling to go down enough for them to CT the knee to check for ligament damage. I was *very* lucky.

as ^ they say, get a physio, a good one, and follow their instructions to the letter. you will recover much faster and more completely that way.

I trust you have a wife / GF to look after you. Get a brass bell, they're great!

miss notax

Blimey :shock:

All the best for a speedy recovery and fingers crossed you'll be back on the bike soon

cgarossi

Sorry to hear about this. I'm sure you'll make a good recovery and bore your mates with the story at the pub over and over again

Thats what I would do!

SDK2007

All the best for the recovery.

I've been off for 8 weeks with a broken collar bone so know how you're going to feel sitting at home when the weather is awesome.

GHill

Feels like a bit of an echo, but all the best for a speedy recovery mate.

Chaz.Harding

SDK2007 wrote:

I've been off for 8 weeks with a broken collar bone so know how you're going to feel sitting at home when the weather is awesome.

Pussy. Lance Armstrong was out the next day!!! :twisted:















JOKE!!!!!!!

Chaz.Harding

PS, speed recoveries for you both. The weather is good, and I can only imagine what it's like not to ride. Sorry guys!

DrWorm

All the best to you dude.

You'll ride again, keep it positive, I know it's hard. I sprained my ankle (nothing in comparison I know) and just staying off my bike/hiking for 10 days so far has killed me. All I think is "Once I get back out how sweet it will feel".

Sounds a brutal crash though, hope you get some tasty scars to impress/scare the mates/ladies/kids. :twisted:

Phinx

I was 13 when i rode my bike down an descending road at about 20mph (ridiculous at the time). Managed to catch the curb, which made me fly over the handlebars and land on my left arm with my whole body weight pushing on it - broke my arm in 2 places. And worst thing is i broke it in te first days of June! Ended up with a cast starting at my shoulder, covering all of my arm all the way to the tips of my fingers. That was an exciting summer...

Keep it together, you'll ride and you'll ride good 8)

borderboy

you havnt said what happened to your morzine tickets now i have a few days............

Sorry couldn,t resist it Only joking
Stay positive and you are half way to a full recovery

Mancunianfightingcat

borderboy wrote:

you havnt said what happened to your morzine tickets now i have a few days............

or the bike!!!!!!!


Chin up fella! STick with the physio and prove to the world that you're a double hard bastard!

P-Jay

Travel insurance is ponying up most of the money back thank god. Gonna take a non-mtb holiday as soon as my casts are off.

My mates did originaly my bike was fine, but they had to tell me the truth once my spirits were back up, cracked the rear triangle, should be fixable though.

My big aim is to be fit enough for a Holiday to. Whistler next year!!

delcol

sorry to hear of your accident.

hope you have a speedy recovery..

whistler is awesome been there 3 time in just over 12 months and due to go back in september..

how long till your casts come off...

P-Jay

About two weeks for the elbow, three for the other arm. The up side to pins/plates is you get the use back muck quicker, but my elbow needs lots of physio.

Still, there's some minty lookin' student nurses around. I do enjoy my morning bagging....



Sadly that just means I have to strip to the waist so they can put black bags on my arms so I can shower.

dave_hill

Horrendous, speedy recovery fella.

P-Jay wrote:

chances are I'll never have the strengh in my elbow for dh again

Course you will. Think about the guy who was crushed by his own Land Rover in Afghanistan when it blown over by an IED. Snapped his spine and crushed his pelvis, they said he'd never walk again. But he wouldn't take no for an answer and completed the London Marathon earlier this year - took him a fortnight but he did it.

Think positive, stay positive!!