broken tibia

Ridergirl

Hi there,
i am recovering from a crash i had in Nov that resulted in a broken leg. The top end of my tibia cracked at the top about half way around and there was a long crack down the length of the bone. Luckily for me my knee held up with not much damage to soft tissue.
What happened was a skate board when under the back wheel of my bike. i when down so fast i just don’t remember a thing - i went down on the left side but it was my right leg that took the hit.
My concern is why didn’t my cleat let go? i must have twisted my knee really far to have done that kind of damage.
I was using Candy peddles with Northware cycling boots (they are just like cross country ski boots but for cycling in cold weather).
The cleats on my boots were well warn. I didn’t replace them because i though this would be better for breaking out if something went wrong but clearly this was not the case.
i cant imagine cycling without clips but this not releasing is a concern.
Any thought?

homers_double

I'm guessing the skate board swiped the back end out from under you and you didn't have time to react?

cougie

I'd really not worry too much about it - that sounds like a completely freaky accident and it'll never happen again.

If you can release the shoe OK when you need to - just go with that.

fudgey

I came off my MTB a few years ago going too fast round a right hander, dropped the bike down on the right, hit the road with face, hands and knee then rolled. my left foot unclipped by my right foot didnt. the bike went over me as i rolled foot still attached and only came off when it hit the floor.

result was a Trimalleolar Webber B fracture of the right ankle. ie i broke my ankle in 2 places.

was in a cast 7 weeks and 2 days, then had a boot thing for another month and several months of rehab.

i dont have full movement back still 3 years on, and i suspect never will...





i hope make a good recovery.

Ridergirl

It’s pretty cool how the hospitals give you the x-ray images now so you can take them home and examine your damage at leisure

i think you are right Homers Double and Cougle, just put it down to a freak accident and don’t think about it.

Here is a nicer image for you...
this morning there were high winds and dry blowing snow so that there were two foot snow drifts on the path for my ride in. The snow was brilliant in the sunlight, sparking like diamonds. Since no one had walked before me packing the snow it just parted effortlessly like magic in front of me

wishitwasallflat

Ridergirl wrote:

It’s pretty cool how the hospitals give you the x-ray images now so you can take them home and examine your damage at leisure

i think you are right Homers Double and Cougle, just put it down to a freak accident and don’t think about it.

Here is a nicer image for you...
this morning there were high winds and dry blowing snow so that there were two foot snow drifts on the path for my ride in. The snow was brilliant in the sunlight, sparking like diamonds. Since no one had walked before me packing the snow it just parted effortlessly like magic in front of me

Those pain killers sound good, any spare?

Sorry couldn't resist, get well soon and I love fresh snow too.

Ridergirl

.

ben@31

Ridegirl,

I fractured my tib, fib and badly twisted my knee last June. I was in a full length plaster cast for several weeks. Do not expect "you can remove a cast today and play football tomorrow". The bad news is the muscle wastage, there was zero strength in the leg. I struggled to even walk, then walked with a limp with crutches, then one side of my body was significantly weaker than the other for a long time( even small supporting muscles like glutes and hip abductors will go).

You'll be glad to know you can make a cycling come back in 6 months. With a lot a lot of physio in the gym, at home on a mat and in a swimming pool (almost daily on different muscle groups such as hips, core, flutes, etc) and as much effort as I can (I'm now out cycling a few times a week regardless, every week) I'm now cycling better than what I was before... climbing out the saddle and setting PB times. As my physiotherapist said it won't get better by itself, the situation is caused by the leg being immobile for so long in the plaster cast. "Motion is lotion".

I find cycling the best rehab activity as there is no impact and minimal weight on the leg (when sat down). You can even cycle with a muscle imbalance. Running is a totally different story.

As for the pedals.. Is it possible you instinctively subconsciously tried to lift your foot up off the pedal rather than rotate the heel outwards? I'd say, in the short time, you do not move your foot in the right direction enough? I have Crank Brothers Candy pedals on my MTB (because I too can't imagine cycling without cleats) their design should not jam with crud and you can't make them any stiffer, but when I've came off my MTB, many times per ride when coming to a sudden standstill, I reckon its because I could not get my foot out in time. Once or twice I thought the cleat might be a bit lose on the sole of the shoe and moving.

fudgey

I only got the images as i was admitted to Gloucester hospital and live near Swindon, so was given a CD to give to the specialist at Swindon hospital.

So of course i copied the images to the laptop first.

My ankle is still not 100% but i dont get any problems cycling luckily. My right calf is about half the size of my left still too...

Its just like riding a bike, you fall off you - you just get back up any carry on (when you can of course!)
Although i think i am slightly more cautious now.

andrew_s

Ridergirl wrote:

i went down on the left side but it was my right leg that took the hit.
My concern is why didn’t my cleat let go?

It's quite likely that the crash would have twisted your leg in a heel inwards direction, and your heel hit the bike or wheel before it had twisted far enough to release.

slowmart

It's normal to try and rationalise an accident especially when you have trouble understanding how injuries occurred.


I had a spiral fracture in three places of the tim and fib, my right walking boot dug into a tuft of grass, my left knee wobbled and i had intense pain in my lower right leg. The twist in my right leg and nowhere to go except through the bone. Test for bone density was fine and I found it difficult to come to terms with doing so much damage while standing up and going for a walk in a field in mid wales!

It was a clean break and no pins were required however recovery is about taking the advice from the doctor, pushing recovery is always a thin line and can put your recovery back if you over do it. My energy levels were much lower in the early days as the body is in repair mode and another benefit to this aspect is the body uses more calories to facilitate the repairs so keeping the weight off wasn't too problematic.

Of course another outcome post recovery is your perception of risk and being in cast provides a tangible driver for not revisiting that situation ever again. Ever! While you may have a well founded reticence for clipping in take it easy, wait for the right conditions, dry, not much wind and think well ahead, just adjust your thought process and unclip well before you need to put your foot down. You'll soon realign your perceptions regarding acceptable risk.

I'm post plaster now for twelve months and I've had a couple of offs in that time and I'm amazed how the sub conscious looks after the weaker leg. The human body is truly amazing, its power of recovery is immense and sometimes we have to accept its our turn for a some bad luck on a particular day. Roll with it and the smiles per mile have an increased currency when your back on your bike

Best Wishes on your recovery.