Trying to come out of a dark place after suffering through my first major bike crash on December 2nd. On that day I woke up and decided a bike ride was in order given it was December and the temps would be in the 60’s. 42 miles in I had just rounded a corner and lost focus for an instant. When I looked forward I saw I was headed toward the curb and I immediately tried to steer left, but at the same time hit a patch of gravel that caused me to overcorrect. I must have turned my front wheel too far to the left because the next thing I know I was turned sideways. I hit the ground and there was no skidding involved – just impact(I didn’t so much as rip my pants or jersey). I lay there for a few minutes before someone stopped to help. I called my wife to come get me and we went to the hospital where the prognosis kept getting progressively worse. First doc, thought it was just a soft tissue injury but decided to take x-ray as a precaution. First x-ray showed something so a 2nd was ordered. That showed there was a fracture but a CT scan would be required to determine the extent of the injury. The result of the CT scan showed a broken hip (greater trochanter fracture) – no surgery required because the displacement was less than 1cm, but 12 weeks in crutches(no weight bearing), followed by a gradual return to mobility.
Flash forward a couple weeks….Mentally, I’m starting to feel much more positive. I’m getting along OK, although being immobile by way of crutches is a pain in the a$$. The good news is over the last several days I can now start to “feel” my hip beginning to heal. It’s kinda weird but it feels like it’s coming back together. Range of motion is better and I can now sleep on my side. I know my one and only priority is to heal, but I can’t help wondering what this will mean to my season. I am determined to do what it takes to get to the starting line at CDA realizing it will mean resetting expectations big time. At the same time I don’t want to risk doing permanent damage, so bottom line, it’s a big unknown.
Several days ago, I started doing some upper body work (pull ups, chair dips, some dumbbell work), all in an effort to maintain some level of fitness. Despite best efforts there is no way my level of fitness isn’t going to take a huge hit during the lay off. I’m going to see my doc for a follow-up on Jan 22nd and I’m hopeful I will be allowed to swim at that point, but it will depend upon how things are healing. In the meantime I have downloaded the power webinar and am trying to use this time to get my mental game in order.
I realize bike crashes aren’t a matter of if, but rather when, so I am seeking advice from the haus in terms of what can/should I be doing to expedite healing while minimizing the impact of a 12 week + injury. I’m also interested to hear if anyone has come back from a similar injury and how long it took. Just to clarify, I am for sure following Dr.’s orders in terms of staying within the framework of what I have been allowed to do…….But, within this space, is there something I can/should be doing, or is the answer “nothing”, making this yet another test of patience and discipline?
Comments
My thoughts
This is all just a game and breaking your hip is serious business. I think it's a tall order to go from broken hip to Ironman in June without risking potentially serious long term functional consequences. Personally, I would listen to the docs, PT's, and would think twice about bailing on CDA if doing CDA might be setting me up for sub optimal recovering and therefore risking long term mobility and lifestyle. IOW, I'd pretty pissed if I were hobbling around with a bad hip at 50 because I rushed things when I was 45 to race a triathlon.
Keep your eye on the big picture, not Ironman.
Paging CoachP to the white courtesy phone, broke his hip in '10...
Might I suggest that you take your eyes off of CdA for right now and pick some interim goals. Like getting back on the bike. Or doing aqua therapy (weightlessness is awesome)....don't worry about CDA...you need to be in a good place overall come 3/1/ to make that call...feel free to reach out to me if needed.
My schedule is online here: http://meetme.so/patrickmccrann -- Please remember to include your phone number.
@Jess – For now Dr. has advised to listen to body (pain/range of motion limitations) to determine what I can and can’t do, with the overriding direction being no weight bearing until the bone starts to heal. Thanks for the suggestions. Sorry to hear about your crash, but at the same time, kudos to you for making it to the start line! Head injuries are nothing to mess around with. I was fortunate. While I did break my helmet, headwise - I didn’t have so much as a headache after the crash.
I am right there with you. I went down hard on 12/8 and sustained a broken clavicle and concussion. My helmet cracked right open.
Today is day 10 and I feel like you. Range of motion improving, I am detecting less movement of the broken bone and acute pain is shifting to annoying nagging pain the ass. I am also set to do CDA and my mind is starting to dream of trainer rides next week and running a couple 1/2 marathons in Feb. I am struggling to keep those day dreams in check while I take it one day at a time, listen my body and focus on healing.
While I think my injury is a bit more "garden variety", I know what you are going through. In all actuality CDA is still ways off and there while be time to heal, assess, set goals and build for the race.
My advice, take a few more weeks, be patient and know that every day you stronger than the day before....
Thanks, Dino.
I've been following your thread (wish i would have had the forsight to ask someone to take pics along the way - maybe next time
). Glad to hear you are feeling better and that surgery is now off the table. Also, glad you don't seem to have any lingering issues from the concussion.
With my hip injury, i'm very limited with what i can do physically, so in many respects i don't have a choice when it comes to standing down and healing. I'm trying to make good decisions now when it comes to activity, nutrition/weight management, and rest. Hang in there, take things one day at a time, and don't try to do too much too soon. As i said previously....easy to say, much harder to live.
You are completely SPOT ON when you talk about focusing on body composition and eating right. I came to the realization right after I went down that "body comp" goals were all I had left. Laying on the sofa, what I put in my mouth was/ is the only thing I can control. It is the only aspect of training that can still do.
So, the goal for this down time became eating right and losing weight. I am really afraid that 6 weeks from now I will be slower. That is unavoidable, but it is fixable. A worse situation would be to be slower AND heavier. The heavy part I also fixable, but it is also avoidable. I want to get back on the bike in 4-6 weeks lighter, leaner and ready to build fitness.
As a result, I am 4 pounds lighter than when I crashed on 12/8 and only 5 pounds heavier than "A" race weight earlier this season. My goal is to be at that weight or lighter when I start back late next month.
So, the new motto is rest, heal and control what you can control.....
That's awesome, Dino!
I have not been quite as successful in terms of limiting calorie intake. The other day we received 3lbs of home made italian christmas cookies from my mother-in-lawl and everyday i have to walk (i mean hobble) by a plate of cookies on the table. I can only hold out for so long before they call to me. I'm trying to limit myself to one or two per day but some days are better than others.
I'm up about 3-4 lbs since my accident, but body/comp wise it's hard to tell. Definitely lost muscle mass in one leg, but perhaps gained some in forearms and upper body.
I have been doing research on nutrition to rebuild bone and i keep coming back to vitamin K, specifically K2. It can be found in cheese and meats - specifically from those on grass fed natural diets. Also, it's widely present in green vegetabes, particularly green leafy veggies. I'm not a huge meat eater, but i have been trying to incorporate at least a couple servings of green veggies everyday. The whole thing may be snakeoil, but boosting ones veggies has other benefits even if i'm not recieving any bone building benefit.
When i had my bike inspected after my crash, i also had them install a new quarq PM. With all this time now on my hands seems like a perfect time to work my way through the power webinar. Like you said.....Rest, heal and control what you can control
Good luck on the cookie....
Tom - That's really good strategery, but if i were to toss my wife's, mother's cookies in the garbage, that would be grounds for divorce in my house
Mark-So sorry man. I was looking forward to St George with a fellow Coloradoan and EN'r, but everybody below is right. Listen to the docs/PT's. My wife hit a tree snowboarding at Breck and broke her hip (same as coach P), pelvis and left wrist. Docs dtold her to not think about running for 8 months initially, but docs and PT's cleared her for the treadmill in 4-5 months.
Good news is she's back to HIMs and has no residual issues. I lost most of last season to a clavicle and rib fx. Tried to come back too soon and probably paid for it in a longer recovery. I was also just diagnosed about an hour ago with a Tibia stress fracture today, so I'm trying to come to terms as well. Yours is much worse for sure, but I can sympathize with trying to come to terms with it mentally.
Joe - Sorry to hear about your injury. Just read your most recent post. Personally, i can deal with just about anything, but the worst part is not having a clear diagnosis. I hope your imaging test next week reveals something conclusive so you can get on with the business of healing and getting better.
Sounds like your wife had quite a crash at Breck. The good news is she is back and that seems to be true of a number of people with similar injuries. That tells me, if i listen and recover properly, then no reason i can't be back where I want to be. Not sure if i can make it to St. George so you may need to carry the Colorado torch on that one
.
Take care and Happy Holidays!
Mind Gym by Gary Mack (has a lot of baseball stories in it, but it's a good read anyway)
The New Toughness Training for Sports by James Loehr.
Mental Training for Peak Performance by Steven Ungerleider
I'm not really into self analysis and initially the entire subject felt awkward and kind of lame, but I found some of the exercises quite helpful in dealing with painful physical therapy, pain during workouts, and boring pool running. My focus during training and racing improved dramatically last year.
I hope this is helpful, and good luck with your healing and returning to training!
@ Mark -- Sounds like you have received good advice from others. I know it is hard, but hang in there, do what the healthcare folks say, & you WILL heal.
I had a bike crash in a HIM race in Sept 2011. Broke 2 ribs, strained hamstring, bad road rash and like Dino, smashed the hell out of my bike helmet. Got an ambulance ride from the race course to hospital b/c they thought I had a concussion. Luckily, no serious head injury, but the ribs took a good 3 months to heal. Actually, swimming was the worst for me...the catch & pull hurt like hell with busted ribs. So I spent lots of time on the trainer & elliptical machine (without using my arms much) during my recovery. I eventually came back strong in the summer of 2012 & set PRs at both the HIM and IM distances. Anyway, the body has amazing recovery powers, it just takes time so be patient. Then be ready to work..
Good luck.
@Sarah - Thanks for the recommendations. I have been doing some research and keep coming back to the Loehr book so i think i am going to pull the trigger on that one once i finish up the EN power series.
@Bruce - Sorry to hear about your crash, but way to go on coming back so strong the following year. Everyone's stories of coming back from injury are very inspiring. You are absolutely right in that the recovery power of the body is amazing. I can feel a difference in my pain level and range of motion over the course of 4-5 days. It's pretty cool (and a little freaky) how my hip feels like it's coming back together. Not sure if helps, but i have been doing 10-15 minutes of visualization every night where i picture the bone growing and reconnecting. Thanks again for the comments and the inspiration
I can promise you that you will recover and have the potential to be better than ever before. In 2006 I shattered my left tibia, had 8 operations and was in the hospital for 26 days (3b tibia fracture for you ortho folks out there). The learning about compound fractures, fibrous non-union, and other elements to complex fractures was not a lesson I ever wanted or would wish on anyone. The advice above is spot on regarding healing and return. My first run was 12 months after the accident and I lurched 3 miles - a lady actually stopped on the side of the road to ask if I was okay. I couldn't stop laughing as I was trying to explain to her that what she was looking at was actually me "recovered". Today, the leg doesn't bother me any more than my right shoulder or low neck = no deficit that I can perceive worse than normal wear and tear. With your attitude you will come back and there will be no residual deficit. You are right about being able to tell when thing are healing. My thoughts are with you - heal up.
@Edward - Wow, that sounds like a horrific injury. I hear stories like yours and it reminds me that things can always be worse, so no use feeling sorry for yourself. I'm glad to hear you made such a strong comeback from such a brutal injury. The fact that you have no lingering effects is amazing. Your return to running story made me laugh but it reminds me that success is all relative and how quickly your perspective can change. Thanks for positive vibes. Your support is much appreciated!
I thought I was having a little depression from endorphin withdrawal. I found a few mini activities and it made me feel better. I also started watching a lot of cycling videos. It helped.
Like Sarah recommends I have also been reading. I mainly read books on training and racing with power. Check out Friels new book. It's an easy read. Also check out "The No Drop Zone". It's pretty good.
Hey Dino, I'm doing pretty well. Went to the pool yesterday and just kinda floated around with a pull buoy. Nothing structured, but it was great to get back in the pool and get moving even thought it was through nothing approaching actual swimming. The good news is I feel my swimming will not be impacted by my injury (even though my swimming is nothing to write home about even on my best day). I felt like i could have swam, but resisted the temptation until i am cleared by the Dr. sometime in January.
I think that will be my hardest challenge over the next several weeks. Early on with my injury, i didn't have to worry about pushing things, because i couldn't. Now that my body is starting to mend, backing down and not overduing things is becoming more of a challenge. Just trying to make good decisions as these temptations present themselves....so far, so good.
At the same time I hear ya about wanting to feel the endorphine rush of breaking a sweat. I have been doing upper body weight training a few days a week and while it's not necessarily aerobic, it does help to fill the void. Good for you for getting back on the treadmill and the trainer. Start slow and know that you will only get stronger, just be careful and don't do anything crazy.
Thanks for the book tips. Just downloaded "the no drop zone". I found that book awhile back but never read it. I figure after crashing, some refresher training is for sure in order.
Too funny!!!....Franken-athelete! I can hear it now...."Dino Cardinale, you are an ironman" Thanks for the laugh!
BTW, great progress with day 2 on the trainer! Be smart and keep up the good work!
Let me start by saying, the human body is an amazing machine!
Truth be told, I started swimming without a pull buoy a couple weeks ago and I got back on the bike trainer about the same time. My swim came back pretty quickly, although admittedly it didn’t have very far to go. The biggest enabler was being 100% pain free in the water. On the bike trainer, once I was able to get my leg up and over the saddle, the actual peddling was pretty much pain free as long as I kept things in a low enough gear. I don’t have all my range of motion back, but I am able to get aero for several minutes at a time and that should get increasingly better over the next few months. Over the last couple weeks I have been able to continue push higher and higher watts and still remain pain free. I’m not yet where I was pre-injury and my heart rate is about 10 beats higher than normal, but I was able to do this morning’s FTP bike workout without any pain.
In terms of life in general, I switched to one crutch about a week ago and have been putting increasingly more weight on my injured right side. I have been walking without crutches in my house, but have maintained the use of one crutch when out and about. Putting on shoes and socks is once again something I can do on my own. This is a huge relief for my kids. On the plus side of things, my injury did get me out of taking down the Christmas decorationsJ
Flash forward to today….I went back to my ortho, 7 weeks and 2 days from breaking my hip. After taking new pictures, I was given the green light to resume all activities albeit at a reduced level until I can build back to normal. Doc said fracture is healing well with minimal displacement. Next stop is physical therapy and then building back into running again. I couldn’t ask for better news and like I started this post, I’m blown away by what the body can do.
It’s also great to have the support of the EN community. My coworkers and many of my friends, have a hard time understanding that I want to heal so I can swim, bike and run….a lot! The people here get what this means and what it means to not be able to do what you love to do.....And, how psyched you are when you finally can once again. Forgive me because I’m probably not explaining this well, but hopefully you get my point….It’s GREAT to be back!!!!