Recovering from a bike crash
So this past weekend I crashed off my bike...concussion, 10 stitches in my head, 5 to close a knuckle (+splint to keep me from openung the stitches)....no swimming for 5-7 days, no bike becuae I can't grip the bar/brakes for 5-7 days, can run if I have no problems after 3 days...
Anybody else do this to themselves? Did you ride the trainer? How soon did you start running? Swimming with stitches?
I'm okay with the 5-7 day training setback...so not looking for any enabling comments..just curious if anyone else has dealt with this and how you progressed back into your plan/training.
Thanks
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Made sure I had doctor buy in on my grand plans to heal quickly. Pool running first, then bike trainer, then bike outside, then walking then running. Doc's general advice when starting out was to start slowly and stop if it hurt. I listened. If I didn't, I wouldn't be married now
The only thing I would be concerned with is the concussion once the stitches are good. Take it easy and be smart.
Tom's advice sounds good. Non-planned forced rest periods seem to pay off long term for me.
I went down hard at The Patriot Half last year and had a Grade III concussion (I was unconscious when they first found me - not sure how long, but I think it was brief - and I had no memory of what happened immediately before or after the crash). It happened on a Saturday and I think I followed up with my sports med doc that Monday or Tuesday (the memory is still a little fuzzy!). He asked if I was taking Omega 3's, and I told him I was... he said to immediately start taking as many as nine of them a day if I could tolerate it. He told me that there's research indicating that Omega 3's can speed healing after a concussion (I never looked into it - but I SWEAR that's what helped me heal so quickly).
My recovery was basically:
--- Rest the brain. No reading, no internet, nothing. Lie down and sleep as much as possible in the first few days (so if you are reading this now, stop immediately! ;-)
--- Begin "Return to Sports Concussion Protocol" when I was symptom free. No headaches, no dizziness, no nausea. It took me a little over a week to get to that point.
--- Return to Sports Concussion Protocol was monitored by a P.T. friend of mine. He'd tell me what I was allowed to do each day (I can't remember what the exact protocol/exercises were - but it was very light in the first few days), and I checked in and assured him that I was still symptom free. Any return of symptoms and I was back on the couch for another week (he repeatedly reminded me that I wasn't breaking any land-speed records out there anyway, so it wasn't a huge deal... Nice of him, huh?).
--- After a week of the Protocol, I was allowed to gradually ease back into regular training, which I did with the help of my coach at the time.
--- Definitely bike ON the trainer for the first few workouts. There's no predicting how your body will react when you increase your HR those first few times. Dizziness is a definite possibility and it's better to be stable!
--- I had bad road rash, but it healed super fast, too (again, Omega 3?) - I used Nexcare's waterproof bandages to swim - they are fantastic!
I have to admit, I never realized what a big deal a concussion is until I had one! The end result is that I took ~7-10 days off completely, had another week of Protocol work, then eased back into things. It set back my RR by a week, and I missed out on some training for IMLou... but I re-evaluated what I wanted to do at IMLou and still made it out in one piece!
Heal Fast!!!
Jess -Interesting stuff...and it sounds as though your injuries/timing are very similar to my situation...ie. I am training for IMLou...I completed 20 weeks OS and was in the second week of Race Training.......I don't know the severity of my concussion (ie. grade 1-2-3?) I was unconcious for sure as I don't remember the accident itself...but cat scan was clean and the doc evne said I could begin running when I felt up to it and of course ease in/watch for symptoms....etc.
I will take most of the week, but I hope to ride & swim this weekend..low intensity...will pick up running next week if all seems okay...
How much did you alter your IM Lou plans? I don't plan on any changes at this point until I am training again and see how I feel.
Thank you everyone for your wisdom, concern, and advice.
The biggest thing that changed for me was that I realized I just wanted to FINISH the race! I crashed at Patriot when a guy clipped my front wheel by cutting in front of me to grab a bottle at the bike aid station... I went down but was fine other than a scraped knee and dropped chain. The volunteers put my chain back on while I looked at my knee, I hopped back on and a few hundred yards down the road my bike just felt *wrong.* I still don't know if it was the bike or me (maybe I was still a little shook up - who knows?). Anyway, at IMLou I decided I didn't want to repeat that scenario and I pulled to a complete stop at every single aid station on the bike. Added around 30' to my bike split - but I finished! Otherwise, my bike fitness/run fitness were exactly where I'd expected they'd be on race day even after the time off for the concussion (actually, my run was faster than I'd hoped!). So - I have to believe you'll be totally fine in time for IMLou!
Keep us posted!
Jess (and everyone) thanks for all the feedback...today is one week since my crash...and the first day that I feel like my "head is right"...I probably could have rested more by not working this past week...but regarding training I committed to 7-10 days of rest...nothing but walking the dog....until I felt I was asymptomatic...today is the first day that I feel like my "head is right"...so tommorrow I hope to get on the trainer for a spin...if all goes well I will do a few workouts on the trainer this week...slowly trying to increase intensity to monitor how I feel....I get my stitches out on Monday- so will be able to swim on Tuesday nite..will try a bit....then if all is well I may try a light jog as long as the trainer has been okay- on Wed or Thursday....plan on keeping it light but active all week...then hopefully a normal week next week.
The more I have read...and heard...the more convinced I was that a.) concussions are kinda serious, b.) rest was critical, c.) 7-10 days of rest would not set me back significantly...so better to rest and recover than try to get back at it any faster....
Thanks again.
Today I "rode" 45 min. on the trainer; light spinning below 70% HR; treated it simply as an opportunity to loosen up, play with the saddle...I wanted to go longer (still easy) but decided I wasn't going to make up for the week or accomplish anything of significance by pushing it further....
so far..no ill affects...headache, dizziness, etc....so pretty happy. Tommorrow I get my stitches out and may ride the trainer a bit longer tommorrow nite...
I know we used to think concussions weren't a "big deal." "Hey, I need a new helmet," and off we'd go. Not true. . .Please take care of yourself.
Thanks Penny; was at the doc today getting stitches removed and talked through the protocols and my return to activity plan...got the okay...and alot of good guidance...I really thank everyone here (and in my runners forum) which prompted me to take last week completely as rest...this was extremely important...as my inclination would have been to jump back in way to soon...this week is all aerobic with a slow step up in intensity0 24hours between each step up...and monitoring myself during/after each workout....
...so far so good.
Just a follow through/up for everyone....did spinning on indoor trainer 45 min. monday...all by HR Z1/2. No issues. On Tuesday...I rode the trainer for 1 hour...20 min. easy spinning, 20min. Z3/4, 20min. Z3/2...felt great..no secondary issues.
Decided to try running....so Wed. I went out for a planned 30 min. "easy/as I feel" run. It was a beautiful day...and perhaps becuase of the rest from the previous week I felt great....I ended up running 6miles...progressive....with the last 2mile at Z3+ pace (7:00min)...
Again; no issues during or post run.
Today; Wednesday...I plan on an easy, steady swim....this will for sure be easy/recovery swimming.
Thursday I plan on a longer run...but without any planned hard segments...just as I feel.
I hope that all goes well I will plan on a big weekend on the bike...fingers crossed...but feeling lucky/blessed that I have not experienced any issues.
Assuming; this continues I will be back on my regular plan schedule next week. Thanks everyone for the support, knowledge, guidance, and strenght to be patient during the last two weeks....on my own I would probably have tried something stupid last week and be paying for it now.
Thanks Jess...I honestly believe that the week(s) off/recovering will end up being a positive...we"ll see how the next full week goes but I'm feeling okay! Cheers and best of luck to you with your training & racing.