The worst being not able to get back riding? Or at least riding at the same level?

An innocuous crash this summer in the Alps left me with a fractured scaphoid that really took it’s time to heal. I was in cast for 10 weeks. Unfortunately the majority of pain and associated restricted movement does not involve the scaphoid but a previous fracture of the ulna. Right at the top on the opposite side to the scaphoid. The fracture and soft tissue damage has been aggravated or damaged further.

I tried making this point several times during my numerous visits to the fracture clinic but I was always told to wait to see if things improve along with the scaphoid. They haven’t. I’m unable to put weight through it 13 weeks on and cannot get into a press up position, use to push on, lack the same movement as the other wrist, etc, etc.

I’m off to the physio next week but feel quite disheartened by it all as I can’t see myself riding anytime soon.

Anyone else injured with no knowledge of when they’ll be back riding?

Nowhere near as bad as that but on Good Friday this year I came off & landed on my head, when I heard the crack I thought, ‘what wheelchair tyres for…’

Scary, & it’s busted my confidence completely. (& at 56 I don’t heal as quick) Get better soon mate.

Cheers fella. Landing on your head/neck is not good. Whatever your age.

I separated my shoulder around 4 weeks ago, the doctor is still not sure whether or not it requires surgery.

Take up time trialling, job done.

Same feeling here. Slipped lower disk that’s showing very little sign if abating after some 16 weeks, despite the physio and spinal injections.
Not ridden a bike in anger since June and damn is pissing me off.

Had it a few years ago; elbow injury at one point I could barely use my left arm, couldn’t ride a bike, motorbike or work properly and a tosspot of a gp diagnosed severe arthritis and replacement elbow – still relatively young at the time and it put me in quite a dark place for quite a while. Fortunately the mrs made me go and get a second opinion from a Consultant who actually looked at the x ray and noticed a fragment of bone, detached at work, seizing the joint, minor surgery later and 99% back to normal. So hopefully it will work out for you and, being an NHS supporter, it galls me to say it if you’re not getting what you think you need press for better even if it means paying for it yourself. The money we and later my work paid out got the problem sorted when the GP had ballsed up and saved me a lot of major grief. Good luck

elbow injury

Give up time trialling.

being an NHS supporter, it galls me to say it if you’re not getting what you think you need press for better even if it means paying for it yourself.

That’s not NHS vs private, that’s just doctor vs doctor. Anyone can make mistakes and miss stuff.

Damaged AC joint in my shoulder 18 months ago. Just will not heal. Every time I think it’s sorted, something innocuous seems to put it back to square one. 6 months in it was unloading something from a vehicle roof. Just recently it was making a simple climbing move while messing around on some rocks at the beach.

Might heal up quicker if I didn’t make a living from snowboarding and riding bikes. I suspect this may also be limiting my levels of sympathy on here….

being an NHS supporter, it galls me to say it if you’re not getting what you think you need press for better even if it means paying for it yourself.

That’s not NHS vs private, that’s just doctor vs doctor. Anyone can make mistakes and miss stuff.

It was more that the NHS weren’t offering an alternative inspection / remedy rather than a doctor v doctor point

Hi KoB…. Have they checked the tfcc ligament for damage? It might be worth looking into as it sounds similar to my injury which took about a year before I was back the bike…..

The scaphoid is a bitch of a bone to break. Have you had any scans to look at the damage to it or the ulna? You may have to get very pushy and insistent at your next visit or if you can afford it go get a private consultation. Oh… and MTFU buttercup it WILL heal…

Been there, made the comeback.

My story….
[video]http://vimeo.com/66521474[/video]

Things do work out better than you think. I’m back kayaking properly now too. Ran my first grade four post-accident the other day. Next purchase is a pull up bar as I’ve been given the all clear for climbing again.

Chin up fella.

By the way, I see from the Italian restaurant thread that you may be Leeds based? Me too. If you are, and you’re not seeing them already, get yourself down to the wrist clinic in the LGI. Ward L42. Rob Farnell and Doug Cambell are based there. They did me and they are utterly superb wrist and hand specialists. Genuinely nice guys too who know how to listen to a patient and understand your needs when it comes to recovery goals.

Dislocated both shoulders. Now either is liable to pop out or at least subluxate without too much trouble given the right circumstances. Which is bloody sore for a week or so after and it happens more than I’d like. I managed to set off one of them a while back by sitting down too fast!! Couldn’t move my arm for three days after.

Inspiring stuff Matt, well done for getting back out there.

That right wrist is/was (in my humble, technical medical opinion; based on a dozen years in practice) “A bit ****”.

Nowhere near the scale of the previous posts but a knackered right foot which has had toe fusion and neuroma surgery and aged 47. Hurts most when not exercising 3 or 4 times a week, so a good reminder to use it or lose it for me..

Nothing compared to some on here but suffering posterior ankle impingement. Physio started taking about possible surgical intervention. That will ruin my Ironman plans for this year.

Had a trapped nerve in my neck about 3yrs ago. Could barely walk (300ft from car park to desk was over 5mins) couldn’t lift the weight of an A4 folder, in a lot of pain. Doctor diagnosed siatica (sp?), but that turned out to be incorrect, basically gave me some painkillers and sent me away. Really scary, know how you feel OP. I got lucky, gradual improvement over about 3 months to the point I could swim, although stll not ride a bike, much less run, then a particualr movement, a sudden huge pain in my neck and instantly went from barely able to bend and touch my knees to almost able to touch my toes.
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Last week the docs thought briefly that I may have a blood clot and were using phrases like ‘potentially life threatening’ Turned out not to be, huge relief.
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I think the worst bit is the not knowing, thinking will I be able to ride again? Yes, I’ve had other painful stuff, fractured kneecap for example, but I know six weeks rest and that will be mended and all will be fine, the fear is by far the worst bit. You have my sympathy OP, but chin up, even if it takes a while these things usually get better.

When is snapped my foot off last year the doctor said there was a likelyhood they would need to amputate.

When I came round after the operation I still had a foot which was nice.

The doctor explained that it was in anatomically the right position but was very damaged so I should come back in three months after the trauma damage had recovered so he could do a none traumatic amputation.

It was a long three months.

Fortunately they decided not to amputate. 12 months on and it still hurts to walk, I have lost most of my fitness so can’t ride well and out on three stone in weight.

The pain I can live with most the time. The fitness and weight I plan to deal with over the next 12 months. The worst is not something to be feared, just adjusted to.

Thanks guys, some humbling stories and err, impressive injuries. Indeed I will MTFU. Thanks @daftvader, I’ll do some research on that.

One of the consultants in the fracture clinic did say you may either have to live with some discomfort or alternatively we may need to operate. I’m sure if the physio has any concerns or doesn’t think something is right I’ll be referred back to the fracture clinic or another consultant. The NHS is brilliant.

Thanks @mattbibbings, I remember watching your vid when you posted a while back and thinking ‘well done you’ as well as ‘f£$* me that looks nasty’ 🙂

Will check where I’m going for physio, it’s LGI for sure but I think W L46?? Will see If I can pop in en route to W L42 for a chat.

Not injured hut currently suffering from very very intrusive irregular/ectopic heartbeats. I have been to the docs and advised not to ride until I have a 24 hour ecg.
Im only 32 and a little scared to be honest, and not pleased at the possible thought of not riding again
Just bought a new antares saddle for my road bike as well god dammit.

It’s the mental side which in many respects is the hardest to deal with.

Broke my ACL skiing in December. Been on the rehab path ever since trying to avoid surgery. I broke the ACL in my other knee 30 years ago and have managed but two gone is a question. A friend who is fitter and younger than I said it took 2 years to get back after surgery so I am rather afraid of that, plus Doctor said he’d do both knees – separately – so that 3-4 years of issues !. I am confident normal trail riding will be fine, been about half a dozen times so far. Fitness and strength have gone and need to be rebuilt, lots of physio on hydraulic machine to rebuild leg muscles. I put on a bit of weight but have lost it with careful eating but I know my BMI is worse as weight same but muscle much less. I’ve even been looking at turbo trainers and actually had a look round a gym – it must serious.

I’ll make a call in Feb about whether I ski this season an would like to get back riding in the Alps next summer. I am not sure what I’ll do if I cannot ski again, that would be pretty tough to deal with. My biking was pretty modest really anyway but that should be ok, I need to keep it up for health reasons.

OP as you say, there are those out there dealing with worse although we all sit and mope in our own little worlds occasionally.

In need of hip replacements but holding out as I’m only 51 now and was diagnosed 2 years ago…Modified lifestyle now to just mainly sitting !

If it is an L 40 something ward then it must be the wrist clinic at the LGI you are going to. I may have been misremebering the number. TBH i’ve been there so many times over the last 18 months that I just turn up on full autopilot anyway! Say hello from me!

Still got the long term survival of my hip joint as a question mark, it’s doing good but never really know if it’ll still be fine at the next checkup or if we start talking replacements. Not that a replacement is the end of the world but considering lifespans, wear rates etc it’s not ideal in your 30s!

Blimey you lot are suffering I wish you all well.
My broken arm has caused other complications, mainly my right hand doesn’t work properly due to nerve damage. No biking for 12 weeks now and not sure if I’ll even be able to ski this season.
Been told a year to 18 months to get the hand sorted. Shoulder is partially frozen too, working on that with hydrotherapy.
I can manage some time on the turbo trainer but haven’t got any strength in my hand or arm to work brakes or even change gear if I were to try to cycle properly.
Feeling properly down about it all now. Good thing is at least I can walk, which just isn’t the same.

I burnt my tongue on some hot coffee this morning, it’s really sore, not sure when i’ll be back on the bike!!

Bust my ankle quite badly over a decade ago at age 20. It hurts today.

I have a fusion forecast sometime in the future. First, second and third opinions all said the same – it’ll happen when the pain keeps me awake at night. However long that will be nobody can say.

Knowing the road we’re going down with NHS privatisation it’s unlikely I’ll be able to afford the surgery when the time comes, or afford any insurance premium that covers it as a pre-existing condition.

So now I face a dilemma.

Do I try and get the fusion done now on the NHS before I’m ready, and deal with the knock on effects of a fused joint, or do I wait until the right time then beg, borrow and steal to pay for the surgery?

When I was about 33 I started getting pain in my hip when riding, well actually I’d had it for ages before but it got so bad I went from doing 24hour solo races, 200 mile road rides etc to not able to ride at all. Eventaully diagnosed with hip FAI. http://www.hipfai.com/ . 3 lots of surgery and some very very dark times over 5 years of not riding. Now I can do a bit, few hours a week, it really bugs me being slow but I do enjoy it. Suppose thats what counts. Hang in there and try and think positively.

Funny but up to the age of 47 having done all sorts of things including windsurfing and 6 years of competitive motorsport hadn’t been near a hospital. Then got into cycling. Grade 4 ACJ and subsequent surgery after a fall on Medusas at Dalby. Then a crash in a road race and surgery on 2 fingers that were down to the bone. Then 3 weeks ago hit by a car and broken collar bone ( its in 4 or 5 pieces) so off the outdoor bike for a few weeks. Love the cycling and feel physically a lot better for it but its definitely tough on the body. Hope everyone mends soon

Tinybits
Same as your prolapsed disc, 16 weeks ago 2 MRI scans in for 2nd peri neural injection next week, wake up in pain go to bed in pain, very fatiguing

Ashleydwsmith – feel free to PM me. I might be able to give some sensible questions to ask the doc.