Hi guys,

Newish to this forum lark, except of course for selling stuff, so I'm hoping I will get some good suggestions.

Here's my dilemma…..

I am approaching 40….fast! I have raced, speedway, motocross & grass track – so as the years have gone on, rather than something with an engine to get me around for fun I choose the cycle (mainly because there was no way I was going to race in the VETERAN class!) – I've had many happy years with no injury on an AM/XC bike, until the mid life crisis in September last year when I decided having a go at the big stuff (i.e. DH) would be a good idea again – FAIL!

First ride out on the big bike in Sept I had a tumble, a rather large tumble, anyway…..I did a lot of damage to my foot (complete crush injury of the Navicular & every metatarsal) – now I am hopefully approaching my release from the cast that I would have been in for 5 months, so I want to get back on the bike (AM/XC!) as soon as possible….

What do you guys think would be the best route to get fit & bike ready again, including a gradual return program to riding (i.e. road work, light xc etc.)???

Any help would be much appreciated.

Regards
Leon

Start slow, don't over do it, take the advice of your doctors.

trying to as we speak.

do all your physio and ask for extra excersizes at the hospital. i attend a hospital gym with physio;s in attendance (and its free!)

then light xc, light road, swimming, light gym sessions. just as much as poss.

been on the turbo trainer too, which bores the absolute crap out of me.

tracknicko – Member

do all your physio and ask for extra excersizes at the hospital. i attend a hospital gym with physio;s in attendance (and its free!)

Great advice – I haven't been offered this and didn't know it was available! Cheers buddy.

I broke my hip at 35.

As has been said – get extra physio.

Join a gym so you canconcentrate on particular muscle groups and exercise in a controlled way.

Get a road bike/put some slicks on your mtb.

Don't take risks until you've got strength back – your head will think you can do things your body can't/won'.

If you can run then do some of that too – it'll really help get bone strength back.

it might not be available! but have an ask. i've been to the hospital gym every monday and/or thursday for the past 14 weeks or so. starting to feel like i live there!

wwaswas – More good advice thanks….

Cheers tracknicko – I going to find out, I'm back seeing the consultant two weeks today – and I know what you mean by living there, I've been in and out for the last five months, so a few more in the gym won't matter.

Cheers guys.

free Hospital gym… is this service available all over the uk or just the odd place? asking as I have an op on my neck to remove some discs and am not sure what rehab I can get from the Hospital for free, I am already with a physio so that side is covered, anything else anyone can tap into after an op? I do like the idea of a proper rehab like a gym

CrAsH…tEsT..RiDeR – Member

free Hospital gym… is this service available all over the uk or just the odd place? asking as I have an op on my neck to remove some discs and am not sure what rehab I can get from the Hospital for free, I am already with a physio so that side is covered, anything else anyone can tap into after an op? I do like the idea of a proper rehab like a gym

When are you having the op? I am going back to hospital in two weeks ans I fully intend to find out more, so will let you know if you like (or it's not too late for you?)…

my op could be tomorrow or a max of 13 weeks, but I will take around 4 months to recover after so a fair bit of rehab.. it would be very handy to know, I really am not sure what we should be able to get from a GP or Hospital in the way of rehab.. I guess I should really have asked, but it was the last thing on my mind!! that said if I see them before you I will update you / this thread..

im in sheffield but was offered physio in two hospitals here ultimately, i think with the possibility of gyms in both.

chose the hallamshire as it had a hrdratherapy pool which was cool for a few weeks as i got to go limpy swimming with my hot physio! yay!

now just the gym sessions. perhaps i should say sports hall rather than gym. but with physios and equipment.

CrAsH…tEsT..RiDeR – Member

my op could be tomorrow or a max of 13 weeks, but I will take around 4 months to recover after so a fair bit of rehab.. it would be very handy to know, I really am not sure what we should be able to get from a GP or Hospital in the way of rehab.. I guess I should really have asked, but it was the last thing on my mind!! that said if I see them before you I will update you / this thread..

Nice one cheers – and vice versa – I'll let you know. I also feel a bit of a simpleton for not asking!! lol!

tracknicko – Member

i got to go limpy swimming with my hot physio! yay!

You never mentioned that before, now I'm gunna have to find out for defo!

I broke my back in a car crash, along with both my legs.. I'm now fat and unfit, as the pictures show….

But I will get fitter… It's just gonna take a while.

Teetosugars – Member

I broke my back in a car crash, along with both my legs.. I'm now fat and unfit, as the pictures show….

But I will get fitter… It's just gonna take a while.

OUCH! That's gotta hurt! 🙁 I hope you sort it out buddy!

Read my thread about my new bike, Crushed spinal cord for me, paralysis, almost died 3 times, nearly lost my left leg due to DVT, just bought a new bike…….

Funny that in a way, after 20 odd years of riding/racing motorbikes without a scratch I got in to MTB's, only to put myself in hospital and a month off work…

Dangerous bloody things.

Broken femur twice in cycling accidents still going strong at 51 😀
You can get back your fitness you just got to work at it slowly and dont give up.

Take it easy on learning new DH skill. Start small work up.

Tango Man – Member

Read my thread about my new bike, Crushed spinal cord for me, paralysis, almost died 3 times, nearly lost my left leg due to DVT, just bought a new bike…….

Gunna read now! Fair play buddy….

b r – Member

Funny that in a way, after 20 odd years of riding/racing motorbikes without a scratch I got in to MTB's, only to put myself in hospital and a month off work…

Dangerous bloody things.

That's exactly what I have experienced, maybe the Veteran class would have been a good idea for you & I!! 😕

Pawsy_Bear – Member

Broken femur twice in cycling accidents still going strong at 51
You can get back your fitness you just got to work at it slowly and dont give up.

Take it easy on learning new DH skill. Start small work up.

I am generally very impatient – guess I'll have to change this for the recovery?! 😕

AS for DH – the bike has been split and sold – I think that's the best option – All Mountain for me from here on in! 🙂

I crashed in les gets in 2008; broke my pelvis in 3 places, my sacrum (base of spine), one metacarpal (left hand), one rib and tore the rotator cuff in my left shoulder.

The dark spots are breaks!

It happened in August, I managed to get back on the bike in time for the real ale wobble in november :o) My physio was amazed, he thought I would still be in a wheelchair by then!

My shoulder is still not fully healed though; I can't help thinking that I skimped on the physio. Do absolutely everything they tell you to, and ask them if there is more you can do.

Dave

Lots of core work – gets some exercises from the physio and make sure you do them correctly and regularly

I had a back injury from a fall Dec 2008.
It was four months until I could ride, and I chose to use the road bike. I went out on my own, so no peer pressure. And I just tried to minimise any risk of falling or further injury. I took it steady and went home if I felt discomfort.
By October 2009 five months later I was racing cross albeit rather badly.
Just a thought, would a good pair of stiff race shoes help you?

was dead on the operating table for a while aged 10,
broke my hip at 31 on the bike
back spine injury last year 4 months off bike

you can come back from anything if you put your mind to it, after my hip break i turbo trained 6 days a week 3 times a day for 30 mins, and did 2 sessions of stretching for half hour a day after 3 months i was told i could go and do a 5 mile ride, so i did but i did 5 laps and did 25 miles it felt great
listen to your physios anything is possible good luck

After a couple of years of riding I bought a s/h S-Works Enduro, and felt like a god. Unbeknown to me, my riding buddies had already discussed between themselves on how it would have me. And boy did it bite.

I kept it another year, including an Alps trip, but had to admit it was just too much bike for me. Stripped it, sold the frame and put all the bits on a 456. Don't think I ride that much slower now, but definately feel safer.

alfabus – Member

I can't help thinking that I skimped on the physio. Do absolutely everything they tell you to, and ask them if there is more you can do.

Thanks for the advice about the Physio's – lot of suggestions on this side of things, looks like the best plan! Well done on your recovery!

hitman – Member

Lots of core work – gets some exercises from the physio and make sure you do them correctly and regularly

Yeah, core work is going to be important I think – I've lost so much fitness & strength not being able to walk, so looks like its some hard work for me coming up!

oldgit – Member

Just a thought, would a good pair of stiff race shoes help you?

Funnily enough I have Just bought myself a pair of Shimano SPD's – with real rock bottom soles – looks like I was thinking along the same lines as you…..but with the added factor of fear of not wanting the same injury again!!

flatback – Member

was dead on the operating table for a while aged 10,
broke my hip at 31 on the bike
back spine injury last year 4 months off bike

you can come back from anything if you put your mind to it, after my hip break i turbo trained 6 days a week 3 times a day for 30 mins, and did 2 sessions of stretching for half hour a day after 3 months i was told i could go and do a 5 mile ride, so i did but i did 5 laps and did 25 miles it felt great
listen to your physios anything is possible good luck

Look like you have taken a real beating over the years! Good advice on training, thanks buddy – and there's that Physio's popping up again!

b r – Member

Don't think I ride that much slower now, but definately feel safer.

Same here buddy – I have now finished building my new SC Heckler, always felt safe on my previous one, so thought I would do the same again and this time I'm going stick to the AM!