Had a nose op at the end of May to improve breathing to my nostrils after smashing my face up in a face plant incident in 2011.
Two weeks off the bike to recover from the op and back to square 1 with my fitness. Normally out 3 times a week.
Just getting my fitness back when lo and behold, took a spill last Sunday on some loose flint that makes like a cavemans knife and slashes my arm open leaving me needing 7 stitches at the local A&E.
Haven’t been out all week so with the glorious sunshine out of my window this morning thought I’d give it a go and head to the local trails.
Had to turn back after about 3 miles as I can feel the stitches pulling open with every little bump!
Not happy, I guess I’d better leave it till next week when Summer will probably be over!
Sorry to burden you all, I know there are a lot of folks worse off than myself!
What tales have you lot got?

Aggravated disc – ruddy painful! Feel your pain though, not being able to ride bikes is the worst thing ever…. I stayed in bed for as long as I possibly could this morning so that I didn’t open the curtains to see that lovely sunshine until I had to!
Healing vibes coming your way (& would suggest a spot of aloe gel to speed up knitting together of wound, it really does help!)

I feel your pain, was laid up all summer 3 years ago with 2 broken wrists and a collarbone. July-November.

Wasn’t fun….

Ooft you had a rhinoplasty ? I had that op about 9 years ago. The pain when i came round is something ill never forget.

The subsequent pain when the packing was removed !!!

Dont envy you.

spent all winter training every day to get fitness up for first Fred Whitton, Bob Graham and coast to coast, then binned it on my daily commute 32 mile to work. Face plant, cracked skull, eye socket, smashed nose, cheek, broken thumb and have been off work for 4 months, no cycling, fell running or driving for at least 6 months and I have to see a phycologist about my emotions. (put me back on my bike!)
i put 3 stone on but am now allowed to ride my static spin bike.

So cheer up mate it could be worse.

Other sports available. (terms and conditions apply)

Oh sleepless! You poor sod! Can’t even imagine how you’re getting through the days…. It good that you’re off to see a psychologist though, I would need that too I reckon

@sleepless that is awful.
I remember when I smashed my nose up it really buggers about with your emotions, seems weird but I felt really insecure just leaving the house or being in a car. Glad to hear you are heading in the right direction fella.

@oldgit having just turned 43 I did think maybe I should look for a more sensible sport, but its the thrill of getting away with nearly crashing that draws me in!

Aagh. OK I admit it. I am reading this thread to convince myself that it could be worse. I am watching the sunshine from inside my shop. I saw people riding bikes on the drive into work (and nearly stopped to berate other drivers for how sh*t their overtaking of bikes was). I am feeling sorry for myself.

But not nearly as sorry I as feel for you lot! Eat lots of vits, minerals, comfrey extract and get well soon. Oh and fish oils, very good for concentration, protecting and improving brain function.

Yep, goes with the territory. been there a few times, it’s when you realise cycling is more than just a hobby to you. Think it was two years ago I got hit by that car. It wasn’t a total show stopper, but I lost that year. It’s the way time stands still (and the way the sun always comes out just then)but after a while you learn to let things heal properly and live to fight another day.

Edit, what Clover says. Look after yourself the best you can. It’s a good time to loose weight (if you need to :|)

im in the same boat. broken finger – doesnt sound too horrific but its surprising how difficult things are with one hand!

nicest week of the year too. Annoying thing is i wasnt even riding my bike when it happened

can just about mange a leisurely ride through the park – not quite the trip to wales i had planned..

Sprained ankle, not exactly in sleepless’ league though!
Will chill out in the sun today in the knowledge that i don’t ‘have’ to ride today and will rest the ankle (which means being on my feet bike fettling) and maybe ride tomorrow.
I can spend the day fantasising about the new road bike I’m going to buy 🙂

About this time last year I was trying to learn to walk again after three months in plaster for a snapped Achilles.
I will never take the ability to be mobile for granted again.
At least there was plenty of sport on TV 🙂

Smashed up my wrist and took a chunk out of my face back in April, just as I was getting to my bests fitness in a long while. Still doing physio to get my wrist to work and bones not confirmed as healed so not going to be back on the bike for a while yet, reckoning I’ll be back out in time for winter, not complaining (much) though as after the spill I had I’m glad to be able to be able to get back on the bike again.

cracked robs go tone good ride in where i could actually breathe then struck down with man flu when i had a free weekend of riding planned

Still should be ok next week and some of you have fared much much worse

Take things easy mate & get better before trying to ride again too soon.

I’ve had a sh!t year too with one injury after another.
Bad back in Jan – 4 weeks off bike, got fit again then
Broke thumb in April playing football – 2 months off new bike which I bought 7 days before breaking thumb. Got fit again
Binned it last Sunday on Dartmoor riding into a gorse bush head/face first, 3 stitches in my ‘Tragus’ (google it).
On the plus side I went out for a ride today & came back in one piece 🙂

Broke my leg in Feb and had my first bike ride round gisburn last Sunday, was sore but bloody good. Can’t enjoy the weather much as I’m working all weekend.

Got a step-down all wrong and am out for the next 8 weeks with a broken scaphoid. Face, balls and cuts all healing much quicker but not sure how I’m gonna cope if we get another 7 glorious weekends like this one. At least I didn’t have a riding holiday booked..

I have only ridden twice this year back in February, knee op number 6 due a week on Monday hopefully back cycling by end of month….and have a new bike waiting for the occasion. 🙂

I was diagnosed with cancer at xmas, I had two sessions of chemotherapy and thirtyfour sessions of radiotherapy, I lost my sense of taste it destroyed a load of saliva out glands, some of my hair fell out and I lost two stone.
I managed to get back on the bike in April and gradually build up my riding, then yesterday had a hernia the size of a golf ball pop out on my abdomen so I spent most of the day in hospital waiting for them to decide whether to operate or not. In the end the surgeon pushed the lump back in the end (that brought a tear to my eyes) and said I’d go on the waiting list for a repair job.
I’m not having a good year 🙂

Dibbs kind of humbles us all, but cycling related (and explains chose of user name):

2007 crashed in Chatel tearing ankle ligaments, ended holiday early, missed a summer of riding and thanks to misdiagnosis as a fracture (and subsequent lack of physio/treatment) now have a left ankle permanently much larger than the right from scar tissue.

2009 crashed on very first run in Morzine, snapped end of tibia off, surgery to pin it, missed entire summer.

2011 crashed on innocuous part of Penmachno first ride of a weekend away in wales, snapped end of elbow (elecronon) off taking tricep tendon with it. Surgery to re-attach it, missed whole summer, first ride back was with Sierra Cycling in the autumn (cue 420 post thread….).

2013 hoping not to follow the pattern and break a collarbone…

I think 2013 is the year you need to take up knitting, on second thoughts those needles would be far to dangerous for someone with you record 😆

2012/13 has been a bit of a poor season for me too, not the worst here, but:

Late Nov 2012 – detached peroneal ligament (goes from ankle bone to heel) landing a drop. Surgery, 2 screws in leg bone, 6 weeks in plaster and 6 weeks physio before getting back out on the bike at the start of march.

Got 4 months riding in then stacked it last weekend. Broken collarbone, broken rib, lots of bruising. Looking at 6-8 weeks out of commission including limited functionality over a stag do, 2 weddings, 1 festival and what looks to be the sunniest month of the year.

But i’ll be straight back on the bike as soon as they say I’m allowed, because that’s what we do, isn’t it?

persona will be along in a moment to offer some honest opinions on all of the above.

Well, just having come back from A&E with stitches to my lips, super glue on my face, and an arm splint – I feel your pain!

I’ve got 4 weeks to return to *normal* then I’m off to the Alps. So better get better.

Any tips on facial recovery? Doctor didn’t really say much, I’ve been damping my stitches and using anti-septic to keep the wounds clean….

@Rickon I was given a ‘magic’ cream can’t remember what it was called now but it kept the the wound moist and looking a bit like apple sauce. My nose was well mashed up, basically ripped my right hand nostril up, but with a few stitches and this cream stuff it healed really well.
Once the wound had healed I was given some Dermatix that you can get on prescription. This stuff was also magic and really helped to reduce scarring.
Never quite regained my pretty boy looks though!!!
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Same to you too Dibbs, sounds like you’ve had more than your fair share.
Some nasty injuries from you lot above!
Off to buy a trainer so I can put my bike in the sunny garden and at least work off a doughnut or two!

I am nursing a broken Scaphoid at the moment after decking it at Antur and in a cast from my thumb to me elbow, this weather isn’t making it a pleasant experience.

I too am sporting a Scaphoid cast, like the girly on the cycle show but in green.
Detatched tendon in thumb on 29 April , operation to fix was 21 June, back on bike 21 Aug ish. I am so bored but feel for Dibbs . Hope it works out for you mate

I broke mt pelvis in 4 parts and spent 4 months on crutches, only started walking again 3 weeks ago. Still not allowed to ride abike for at least 2 months. Im looking at March to September with no bike action at all. I’d love to swap for a broken nose and gashed arm!

Sorry to read that OP – but hopefully the stitches will start to heal very soon. It’s a double slap in the face when the weather is so fine.

Three months off the bike last year for a Weaver Dunn on my shoulder, not nearly as traumatic as the others here, but the very day I received the all clear from the doc, the heavens opened and it stayed raining for six months. Then it started snowing.

Last week I took a high speed spill and landed on the same shoulder. The shoulder itself held up, but it hurts like a mutha and I’ve a large bruise all along my right side.