Hi, first time caller, long time listener..

I’ve ended up on this forum after looking for many different things; towbars, roofracks, work boots, barbequeing tips and sometimes even for bike stuff! So I gave in and signed up today. There seems to be a lot of good knowledge floating about on this forum and I hope to be able to give a bit back when needed.

Following an x-ray I have just found out that I have a broken back some two month’s after a fall. I have a compression fracture on thoracic vertebrae 8, that is about level with the sturnum. I didn’t know anything about the nature of these fractures before the GP told me I had one, since then I have researched a bit and can only assume that it’s not endangering the spinal column itself. The prognosis is that I will recover in the next month or two. I’m waiting for an MRI scan so I’ll just assume the best for the moment..

Has anyone reading this had a similar injury? Any thoughts of how it has affected your ability to ride and the rate (if any) of decline in ability over the years/months following getting back on a bike would be very much appreciated.

I’m trying not to let it get to me but I can’t help but worry that mountain biking may be off the menu for me permanently. I’m not particularly fit to be honest but am well built and have taken some pretty hard knocks on bikes, in cars etc. but so far this back injury has kept me down longer than anything except a broken leg a few years ago.

I ride mostly self built downhillish tracks and ride hard, usually on quite small bikes. I’d just started building up an on-the-heavy-side 456 evo and a very sturdy short travel full sus when this injury happened and was looking forward to getting out more than I’d managed over the last couple of years..

Both the wife and have done similar and both still ride as hard as we ever did. Gentle riding at first but confidence soon came back. Wife was on the road bike after 5 weeks and riding in the alps after 10!

Best advice would be to get good physio and do all the exercises to retain flexibility and strength. It also helps stop problems later and muscles twisting during healing.

Chin up though. If you have only just noticed it after 2 months hopefully it isn’t that serious.

Healing vibes going your way.

The one thing I’d say after my experience is do the physio and work at it. I didn’t and five years later I am nowhere near where I was physically and it’s proving difficult to get back.

That’s encouraging, thank you.

I agree good physiotherapy is important, last time I went I was forced in to a pretty good charades type effort of The Exorcist. The head turning round, not the projectile vomiting..

I’ve been off work and laid up since the fall and my back’s been the main feature of my everyday life since. I saw a GP at the beginning of June and described spinal tenderness and poor motor control in my legs, she gave me codeine.. It was only after I pushed the issue later (with another GP) that it got investigated further with an x-ray.

Thank you for the vibes

I fractured my L3, L4 & L5 vertebrae after getting hit by a car in 2005. I’ve spent the last 10 years as a full-time bike guide in the Alps. Hope this helps! 😉

Fractured t4 6 weeks ago after jump went wrong , still sore now but first xc and light trail riding last sat went well. Doing all the Physio helps & swimming a been amazing . I used to hate it but 30 lengths a day at the moment !!

I did t7 and t8 about 5 years ago. Similarly to you wasn’t diagnosed for a couple of months. But didn’t have much pain after a couple of weeks so was able to work keep mobile and ride after a month or so. Long term problems have been stooping and a slight numbness in the muscles that support the area. Bike riding not really a problem.

The fact its taken 2 months to diagnose without issue suggests its stable so youre not that at risk of spinal cord damage. If there was the hospital would be taking it seriously.

When I did mine it was quite a few months before getting riding again. It’s still not quite right as standing up for a period of time causes issues.

You will have damaged a lot of muscle etc that needs care. Core strength and flexibility training from a physio will help.

Just listen to your body but be prepared to put the effort in and you will be riding in no time.

Hi Lazlowoodbine, I have a compression fracture of my T9, landed on my head on an upslope whilst jumping, didn’t have an Xray for a couple of years but the pain was so bad on occasion I did and that was the diagnosis.

The good news is that it has never stopped me riding, I’m 57 but I still ride pretty hard (DH and enduro).

The bad news is that I get chronic pain with it and use Tramadol most days.

Everyone is different though and I wish you the best in your recovery.

Thank you everyone for your input. I wasn’t encouragement that I was after per se but I certainly don’t feel as dejected as I did yesterday.

I’m under no illusion that it won’t cause me trouble later to some degree. My other various breaks play up play up now and again, especially when it’s cold. I do take comfort from the fact that the x-ray results didn’t prompt emergancy treatment. As has been pointed out above any obvious and imminent danger to the spinal cord would have made that happen.

I can’t wait to get back to work (really!) and then riding again.

c7 for me….. just finished tour divide. Physio, a complete change of sport from modern pentathlon, through to kayaking and now extreme distance biking – you can do it.

Might I suggest a full suspension bike?