Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Information on returning to Bike riding after surgery ?

Hi had a bad accident on Sunday last week. Brake handle through my thigh to the bone. 

Have a few stitches and the usual on pain killers and seems to be healing fine. 

Just wondering if anyone has idea on when to start riding again? If a recovery program is available.

happend to anyone else and this is what they did? 

Type stuff! 

 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

Add new comment

4 comments

Avatar
Martyn_K | 5 years ago
1 like

Sage advice from BTBS. Consider that in your rush to get back to the bike you could cause damage which will long term restrict your recovery, set you back further weeks or worst case result in damage that prevents you from riding.

If your muscle mass was damaged in the accident, which i imagine it could be with a thigh injury through to the bone, then this will take much more than 10 days to heal. Muscle tears can take weeks to reach a stage where loading with fatigue based exercises will not result in further damage.

Seriously, take a step back, evaluate your condition and decide if jumping on the trainer now is really worth it.

 

In order to assist your recovery i would advise to research what nutritional needs your injury needs to recover. Muscles will need proteins to repair. Research lean proteins and also foods that help to transport those proteins to the required areas. You will likely need a small increase in 'good' calorie intake too as your body fires up the repair factory. Don't overlook the power of sleep either. While sleeping is where the magic repairs happen.

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
2 likes

You should be asking this of your medical professional and get them into contact with someone qualified with respect to physio/recovery who has in depth knowledge of your injury type and what you can/can't do, when and how much and what type of exercise programme you should be doing.

With all due respect to the person above you have no idea how the injury has affected the muscle and elsewhere, how long it takes to heal properly, nothing.

You talk about pedalling on day one for 10 minutes and yet you don't know if that might actually be undoing the healing and causing more damage. Pain is not always an indicator and indeed we can easily push just a little bit. 'Oh it's just a twinge', could equal doing a load of damage, waiting until AFTER you've exercised to see if there is any pain is simply ridiculous.

I've been in that sitation after major surgury (had to be cut right through the stomach muscles from sternum to waistline) so please do not rely on 'pain' as the indicator/threshold as to whether you are doing harm or not.

Go get referred to a professional, in fact you should have already being directed to someone for your rehabilitation.

 

 

Avatar
Hirsute | 5 years ago
0 likes

Not the same injury, but I found gradually increasing things worked best. 1 mile, 1.25 miles, 1.5 miles rather than 1, 5 , 10 miles.
Plenty of ice and heat too !

Avatar
madcarew | 5 years ago
0 likes

Simply, with an injury like that, let pain be your guide.  You'll be on some antibiotics which may well make you feel tired, as may inflammation from the injury itself. Apart from stressing the stitches (Any internal ones?) exercise is unlikely to do any damage to the injury itself so long as you don't over do it. You know if you're overdoing it because it hurts a lot. 

As for a program, 

Day 1, pedal gently for 10 mins. Get off. See if it hurts a couple hours later

If it hurts, try again in 3 days

If it doesn't hurt, 

Day 3 ride for half hour very gently. See if it hurts next day

If it hurts next day, go  back to step 1

If it doesn't hurt

Day 5 do a normal easy ride

If it hurts the next day go back to day 3

If it doesn't hurt.... go ride your bike.

Latest Comments