12 replies to this topic

[saint_john]

my girlfriend (who is also a cyclist) broke her distal radius Sunday. it will require surgery. has anyone has a similar injury? how long was it before you were able to get back on the bike?

[Gupster]

saint_john, on 31 May 2011 - 09:29 AM, said:

my girlfriend (who is also a cyclist) broke her distal radius Sunday. it will require surgery. has anyone has a similar injury? how long was it before you were able to get back on the bike?

Yes, I broke my raidus. Getting on the bike depends on your own comfort level.

[Trekker]

saint_john, on 31 May 2011 - 09:29 AM, said:

my girlfriend (who is also a cyclist) broke her distal radius Sunday. it will require surgery. has anyone has a similar injury? how long was it before you were able to get back on the bike?

Last year, I also suffered a distal radius fracture as well as a possible fracture of my scaffoid.  Mine didn't require surgery luckily, just a hard cast for 6 weeks and a soft cast for another 2 weeks after that.  Recovery depends on the treatment you receive after casting.  I would recommend having her go to a PT and they can work out some exercises that will help the process along.  I didn't do any PT and I wish I had.  I'm about a year out and I still can't do a push-up with out some mild discomfort...have to do them on my knuckles.  The first time back on the bike, was OK for the most part.  Had some soreness from my hand being on the hoods for a couple hours, but nothing too bad.  I don't think mine will ever be the same and can already tell it will be arthritic prematurely.  Hopefully, her's will heal better with surgery.

Edited by Trekker, 31 May 2011 - 08:16 PM.

[sai]

saint_john, on 31 May 2011 - 09:29 AM, said:

my girlfriend (who is also a cyclist) broke her distal radius Sunday. it will require surgery. has anyone has a similar injury? how long was it before you were able to get back on the bike?

My broken wrist didn't require surgery; it did require a cast for 8 weeks.  At the 6-week mark I left the trainer and took to the paved bicycle trails in Illinois (carefully!).
The PT afterwards for hand strength is crucial, as noted by the previous post.  My wrist is as good as new.

[Drumminchick]

As a very new entry level cyclist..... after reading this, I am starting to worry a bit.  Is this a common thing to happen?  I know I am going to fall... but you know... I am already nervous enough starting out! lol

[Gupster]

It's common on and off the bike.

[NaTeD]

Broke mine and fractured the scaphoid at the end of October 2009. I was in a cast for 6 weeks, and then a brace-type deal for about 2 weeks. I couldn't ride, without a little discomfort, until after the first of the year, which would have been about 10 weeks or so. The pain wasn't so much from the break as it was from the atrophy of being in the cast. That was the worst part. PT or some sort of strengthening is key once the cast comes off.

[Eggman]

Once they put you in soft cast you can ride, maybe with a little pain and with lots of apprehension. You may need to adjust your position to place less stress on you hands and wrists.
I heard once that there are two groups of bikers (motorcyclists, but it also applies equally to cyclists), the first is those who crashed and the second is those who are going to crash. By no mean I am advocating Kamikaze like riding, but be prepared physically and mentally and do everything to stay in the second group.

[Ryan Irish]

i broke both my radius and ula in a race 2 years ago in springfield.  my fracture of both bones was really close to the joint.  i had some plates and screws put in place over 2 surgeries.  physicall theraphy is IMPORTANT!!!  i was back on the bike riding after about 4 months but then again mine was a bad break (and i had numerous casts during that time).  after a year the hardware was giving me problems and was preventing some mobility so they went back in to remove the hardware and a few more months of PT.  if you can, go to a PT who specializes in hands.  mine was awesome ( i am in columbia ).  i am actually back racing this year after 2 years off.

[Ryan]

I broke mine taking a fall in a softball game two years ago.  Had surgery a few days later and wore a removable soft cast or splint for about eight weeks afterwards.  I hadn't started racing at the time and really wasn't riding that much anyway, but spent some time on the trainer to keep from fattening up too much.  I know I rode a handful of times with the splint on but was not totally comfortable on the bike until it came off, and then it still took some time to feel totally comfortable with weightbearing.

Now, I hardly notice it.  In fact, its been a while since I've thought about it at all.  The thing that seemed to linger the longest was just a little discomfort when twisting something.  It would bother me a bit, for example, turning my hand to re-rack a weight at the gym or twisting open a stubborn jar of peanut butter.  But all seems fine now.

[Mike S.]

Dr. David King

If it's someone else's fault, don't talk about it on the internet and, don't say,
"I broke it."  

In fact, don't talk about it to anyone but your attorney.

Edited by Mike S., 01 July 2011 - 09:04 PM.

[nomoretickets]

i broke my wrist in hockey back in highschool. took some time off and came back later in the season, but it gave me trouble for the next few seasons if i took a slash or went into the boards with it. i know its not the same as cycling, but im fairly sure with these things regardless of the sport, once you are out of the cast, its a "move at your own pace and dont push it" kinda thing

[cdale06]

i broke my wrist about a year and a half ago and was riding again within 2 weeks but it wasn't a bad break, i was just lucky