Fifty Plus (50+) - Back in the saddle again

Exactly three weks after clobbering my knee, I managed to ride my bike. I can just barely bend my leg enough for a good pedal stroke, but it was enough to ride a few hundred yards. The bike is now at the LBS getting the winter tires swapped out and a tuneup -- good time for this, because I expect to have to drive my car everywhere for the next few weeks. Any words of wisdom about starting to ride again after an injury?

Paul

Exactly three weks after clobbering my knee, I managed to ride my bike. I can just barely bend my leg enough for a good pedal stroke, but it was enough to ride a few hundred yards. The bike is now at the LBS getting the winter tires swapped out and a tuneup -- good time for this, because I expect to have to drive my car everywhere for the next few weeks. Any words of wisdom about starting to ride again after an injury?

Paul

Yep- ASK DG.

Try to get some strength back in the leg before doing anything strenuous on the bike and get the mobility back into the knee. Gentle walks out to the kitchen to the Fridge to get a cold one but be carefull and only take one at a time. Two at once could be too heavy and cause a sudden meeting with the floor after 5 or 6 trips.

Yep- ASK DG.

Try to get some strength back in the leg before doing anything strenuous on the bike and get the mobility back into the knee. Gentle walks out to the kitchen to the Fridge to get a cold one but be carefull and only take one at a time. Two at once could be too heavy and cause a sudden meeting with the floor after 5 or 6 trips.

Perfect advice. Just be patient and GO SLOW. Took me six weeks and I hated every minute of the wait, but it was worth it. Take is slow and easy.

For the first few weeks on the bike, start out doing MUCH, MUCH LESS than you think you're capable of then build up very slowly. If you feel pain, stop. If you can enforce that discipline, you could be better than new in a few months. (Take it from someone who tried it the other way first, and put himself backwards by six months).

For the first few weeks on the bike, start out doing MUCH, MUCH LESS than you think you're capable of then build up very slowly. If you feel pain, stop. If you can enforce that discipline, you could be better than new in a few months. (Take it from someone who tried it the other way first, and put himself backwards by six months).

Yeah. What Jet said.

Buy a cheap (or expensive!) trainer if don't already own one. Besides being able to spin or grind when the whether or light sucks, it will be good for recovery days when you want to keep the effort "lite', and....trainers are good for recovering from an injury. You can reduce the resistance to literally nothing if need be, keep whatever resistance right where you need it to be without variation or distraction, stay on for precisely what you need, not worry about winds, traffic, gradients messing up your fragile situation, and, if need be, hop off anytime you wish.

Most every cyclist should own a trainer just because.

*** Good advice from all above...good sense and patience will have you back better and more reliably.

Good advise here. Been there, done that.
I used a no load trainer for one year with excellent long term results an no regrets.