Crunch!
 

Sprinting down the street at around 32-33mph, slow down to about 25mph... guy darts out between a parked car and minivan, didn't even see him. WHAM! Clipped him and I went into the back of a van stopped waiting for the light at the intersection. As far as I can remember, I went in head first, then my side hit and my right shin caught the bumper. I got up, the van driver came out, dude got back up, we're all looking around like, WTF happened. Absolutely no signs of damage on the van, I guess the panel popped back out, right STI shifter bent in, easy fix, guy's ok, I have a chunk of skin torn off my right shin, bruised elbow, otherwise fine. It's a miracle considering the speed involved and the fact that I went dead center into the back of a stopped van...

So off I go to work. Anyway... there seems to be a slight dent and a huge bruise around the torn flesh at the lower shin area. Not sure if anything's wrong, there's just an overall numbing pain, no sharp pains from running up stairs or anything. Anyone know how to figure out if the shin bone's broken, cracked, or whatnot without an xray? Just concerned since the shin bone seems to be mighty thin and completely exposed unlike most of the other bones in the body...

Start with is black and blue and swolen?

Wow :eek:

Glad to hear that both the idiot that stepped out and you are OK - that really could've been pretty nasty...

I don't know how to check for a break other than feel the bone - bruising and stuff I guess.

Glad to hear you are ok. People turn into monkeys when they walk. They just bonce around with out thinking.

If it dose not hurt runnig up and down stairs it is not* broken. The shin is ment to be an increably painful bone to brake. I friend of mine who was a keen runner had shin splints once (lots of hair line fractures) and he could walk but no way run let alown up stairs. Remember chicks dig scars!


* Never say never but the chances are very slim.

Yikes!! glad to hear it's not worse.

Personally if I had any questins I'd get xrayed but to answer your questions - my personal experience with a couple of not painful breaks and a couple of painful ones - lots and lots of bruising. Way more than I get when I'm just bruised and more yellowish. lasted longer too. I guess the bruise is deeper. I'm talking a couple of fingers, a couple of toes and one freakish shoulder break. None were settable but the shoulder eventually required surgery. The bruising was all down the side of my body on that one.

Twice I've broken bones and didn't realize it, after thinking back I realized I had a sick to my stomach feeling for a long time. One was a broken toe and the other was a hairline fracture of a rib. Both were found when I went to the doctor weeks later complaining that I had a bruise that wouldn't heal. In both cases the doctor said, "Yup you broke it, not much we can do now". I would say if it dosn't hurt when you walk on it, you don't feel sick to your stomach, and the bruising goes away in a reasonable time, then your fine, of course ymmv.

OUCH ! Sorry about that! I guess it could have been a lot worse, depending on how you hit. Sounds like you might have done a slight shoulder roll to your side. Feel Beter.

I think the answer is, no there is no sure way without an x-ray.

I have known a few people that did not know they had a broken bone and walked on it for a while before getting it checked. I know this is not what you are looking for, but my worry would be if it starts to heal in an odd position it might effect your riding in the future. Because you are a cyclist I would be more careful than a non-cyclist. The faster you get an x-ray the better.

Just think how lousy it would be If I could beat you in a century.
The thread title would be... "2manybikes > slvoid > R600DA" :(

Glad you're Ok dude. Shins are tough...but it's gonna hurt for a while. Good thing you went in head first, or you might have really hurt yourself. ;)

Glad you're somewhat OK.

But, you still may want to have your leg checked out. We waited several days to have our daughter's leg checked out by a doctor, because she could walk on it and never really suffered. Turns out she had to have a cast on it for 6 weeks. Man, I hated myself.

Dood - that sucks :( Doesn't sound like it's broken but you'll probably feel it more tomorrow!

The shin is incredibly strong - when it breaks you'll definately know it!

Just ride your bike over to the hospital, jump off, run in, tell them you think your shinbone is broken.
There, medical advice from BF.

I ran over one of those little hand rakes with the lawn-mower, and it threw the scrapnel into my shin. OUCH! I could barely walk for 30 minutes it hurt so bad, but the hospital didn't even xray it, they washed the the wound, gave me a tetanus shot and sent me home. Cost = $450. The lesson in all seriousness is: If you can walk, go to the doctor's office not the ER.

ice, elevation, NOW, if you forego the emergency room, slvoid.


if it hurts bad now, just wait until tomorrow. line up some high test pain meds. how's your head? you wear a helmet? check your pupils for symmetry and the like; one time i hit my head good and had blood running out my ears (days before helmets were commonplace)

if you have medical insurance you might want to just consider a trip to see the doc, but you know your injuries best...

1. Man that sucks. 2. Amazing how resilient the human body is, eh?

Still, I'd have the shin checked out. About 10 years ago, I jogged into a stone bench that was shin high. (It was a party; I was drunk.) Kicked it full-stride. The alcohol helped with the pain, but to this day, I have a divot the size of a dime in my shin. You could rest a blueberry in it. There's always a bruise or a scab on it. This is TEN YEARS LATER. I can run, and I'm fine, but I sure wish I'd checked it out then. I'm afraid that one day when I'm 60, my shin is just going to break in half.

And do what Bekologist says. Ice. Elevation. Also, look for some Arnica gel. Rub it in even if it hurts. It stops bruises before they start. Feel better.

Slvoid,

Dood , I'm very glad you're ok mate. OMG it could have been worst while you're down and stunned a car could have ran over a limb or worst. :( Man I wished the pedestrians would walk slowly out of the parked cars, look clearly left/right, then walk walk to thier destination then dart right out. That pisses me off. :mad: Never broke any bones so far and thankfully only had small spills (riding on wet wood would do that to you). I feel for you. I had to avoid froggers like those before but almost had a crash when some (the worst!) kids got loose from thier parents.

Anyways, I'm not sure how the health care system is in the US of A or if you have any personal coverage plans. As some other postered said being a cyclist it's best to get an x-ray so the bone does not set wrong. I can only assume that the x-rays cost out of pocket change thus the reason to look towards an alternative method of detection. By the sounds of the accident I wouldn't chance it and go get an x-ray just to be sure then change or slow down your riding habits in hopes to have more reaction time/damage sustained if contacted.

Up here north of the 49th (if memory is correct) x-rays are covered under OHIP. Well nothings free and while the health care is tops we pay for it through high taxes. -.-; Still they take good care of you here in the hospitals.


Zero_Enigma

I've bkoken my shin. If it's broke, you know it. No questions. It's the second largest bone you got, and it's weight bearing. NO doubt about it. If you're walking, it's not broken.

I checked it out, not black and blue or anything, there's just a chunk of about the size of half a snickers bar missing on the front where the shin is, seems to have taken off most of the layers of skin down to the fat, the shin itself seems fine though. A coworker was like, try hopping around on one leg, so despite common sense and logic, I did, didn't hurt, so I think it should be fine. Wrapping a paper towel drenched in R134 around your leg is a great feeling. Taking the bandaid off to put cream on the wound isn't, hairy legs HURT, much much more than the injury...

I would go to the ER, my copay is only 10 bucks, but then I gotta waste like 5-6 hours at the hospital.

That means you'll be putting out like, 600 watts. Scotty, divert all power from forward HID's!

You'd rather spend five hours with coworkers who want you to hop around on one foot?

Glad to hear you're relatively ok. How's the helmet? Might be time for a new one if you went in head first.

Go see your primary care physician or if you have a DOCS nearby, go see them. Pay the co-pay if applicable and they can write a referral for an x-ray. Depending on your coverage, it should be covered. Then your dr. will let you know if anything's fractured or broken. Heal up dude!

here's a cautionary tale about shins and pain:

friend of mine bashed his shin hard on the coping of a ramp skating, it hurt for a week, went to the doc, xrays were negative, doc cleared him to skate again.

A week later, he's coming back in off an invert, makes it, but the pressure of pumping snaps his tibia and fibula both, leaving his leg flapping around like a rag doll's.

The initial shin bash created a hairline fracture that hadn't shown up, and his leg snapped right along that fault line, so he has a Ti. rod and screws--I said you should have gone carbon fibre, it'll make you go faster, but he doesn't skate anymore.

lesson is: listen to your body. if you have chronic pain, take it easy, and let it heal.*

*disclaimer: I gouged a six-inch trough in my shin with my eggbeaters slipping off a trackstand, but I didn't go to the hospital even though my shinbone is now bumpy there.

Personal experience from 10 years of Motocross racing:

With NO PAIN MEDICATION, Lay down and elevate the injured limb, keeping it fully supported and relaxed (such as on pillows).

When laying down, if it doesn't hurt, it probably isn't broken. Broken bones get that deep down throb that won't stop even when you're fully relaxed. Exception: The small bones in your wrist can act like a sprain even when broken.

Strains and Sprains tend to hurt only when you exert the muscle or tendon.

Your leg probably isn't broken. But if you have throbbing pain when you are resting, or if it hurts when you put weight on it, get it looked at. Don't bother with the emergency room if you can find anyone who can carry you home. Don't bother with a family doctor. Call an orthopedic specialist (generally a sports doctor is best), and make a direct appointment. It will save you hours of yoru time wasted on xrays and exams (and in waiting rooms) that the ortho guy will repeat anyhow. (Ortho guys have their own xray techs, and they don't trust xrays done by other specialties).

Best guess is it's just a nasty bruise and cut though.

If it would have been broken, THAT would have been funny....but not for you. :D :eek:

:roflmao:

But captain! We canna see the 'otholes in the road!

Just do it Scotty!

Aye captain.

Make sure you don't have a head injury. :)

Make sure you don't have a head injury. :)

:)

:)

I'd be very surprised if you can run up stairs and it's broken. It's gotta hurt like a mofo and tomorrow will be worse.

Sorry to hear about what happened and glad your ok otherwise.

As other have said, ICE, ELEVATE, and MEDS are the way to go.