timmythology

So while riding home from work last Wednesday 6/17/2009, I had my first commuter related accident. While coming to stop for a yellow light, My hands slid off the grips and dumped me. Landing on my elbow, causing a fracture that goes diagonal into my forearm. I have to wait til Tuesday for further information.

I am registered and fully paid for STP on 7/11-12th

Hill-Pumper

Tim, I'm truly sorry to hear about your accident. I know that you were really working hard towards the STP. Hopefully, you will get to go.

rumrunn6

sorry to hear about your fracture. rest up.

timmythology

hey pump

ya i am still thinking i will get to do it, here is to dreaming.

i see the bone doctor on Tuesday so will know more than.

all i have done for the last three days is sleep and drink milk. hoping it will just heal real quick

Wogster

Ah, there is nothing humorous about a broken humerus (the forearm bone), I should know, I'm the guy with the Ti elbow. Hopefully they were able to set it without surgery. Typically the cast is on for 3 weeks, and then you need 6 weeks of physical therapy to get your range of motion back, your probably off bike until it heals completely, which depends on your age, the orthopaedic doctor can tell you better. Make sure the physical therapist is one who deals with sports medicine and athletes. PM me if you want to know more.

timmythology

that's what is getting frustrated. they have not set, or done anything other than pain pills and a sling. i currently have no range of motion in mt left arm at all. i like the three weeks though, just in time for stp.

is not amazing that we always read what we want to hear though?

125psi

Bummer. Get better.

FLBandit

What is stp? Stone Temple Pilots? Anyway, wish you luck on healing. I'm just getting over shoulder replacement to the point I've been able to ride the last month!! This is now 7 months past surgery. Take your time, to early can make it worse.

Hill-Pumper

No, it is the Seattle to Portland ride. It is a 200 mile ride that is a one or two day event depending on how fast you are.

Wogster

Very unusual that they didn't set it, when I broke mine it required emergency surgery, to install the Ti plates. So I had to wait a day, they still like to get these things done quickly so that it doesn't start to heal in the wrong place. It's possible that it didn't break completely, or the ER doc wasn't sure, so they need an orthopaedic surgeon to look at the XRay. Sometimes a cast is not what we think of as a cast, 40 years ago they would surround everything with thick plaster, now they often use more of a splint, which is sometimes made of plaster. I had a cast that was basically a U shaped piece of plaster which was bound using a roll of gauze, does the same job but at half the weight.

3 weeks of being held in place and the surgeon said, okay we're taking the cast off, and I want you to see a physiotherapist to get it moving again. Had to see the PT every day for 3 weeks, then every other day for another 3 weeks, would have been longer, but the insurance ran out.

timmythology

So I meet with the Dr for the fracture. Very good news. The fracture is small enough that it will heal in a few weeks, 4 max, with 6 weeks for physical therapy. So the warnings for STP where it will hurt from over use, and if I fall, on the left side, I'll toast it.

Says to take it easy, start stationary training tomorrow, and will be able to start back up on the bike around July 8th. So I am happy, I also just got my custom wheel put on today

Bigboxeraf

Ouch man, feel better.

nkfrench 

Do you wear bike gloves when you ride ?

timmythology

Not when I commute. I wear gel gloves on long rides, 35+ miles. A friend is telling me to start even for commuting though.

StephenH

Suggestion: See if you can use stationary bikes in a gym or something like that to keep your legs in shape in the meantime.

I was out of town for 3 or 4 days, came back and felt like I'd lost half my muscle.