Can't ride for 6 weeks :(
 

I was going strong with my riding regime, this ol' gal built up from barely making a 5 mile run the first couple times out to completing a 30+ mile charity ride, with hills, in just a matter of months. I have been enjoying my cycling with a passion, and feeling great from the exercise. I look for interesting rail trails in other states, making day trips out of them. I started doing charity rides. I've been trying to keep consistent with my exercise, in spite of a stressful job and the 90-100 degree weather (I hate heat). But today I found out I have a fractured rib. It's my first broken bone, and yes, I did it biking. The Dr says not to ride or exercise for 6 weeks, and I'm concerned that the progress I've made will go right down the toilet.

As an older person, I've noticed it's much harder to get into shape, and I lose my conditioning much quicker than when I was younger. Any advice on what to do while I'm healing?

How did you crack it?

Ahhh, that's what frustrates me so much, because it was a stupid fall. I was just taking off from a rest, and decided I wanted to take a picture of where I was. Without thinking, I turned the handlebars too sharply (to stay on the pavement and not uneven the grass ahead) and just fell over instantly. I so totally didn't expect it, I think I was down on the ground before I even realized what happened. I got a scrape, not very big. But my left side landed into my handlebars, or the lever. It took a few days before I started hurting much, and a week and a half later it hurt so bad I couldn't sleep at night.

Not to disagree with your doc, but walking is great exercise, and I don't see how that would cause any problems with your ribs healing**********??

Best to rest and stay away from the bike for proper healing.
A second accident would not be good on a sore rib cage.

Sorry about your accident, Bunnicula; and congratulations on your cycling progress.

Is plain ol' walking okay with your doctor? I would suggest walking as often and as fast as you feel comfortable with until you get the okay to ride. Good luck.

Edit: Ah, DnvrFox was posting as I was typing. Great minds think alike.

Will have to keep that in mind. I do hate walking, though, because my feet tend to swell after being on them all day at work. That's been one of the great things for me about biking, no pressure on the feet.

Ibuprofen will help. You'll feel like biking way before six weeks, but take it easy, and if you give in to the urge, get a rib cage protector. A used sporting goods store might have one cheap. The biking won't be the issue; as 10wheels says, it's the second fall that you have to watch out for.

I understand the sore feet. I too work on my feet. If your doc approves do a mile or two an hour or two after work; before going keep your feet up. Comfy walking shoes bought AFTER work will help! From a guy who walked 2 miles and built it up to 6 over two years (walked six miles/day for the last year) before switching back to the bike cause I can ride in the 100 degree heat and have a BREEZE!!

You will not get out of shape as much as you will lose your conditioning; by that I mean you will still be in shape but you will have dropped back in desire and your body will protest not like it did at first but it will still ask you what the heck you think you are doing!?!?!? I took off about 4 week becasue of my son's ballgames, not feeling well (had the bug that is going around the area) and then the heat. The one at my house who got out of shape was my walking partner; Bear the wonder dog! HE thought that we should go daily.

Walking & lunges, both of them helped me when I was off for prostate surgery. But I was walking 16 min miles. Doc thought it was great that I was doing it. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

My wife broke her shoulder in June and the doc said not to take Ibuprofen for about the first week since according to him it inhibits the process of the bone knitting at first. He recommended Tylenol or the suitable generic instead.

Get you an exercise bike from a yard sale. Pressure off your feet & not much chance to fall.

Head down to your local swimming pool and try walking in waist deep water. Water walking is a great cardiovascular workout and will be easier on your feet.

Louis

Best idea I have heard yet!

Sorry to hear of your broken rib. Yes, it seems harder to me to keep in shape and I'm quicker to decline after not exercising - but ribs don't tolerate movement as they knit, and they can be the biggest pain while healing. I had a foot operation which kept me off for four weeks and it really was depressing not being able to do anything at all... I hope you keep your spirits up during the process. We're rooting for you!

Heal well, and soon.

Maybe you could borrow a trainer? You'll lose some, but before you know it you'll be riding again.

Sorry to hear about your injury. I broke two ribs on the July 4th weekend and have just recently started cycling again, though nowhere near my mileage before the crash. Take it slow and let it heal. I think you'll find your fitness hasn't been completely lost when you do get back on the bike.

I'm breathing shallow just thinking about cracked ribs. When I have had rib injuries that have forced me out of my regular exercise routines, I have turned to the leg extension machine for a safe, relatively pain-free way to keep some leg tone. If you do it without breaks (alternate legs), then it is a bit like riding a trainer. Yes, that means it is boring, but at least you can hear the music better on a leg machine than you can on a trainer.

I've broken ribs twice in the past three years. I picked up a little fame on the Clyde forum for breaking a rib during a crash on a bike tour and then riding and camping for two more days before I got medical attention. Don't do that. :-)

You won't lose that much conditioning in six weeks. And besides, you can get it back. As far as exercise goes, like any athlete, only you can determine what level of pain you can handle. So work around your discomfort.

The reason the doctor wants you to avoid cycling is that a second fall can be very dangerous. The rib can fracture again, or break in another spot, or puncture a lung. So be careful.

After a bike crash on May 1, I was off the bike for two months. It didn't take long to get back in shape. In fact, in the Body by Science, the author notes many world records and great performances happen after an athlete had an injury, and was required to lay off training for a while. The author feels that long periods of rest are a good thing.

Sorry to hear about your fall and fractured rib. This was going to be my suggestion but I was beaten to the punch. Borrowing or even buying a trainer will keep you cycling without falling and re-injuring the rib. Depending on the type of bike you are riding, you can even ride sitting straight up and still keep the legs going. You also won't have to worry about riding in the heat. Then, when your ribs heal, you have a way to still ride during the winter months. You might ask your doctor if riding on a trainer would be OK.

Depending on the type and make, trainers can be very inexpensive. I have seen magnetic trainers at Dick's Sporting Goods for under $125.00. They may be a bit noisier than some of the more expensive trainers, but they do what they are suppose to do. You can also try some of the LBS in you area to see if they have any discontinued models in stock. They normally let those go with a decent discount just to get rid of them.

I bought a trainer from an lbs that they were using to set up bikes so it was used, but not much. It was cheap but I still hate it.

Very sorry to hear this. Take it easy and you'll be fine when you get back riding. It will take a little while to get back to your current state but not as long as the first time.

I'm sorry to hear about your fall and the ribs!

I share your pain and frustration. I broke a rib (and did other damage) in a pretty serious crash on my bike two weeks ago. My doctor told me I could ride, but easy rides only (no climbing, no stressing my upper body). He prescribed a five day regimen of torodol to get me through the worst of it, and I feel pretty darn good now.

Perhaps you should get a second opinion?

Yea. Ask a doctor that is sports-friendly. Most docs will automatically recommend the most conservative plan because most people do not value exercise. Make it clear that you would like to be back on the bike as much as possble as soon as possible and that it is important to your well-being (it is!).

Thank you all for your suggestions, support, and encouragement. I have been hurting so badly yesterday and today that I honestly wouldn't even consider riding or exercising, so I guess that's good. I'm in a "just give me the vicodin" frame of mind today. But you guys gave me some good suggestions to try when I'm not hurting. And the stories of your accidents really do make me feel better, oddly enough. I don't feel like such a clutz now, lol.

The funny thing is, I fell about 12 miles in to my 30+ mile ride. I knew I'd be bruised, but I got up, pushed the pain aside, and did the rest of the miles, up hills and all. Then I did the tourist thing for the next two days, going sightseeing, sailing. I came home and rode 2 more 14 mile rides that week but I noticed my breathing was more labored and my side more painful. I was even more uncomfortable going into the second week. Now I can't sleep, because only 1 side doesn't hurt and when I have to turn I wake myself up. The thought of pushing it by riding too soon, and possibly landing on this rib just makes me cringe. So all of you who are warning me to be careful of re-injury I think speak wisely.

I like the idea of a trainer, are they really that noisy? I can certainly understand the boredom. Perhaps a short term gym membership for pool use and leg machines would work too, if I can motivate myself to go. I really am encouraged now to rest the rib, but consider alternative exercise. I think that working around my discomfort is going to be the key, as several pf you have said.

Sarals, that accident sounds pretty bad! How did it happen? And Neil, I read about your crash on the forum.

That is true. It turns out my Dr. is (or was) a cyclist, and broke some bones himself when he was hit by a car while riding. Said he would've probably been dead if he didn't have a helmet on.

A short term gym membership sounds like a good idea. Who knows, you might really like it?
There are different types of trainers and some are noisey but the magnetic ones are quieter. I set mine up in front of the t.v. when I use it.
They can be set up with a computer and a program that plays on the t.v. so you see the people you are "riding" with and record all the data. Mine is just a simple resistance unit which I can pick up and throw in the closet in a couple seconds.

Bunnicula, I am one who started back too soon after my crash with my training and aggravated a hip injury I received in the crash. Now I'm off the bike due to that, not the rib. The rib was okay with the torodol prescription (now that the prescription has run out, I can feel it), and as long as I did what my doctor told me to do, it was fine. And it IS fine!

What happened? I hit a power cable that had been placed on the road by a campground to mark the entrance to their parking area at night. They were supposed to remove it and didn't. I was with a group, and was the last rider and didn't see it. I hit it at about 20 MPH and was on the ground before I even knew what was happening. Unlike you, I DIDN'T get up! I spent some quality time in an ambulance and an ER at a local hospital. I don't recommend it! Also, my face saved my helmet, not vice-versa. There wasn't a mark on the helmet (which I have replaced, anyway), but my face didn't fare quite so well. It's healed up just fine, though.

Hey - get well! Get back on that bike! In the interim, walk, do think about getting a trainer, and maybe do some resistance exercises in a pool.