Natophelia

I am such an idiot! I'm not even going to tell you the circumstances because it was so STUPID!! I took a fun tumble this weekend. Well, more of a slam and skid mostly on my right hip and shoulderblade. I've got a patch of ugly road rash on the shoulder, and I guess the same thing on my hip. Is it still considered road rash if it's through your clothes?? My hip is swelled up just over that bone that sticks out (greater trocanter), and it still hurts like a b*tch. My foot and the rest of my leg felt almost numb for three hours afterward. When you fall like that does it normally swell like this??? I went to the emergency room just after because the numbness/coldness freaked me out and it hurt so bad, but I left when it started feeling better. I dunno....please share! I can't decide wether to go to my regular doc about it or not, and I have to know that I didn't seriously injur something! I think I'd give up cycling if it 'broke' me for the other stuff I've spent my entire life doing (dance, yoga, etc). And I don't wanna do that I haven't bought the bike I've been drooling over!! Hell, I'm probably over-reacting; it was my first fall.

bac

Yes, visit your doctor and get checked out ASAP! If there is a problem, this will allow you to begin the healing process faster. Also, you may have a serious problem. Either way, get to your doc, or go back to the ER.

Also, unfortunately, crashing goes along with mountain biking. However, you will heal!! Riding is too much fun to allow injury to stop you from riding forever. Crashes do happen regardless of how careful you are riding. Now get healed, and get back on that horse!

PS: I hope all is well.

Ranger Jake

Servus!

Let me guess - couldn't clip out at a light and went down with the ship?

Serously, I have gone down at over 40mph and been hit by cars over seventeen times in my cycling career. Injury WILL occur - you cannot avoid it. Some people get hurt worse than others, but we all get injured eventually - especially in the beginning. You are also a bit shocked about fallilng and there is the fear factor "what if it happens again". Please, do not foster these feelings any more. All they will do is put you off cycling for good - something that happened to me once.

Think about what happened to you - if you trip while rollerblading, is the level of injury any different? You are in motion when you contact the ground (usually hard) which means all of the force that you generate to put your mass in motion is transmittted to the contact surfaces when you stop. We're talking about hundreds, if not thousands, of psi.

If you continue to have severe pain or loss of feeling or function of a body part, see your doctor immediately. If the ER cleared you, then there is no reason to see your physician.

Natophelia

No, unfortunately I don't even have the excuse of not being able to clip out, as I have not yet gotten clipless pedals! And also unfortunately I was in motion and on pavement rather than nice squishy mud. I wasn't cleared at the ER, I just left. But, what the hell. I have insurance. I'll see if I can get in at my doc now. grumble grumble grumble

Freerider

If its swollen that means that something is wrong. I would goto the ER and get it checked out because if you leave it too long it could heal wrong and keep you off your bike for a lot longer.

Adaman

Natophelia

I just keep getting dumber and dumber! I was trying to call my doc when I remembered I didn't drive myself this morning. I'm the dumbest smart person I know! How can a person ace her way through school/college yet not remember where her car is?? I do that all the time! Need to just get rid of the thing. Trying to get a ride/appointment as we speak. Thanks all

edit: all taken care of! Appointment @ 2:50. 10am now. Questions..does road rash ever swell without the presence of another injury? Also, how common is infection? The ER nurse wanted to give me a tetanus shot.

Ranger Jake

Servus!

Ahhh, I missed that part - seek medical attention immediately! Do it now, don't respond to this post!!!!

Natophelia

HUMPH! sprains & strains. DAMMIT! No bikey for me for a little while. No yoga, no dance. Fabulous. Fine, fine, fine. So what's the favorite road rash remedy? And thanks for the responses. If I don't seem appreciative for the time being it's because I'm being a big fat pouty baby :irritated

khuon

I've heard good things about Brave Soldier. I've never used it myself but I think I might start. I still have this ugly road-rash on my elbow when I took a spill riding out of a parking lot in the STP (toe-overlap locked up the front wheel resulting in a slow-speed fall) that hasn't fully healed back... and that was a month ago. Elbows and knees are some of the slowest spots to heal back it seems.

pnj

ice.
bud ice

or just eat some asprin and get back out there.
the pain will go away after a few miles.

WorldIRC

dont ride too hard cuz right now urr immune system is trying to fix up urr scrapes and strains.. if you ride too hard urr body will become tired and not do the repairs as quickly and efficiently. just ride a little to keep urr muscles working.

jump

I can do this weird "body and mind" thing where I can just blank out pain so I just notice it but it doesn't affect me. When I fall, sometimes I can have this just nasty scrape or somethin but I keep goin'. It's all on mental strength. If your leg still works, you're fine, in my opinion, lol. But I am scared to DEATH of shots...

chewa

I took arnica (herbal) after my foot was nearly taken off in a motorcycle accident and it really helped bring the swelling down. Also my wife used it following her recent bike crash and her road rash cleared up really fast.

poptart

A wise man once told me "(s)he who gets ON a bike falls off of the bike". Alas it's true!

When i first started riding i'd get freaked out about crashes too. Now i can pretty much tell if something is "broken" or not (that *snap* sound when you land is usually bad......).

I ditto the arnica advice. You can use the topical gel on bumps and bruises, but not open wounds. Then you can take it orally. I like comfry for broken bones(but make sure your bone is set by a professional first).

I take vitamins C, E and I(ibuprofen) for recovery. And yes get your tetnus shot. A nurse recommended one every 3-5 years when i told her what my hobbies were.

Just keep your rash clean. Tegaderm and the like can help with that.

Don't stop moving . If i'm too injured to ride i at least try to do some walking/hiking.

At night ice everything that hurts, pour a glass of red wine, and start flipping through all of the bike catalogs....(works for me).

Heal quickly

Inkwolf

(Inky tucks Natophelia into bed with a cup of cocoa and a comic book.)

Poor dear!

Hope you're feeling better soon!

Natophelia

Thanks all. Jump, I know what you mean about shots! I HATE needles!! I'm very slowly getting used to it since I've been taking allergy shots twice a week for about 4 months now. I have to do that blanking out thing while I wait or I get this rush of anxiety and an urge to RUN just before.
As for my newly gimpy leg, except for hobbling around on it I'm gonna leave it alone until it feels normal again plus a few days. I've pushed myself through injuries before and they end up becoming weak spots that get reinjured. I've already got the foot joints of an old lady; don't want the hip to go along with it!! Pretty soon I'll need a cane with a rearview mirror and a horn and I'm only 24!
Will go in search of the road rash stuff you guys mentioned. Thanks again! and again and again....

Natophelia

Poptart- do you know if Tegaderm is anything like Second Skin Burn Pads? 2nd Skin is this blue translucent film, 2 laters, with a cold gel in the middle. Sounds similar form the website on Tegaderm I found.
I think I'm going to gimp over to my local health food store; they have loads of stuff like that.

oceanrider

Goodness you've had a nasty spill. My favorite road rash remedy is hershey's chocolate or a bag of salty chips (the fat free variety of course) :angel: and a good chick flick. I recommend Sam I am

The nice thing about injuries is rehabbing. It gives you a good motivation to be better and badder than ever. Find a way to enjoy your down time. I did some needlepoint just to stay productive.

WorldIRC

I just had a spill too on my road bike.. Going about 40km/h and I hit a bit of sand with my front wheel and I go slamming on my shoulder.. Nasty scrape there and on my hip but I got back up and continued riding. I threw my back wheel outta tru tho (i fixed it later that day) and gotta pinch flat in the front.

Buddha Knuckle

Not to mention Descabbing!

So gross, I love it.

I have one useful thing to add, though:

This is not entirely true. ER physicians have different goals than do primary care physicians. The ER doc is usually shooting to clear you from emergent, life/limb threatening maladies. The PCP can take his time and follow the natural course of whatever ails you. Also, some fractures are not always apparent on Xray in the acute setting...they may take days to weeks to show. And lastly, ER docs can make mistakes, so if you believe you are injured, then for the love of Jake, FOLLOW-UP!

I wish you a speedy recovery Nato. It sucks when the activities we love the most put us at the greatest risk for being rendered inactive.

Righto
BK

Natophelia

Descabbing? Is that anything like the guy in Austin Powers 3? I'll keep a collection...
Ocean you are so right! I've already sat down with a little pint of Chocolate Rasberry ice cream. Which reminds me- it's still in the freezer! I also went to Wild Oats to get some nifty natural owie creams. Got some nice tea tree oil stuff for the sore muscles and something or other for the road rash. Has calendula in it and smells like superglue. I'll have to sneak into the bathroom to try it out (unless it's proper to lift your skirt in the office? It would make for a more interesting day anyway) in a bit.
Thanks for the well wishes :cool:

Road Rash Rob

Get some Arnica make sure it's 10% or better and don't get the stuff thats mixed with bees wax (it stinks).
Put your Ice Cream in a bag and hold it on the swelling (don't eat it).
Eat beet soup (rebuilds flesh), red peppers (reduces muscle damaging oxidants)
at least thats what Ive heard.
..
Try to keep the sore bits moving so they don't get stiff.

Scooby Snax

Natophelia
Ok this sounds gross, but for a bit o the road rash I have on occasion use Alphadol (sp?) or as we called it dogbumcream, its veterinary stuff for wounds, kinda like polysporin kicked up a notch!

And dont get too comfy, you have to keep mooving, worst thing to do is immobilize something that is not broken, I dont mean strain your self, just moove gently. Walk back to the freezer and put away the Hagen Daz.... or better yet, bring it here where you wont be tempted...

I feel your pain!!

Ive got 3 peddle dents on my left shin myself

hopeing for your speedy recovery!

Natophelia

Scooby!! Paws off my ice cream! Well I'm feeling much better today- hobbling much faster!! FYI- don't put things that smell like super glue on road rash. Not to worry...I'm not getting too comfy I'm a bad invalid; can't sit still. I'm not dropping into the splits or anything, but I did go with my friend to a branch of my LBS that was farther away to get some Frog pedals. Whoohoo! Now when I fall I can blame it on the pedals! Oh hey Road....red hot sauce on biscuits count?? That's my breakfast!