Mentally getting over a major injury?

[FlashUNC]

Got some good news from the doc this week, and my elbow has healed to the point I can begin riding again that doesn't involve a trainer. Range of motion is still limited, but any use restrictions I had have been lifted as the bone and joint are now healed. In his words, the risk of re-breaking it is the same as any other joint.

All wonderful news. Yesterday after work, took the bike out into the parking lot and my neighborhood for a ride to test out the arm, and no limitations that I could find.

Question I have now -- and maybe what I'm more concerned about -- is any lingering psychological effects. Any advice from those who've gone through this before? I don't pretend this is anything near as severe as PTSD or anything of the sort, but I did notice planning my short route for tomorrow around some train tracks I usually go over without incident, and some of the steeper downhills that require braking at the bottom.

I'm thinking I might be a little gun shy getting back out there, which I think is normal. But I also know that's how folks can get hurt, by being too tentative.

Any thoughts on getting over the mental hump?

[Kontact]

It really doesn't get discussed that much how depressing being hurt is, and how a long recovery makes you avoid situations that caused the injury. I don't think there is any one good answer, because it really is just readjusting your brain away from its new conservative wiring.

I'd suggest riding with someone. Instead of second guessing your speed, you'll just follow their lead. And you'll have someone to talk to, which distracts. A few rides like that and you'll be back to yourself.

Otherwise, find places to bike that aren't your usual spots. You won't feel weird taking an unfamiliar descent slow, but you'll be out riding. When you're ready for your usual haunts the familiarity will probably be welcome and fun.

Anyway, I would do something to change the dynamic rather than just tough it out. Anything that seems novel is going to keep the fear away until it has run its course. IMHO.

[Louis]

I'd guess that there will be some initial apprehension, but as you continue to ride you'll be over it before you know it. I had a similar experience after being hit by a truck while riding. (technically, the horse trailer, not the truck itself) I wasn't badly hurt (huge raspberry on my thigh) but for the next few rides I could tell that I was listening for traffic behind me more than usual, especially the deep sound of truck diesels, and riding just felt more dangerous than before. The feeling soon dissipated, and I was again riding with my "normal" level of watchfulness / paranoia.

Good luck, and enjoy your time back on the bike - it's a good time of year to be riding again. :)

[Ken Robb]

take it very easy to rebuild your confidence and ability and avoid scaring or hurting yourself while you are still "tender" physically and mentally.

[jvp]

Not a major injury, but on feb.2 I crashed and broke my pinky. Had surgery w/ Ti screws and plates to set it right. The first few weeks I could barely ride around the block, the road shock hurt my hand. After about 6 weeks or so I could ride to work and back (20 miles round trip). I also climb, before the crash I was climbing V4/5 (~5.12). I started over after 4 weeks off, at V1. It's been 3 months now and I just did some V4s today. My riding was back to normal a month ago or so. So I think it's the degree of injury that determines the "return" rate, provided you have patience and notice the small gains you make, and realize it won't come back all at once but gradually. For me, it helped to hear from the surgeon at the outset that full recovery was going to happen.

[MattTuck]

Planning ahead and taking your limitations into consideration is not, in my opinion, a bad idea.

There's no reason to rush into doing train tracks. IN fact, if I were you, I would not feel bad if I stopped at the rail road crossing and walked my bike across the first few times.

Down hills can put a lot of pressure on your hands and arms, especially during braking.

No reason not use an abundance of caution. The season is just getting going, you'll be back to regular riding in no time.

[HenryA]

Ride moderately, have fun. If you don't want to do something don't do it.
As you ride you will regain confidence.
If there ever was a situation for "just ride" this is it.

[Viper]

Interviewer to racecar driver: Don't you ever worry, at 152mph, slaming into the wall?
Racecar driver: Next question.

I think a good racecar driver knows the wall enough to have fear of it, know what the wall represents, they don't talk about it.

Lose one, ya rig one. Go Quint. Your elbow was smashed to bits. It's solid now. Docs tend to be conservative, athletes tend to be aggressive. Doc said, "go", the light is green, so clip in and ride. There is no such thing as a perfect warrior; your elbow represents what, 2% of your body...your bike, the pedals, handlebars and saddle won't know if you don't tell them.

Find your inner f-word and drop the f-word, then drop the crank. Your elbow may swell up a bit, ice it down. Screw Honda, make this Campagnolo or Shimano:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F2bStRjITQ

Bonus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q07Zp7tQBRQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFREhexaas0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEjgPh4SEmU&feature=related

With English subtitles so we know what the **** he was saying:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z29W1IYNus

cliffs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WibmcsEGLKo

:beer:

[benitosan1972]

Ride moderately, have fun. If you don't want to do something don't do it.
As you ride you will regain confidence.
If there ever was a situation for "just ride" this is it.

Great advice!

[AgilisMerlin]

Turn the pedals
Head continues to preach
Everything slots into space
Injury incorporated

[mnoble485]

About a year and a half ago I had both of my knees replaced. When I felt like I could resume riding (about 6 months) I asked my Ortho Doc what would happen if I took a spill. His reply was funny, "you'll skin your knee".

My first rides were on a bike path where I could go slow without having to worry about traffic, Time heals and time made me stop fretting.

Mike

[Earl Gray]

It really doesn't get discussed that much how depressing being hurt is, and how a long recovery makes you avoid situations that caused the injury. I don't think there is any one good answer, because it really is just readjusting your brain away from its new conservative wiring.

I'd suggest riding with someone. Instead of second guessing your speed, you'll just follow their lead. And you'll have someone to talk to, which distracts. A few rides like that and you'll be back to yourself.

Otherwise, find places to bike that aren't your usual spots. You won't feel weird taking an unfamiliar descent slow, but you'll be out riding. When you're ready for your usual haunts the familiarity will probably be welcome and fun.

Anyway, I would do something to change the dynamic rather than just tough it out. Anything that seems novel is going to keep the fear away until it has run its course. IMHO.

I seldom would say this about a Kontact post but:

+1000

He is spot on with this entire post.

I would add that Fat Tires and Platform pedals raised my initial confidence considerably in a similar situation.

[EricEstlund]

Don't beat yourself up if you are not at 100%, or 30%.

Be realistic about the time off, and work with the feedback your body gives you to be happy with where you are and how to make reasonable goals to get to where you want to be.

[tannhauser]

Question I have now -- and maybe what I'm more concerned about -- is any lingering psychological effects.

Not if you don't think about it - just ride.

I'm one of those "get back on the horse immediately" kind of guys. It prevents me from thinking about it and gets to rewiring my hard drive as quickly as possible.

[Russity]

This is my elbow currently....I had a fall two weeks ago and have all this metal in my joint. Also snapped my upper arm and broke two ribs just for luck.

I've been down this road before with cycling injuries and the advise given by forumites is all very sound. Time is the best healer. The longer you go on the bike without incident, the less you will think about your elbow. The brain has a wonderful capacity to numb out things it doesn't need to worry about.

Personally I can't wait to get back out on the bike, but I will also be a little gun shy for the first couple of rides. Nothing wrong with that.

Be safe.

[Ginger]

A few injuries on different sorts of bikes..but yes. If you're tenative, keep to the little rides for a couple weeks.

Have you been back to where you crashed? Go back without the bike. If you can drive through the area, drive your car through. Then park the car and walk the section a couple times (at some, non-peak traffic time...don't stand on the tracks with a train coming etc. etc....). Take a good look at it and understand where you were so that when you come upon the spot on your bike, it's not the first time you've seen it outside of the car.

That's the bit that I found helps me. To go back and take a look at it at pedestrian level before I show up on the bike and find out that it freaks me out.

And while you can work yourself into a real phobia...there is no shame in stopping the bike and walking over tracks if you've taken a digger on them...but you'll get tired of it. Then you'll ride them again.

At least you think you want to get back on the bike. That's good.

[djg]

It's a bummer, but it's called "learning," which isn't all about skills or fancy stuff in the front of the brain.

What folks have said -- get back on the bike in ways that don't freak you out. Ride. Do it again. Do it a little differently. And again. Maybe talk to folks too, but ride.

[FlashUNC]

Thanks all. Went out for a short ride today with a good buddy. Was good to get out.
Not terribly fast, but all part of the process.