Broken Hip

[biker72]

Any of you older guys have and experience with a broken hip? Recovery time..etc.I now have a pinned right hip and fractured clavicle. The clavicle is sore but relatively minor.

I have no idea how long this will take. Fortunately no complications like infections or anything. I'm now in my second day of rehab

I haven't been able to talk to the surgeon about whats actually pinned but have 3 incisions on my right hip. Took about 30 minutes of surgery.

[Ralph]

Don't know answer....but good luck with recovery. How did you do this?

[biker72]

Originally Posted by Ralph

Don't know answer....but good luck with recovery. How did you do this?

Ralph unfortunately this is totally self inflicted. I was riding on a street about 1/2 block from my house. I knew where all the cracks, potholes, uneven pavement were. I've been on this street hundreds of times.

I was on the road about 5:30am to beat the heat with lights of course. Front wheel got caught in a 45 degree crack in the road. I remember going down that this wasn't going to end well. I have no idea who called the ambulance.

I woke up in an ambulance headed for the nearest trauma 1 center. A couple of days in ICU because I had hit my head and had some bleeding. Turned out to be OK.

Now working through the pain trying to walk again. I am making progress but very slowly. I can walk about 100 feet now without screaming too much....

[tctyres]

Oh man, sorry to read this!

I can't offer anything on the hip, but I broke my clavicle a couple of years ago. After about the 1st 10 days, it stops hurting altogether. Only in the extreme cold or rain can I feel the break. It takes 10 weeks to get the strength back with physio, and a full year to stop noticing it. The meds for the hip pain are undoubtedly blocking the shoulder pain.

Originally Posted by biker72

Ralph unfortunately this is totally self inflicted. I was riding on a street about 1/2 block from my house. I knew where all the cracks, potholes, uneven pavement were. I've been on this street hundreds of times.

This is pretty common: it's the roads you know best where you let your guard down. I went down on a road I've ridden 100 times.

Good luck! I wish you the best in healing.

[biker72]

One of the EMT's is a cyclist and walked the bike around to my back porch. My son said there was minimal damage.

[wkeller79]

I fractured my femoral neck in the fall of 2017, while mtb'ing. Was 38 at the time. I had 3 screws put in (each 3-4" in length), resulting in 3 incisions, such as yourself. Had some pain the day after surgery, but pretty much pain free from there on out. The daily blood thinner shots, morning & night, I had to give myself for 8 weeks was the hassle, besides crutches.

Was back on my city bike, about 7 weeks, before I was entirely off my crutches. Week 8 off my crutches. Road bike was about 12 weeks, due to the aggressive angles.

A good physical therapist is a must. I started at 7 weeks, and was doing 3 sessions a week for 8 weeks. The biggest thing he did straight away was loosen up the hip joint in order to get the "kink" out of my step.

Being able to run took the longest, due to the impact forces, but about 11 months after surgery I completed a 30 mile trail running race, and actually cut 15 minutes off my previous years time. Been cycling, mtb'ing, and trail running since with zero hiccups.

[bthornt]

I was hit by a car and fractured my hip around 2000. Of course it was a hit-and-run. It was a bad break, and my femur was hanging by a thread to the ball that goes into the socket. There was a lot of discussion about pinning it or replacing it. Ultimately, the decision was made to pin it. Bottom line is that I was on crutches for 3 or 4 months, then I walked with a cane for 3 or 4 months.

My life was profoundly altered by this event. Probably the biggest impact is that I am like a scared cat when I ride on the street. I still do it, but a lot of the enjoyment is gone.

I feel for you, and I wish you all the best in your recovery.

[biker72]

Originally Posted by bthornt

I was hit by a car and fractured my hip around 2000. Of course it was a hit-and-run. It was a bad break, and my femur was hanging by a thread to the ball that goes into the socket. There was a lot of discussion about pinning it or replacing it. Ultimately, the decision was made to pin it. Bottom line is that I was on crutches for 3 or 4 months, then I walked with a cane for 3 or 4 months.

My life was profoundly altered by this event. Probably the biggest impact is that I am like a scared cat when I ride on the street. I still do it, but a lot of the enjoyment is gone.

I feel for you, and I wish you all the best in your recovery.

Thanks. Once I start riding again I plan to take at least 10 loops over the area I fell. I always try to confront my phobias...

[ScottW]

Originally Posted by biker72

I haven't been able to talk to the surgeon about whats actually pinned but have 3 incisions on my right hip.

By "pinned" you mean fixed with 3 stainless lag screws. BTDT in July of 2017 unfortunately. Good luck with the recovery.
Surprised your surgeon hasn't shown you the imaging yet. AFAIK they can't do that procedure without taking X-rays as they go. A few days after my surgery the hospital had the initial X-rays from the ER, the CT scan with some 3D viewing software, and the in-surgery X-rays all burned to DVD so I have them for posterity.

Non-weight-bearing on crutches for 8 weeks, still somewhat painful/ginger to walk after that but I started PT twice a week for 3 months to get range of motion & strength back in it. Was off the bike for several months but eventually came back fine and within about a year could ride a century. It's been 2 years now, and I still notice a tiny bit of lingering IT band tightness that requires a bit of stretching but that's about it. It may never feel 100% like an OEM factory-original unbroken hip, but it doesn't particularly bother me or interfere with any aspect of my life.

My bike (MTB) was fairly unscathed after the crash too. Handlebar twisted a bit around the steerer tube and the front der needed a minor adjust. No damage to rear triangle or bent drivetrain parts, what with my hip acting as the crumple zone and all.

Totally my fault BTW, nobody else involved. Early morning ride to beat the heat, it had rained the previous night and my wheels slipped out going around a fairly slow corner when I hit some wet leaves on top of a wet wooden bridge. Riding on public roads with cars doesn't scare me too much but I have become quite particular about not riding in the wet.

[torquer]

PM sent.

[2metalhips]

Sorry to hear about your accident. I had Birmingham hip resurfacing 10 years ago, broke my right femur crashing on ice on a mtb 5 years ago. Pain being rescued out of the woods was off the charts. Luckily I did not need surgery but was non weight bearing for 4 weeks using a walker. After that it was a cane for another few weeks. Out of work 12 weeks. Started outdoor riding at this point. I made a total recovery but I really worked hard at rehab, resistance bands, weights, walking, and indoor cycling will be your friends. I would get on an indoor trainer as soon as it is safe for you to do so. That will speed the healing. I bought G-form hip padded riding shorts for mtb riding, wear baggies over, they work really well. You might want to look into something like that, you could wear them as regular road shorts also.

Good luck in your recovery, I think you will be fine in the long run.

[simplemind]

Originally Posted by biker72

Ralph unfortunately this is totally self inflicted. I was riding on a street about 1/2 block from my house. I knew where all the cracks, potholes, uneven pavement were. I've been on this street hundreds of times.

I was on the road about 5:30am to beat the heat with lights of course. Front wheel got caught in a 45 degree crack in the road. I remember going down that this wasn't going to end well. I have no idea who called the ambulance.


Now working through the pain trying to walk again. I am making progress but very slowly. I can walk about 100 feet now without screaming too much....

Slightly off subject but what width tires were you running? I ask because I have switched to gravel tires in the 38mm size range. I'm definitely not a "racer" so any decrease in speed performance is not a big deal for me and now the Strava times are basically the same as before. I can glide over road imperfections that used to be an issue, and the added comfort is welcome. Just a thought.
Speedy healing!

[soulspinner]

Quick healing and back on the horse. Keep us up.

[biker72]

Originally Posted by simplemind

Slightly off subject but what width tires were you running? I ask because I have switched to gravel tires in the 38mm size range. I'm definitely not a "racer" so any decrease in speed performance is not a big deal for me and now the Strava times are basically the same as before. I can glide over road imperfections that used to be an issue, and the added comfort is welcome. Just a thought.
Speedy healing!

I had Conti GP5000 700x32 tires on the bike. I thought those would be big enough for crack protection but apparently not.