Out of action

Gonzalez

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 21:17:52 +0000, JohnB <nospam@here.com> wrote:

>Gonzalez wrote:
>>
>> On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 18:49:12 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
>> <pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:
>>
>> >I had a road bike crash at 8pm on Monday and broke my hip.
>>
>> Purely out of trollish interest, were you wearing a helmet?
>
>Silly boy.
>Who wears a helmet on their hip.

Silly boy.
We all know that *head* helmets can reduce the risk of injury.

Had he been wearing a helmet the head may have made contact with the
ground first, thereby relieving the fall pressure on the hip and thus
avoiding a broken hip.

Simonb

Pete Biggs wrote:

> Take care!

Get well soon, Pete.

MSeries

Pete Biggs wrote:
> Hi friends at u.r.c,
>
> Just to explain why I've been quiet for the last few days and why I might
> not be posting much or at all on the group any more... well, for a while
> at least.......
>
> I had a road bike crash at 8pm on Monday and broke my hip. Annoying thing
> is, it was just a silly little incident that I wouldn't have thought would
> normally cause very much bother, but I was unlucky in how I fell or with
> the condition of my bones (for my age, which is about half that of those
> who have hip problems normally).
>
> I'm vague on what happened precisely, but I was front-braking or turning
> for a right turn into a side road from about 15 mph when the front wheel
> suddenly skidded and slipped, causing the bike and me to fall over to the
> right. My right hip and elbow absorbed the impact, preventing damage to
> the rest of me and the bike. Nothing else hit the road or me. Elbow is
> just grazed. Wheel might have skidded after I had already slowed to less
> than 10 mph but it's difficult to remember when a crash happens to quickly
> and the consequences become so much more important than the exact cause.
>
> Not sure if I started to turn before/while/after braking but the slip was
> totally unexpected as I think I've got away with that sort of thing and
> worse before many times. The tarmac may have been greasy, though there
> was no obvious sign of oil (nor gravel). The roads were dry and ice was
> not a possibilty that mild evening. It was a shaper turn than usual (and
> planned) as I was giving an exiting van extra room. Perhaps that was it
> except I still would have expected more grip. The road surface certainly
> could have been better.
>
> Anyway, the good news is that I'm recovered enough to be back at home
> typing this message already (Friday 5pm)! The badly broken hip was pinned
> the next morning. 24 hours later I was walking with a frame, with little
> pain; same with crutches after 24 more hours.
>
> There is a chance that the blood supply to the head (ball) of the joint
> won't be sufficient, meaning it would die and I would need a hip
> replacement (requiring further replacements in future as they don't last
> forever), but it's not a big chance as far as I know so far.
>
> Still, it's going to be a long time before I can cycle again, if I want
> want to. My enthusiam for all things cycling is naturally dented after
> this realisation of just how vulnerable I am on a bike.
>
> Cycling advice for you? The main stuff is basic so I'll be brief on each
> point:
>
> * Don't turn too sharply, don't lean too far.
> * Don't use the front brake alone unless you are sure within reason that
> the surface is good. (This is the trouble: you can never be sure). See
> www.sheldonbrown.com.
> * Don't brake and turn at the same time when you don't have to unless you
> are highly skilled and are prepared to take some extra risk. (See
> rec.bicycles.tech FAQ).
> * Don't brake much harder than you need to just because you can or just
> because it's fun, when approaching a turn, at least. (You might start to
> turn before braking without realising).
> * Don't overinflate tyres, especially the front. That doesn't necessarily
> have anything to do with what recommended pressure is written on them; see
> www.sheldonbrown.com).
> * Do choose Barnet Hospital when Paramedics give you a choice including
> it! Ok so this one may not be obvious :-) The treatment was excellent
> (once past the waiting stage in A & E) and the staff are incredibly nice.
>
> The less obvious point is on clipless pedals, and it's one I've made
> before. I'm quite sure they have made me fall more awkwardly on a number
> of occasions including this. Yes they may release (as you or bike
> naturally twists) but that might happen too late if you subconciously try
> to put a foot down or move your body to minimise injury.
>
> I'm not sure I will ever use clipless pedals again despite them being one
> of the very best cycling innovations for decades. They're great... until
> you NEED to fall off, instantly. "Ordinary" pedals and pedals with
> *loose* toe-straps are safer on balance, in my opinion, despite being less
> secure when pedalling. (BTW, loose straps are better than nothing: they
> still provide /some/ security and /some/ pulling-up).
>
> Take care!
>
> ~Pete
>
>
Shit Pete, that IS shit. Hope you mend properly and quickly. Keep
smiling dude.

Simonb

Gonzalez wrote:

> Had he been wearing a helmet the head may have made contact with the
> ground first, thereby relieving the fall pressure on the hip and thus
> avoiding a broken hip.

What?

Alan Braggins

In article <30pc4jF30kga8U1@uni-berlin.de>, Pete Biggs wrote:
>Hi friends at u.r.c,
>
>Just to explain why I've been quiet for the last few days and why I might
>not be posting much or at all on the group any more... well, for a while
>at least.......
>
>I had a road bike crash at 8pm on Monday and broke my hip.

Ouch. Get well soon.

Helen Deborah Vecht

JohnB <nospam@here.com>typed

> Silly boy.
> Who wears a helmet on their hip.

> John B

Why do you think I called mine a 'Neurotrauma Condom'? ;-)

--
Helen D. Vecht: helenvecht@zetnet.co.uk
Edgware.

Richard Bates

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 18:49:12 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
<pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:

Oh dear, Pete.

Check your bank balance in the next few days ...

Simon Brooke

in message <41a7958f$0$559$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl>, Roos Eisma
('roos@xs4all.nl') wrote:

> Helen Deborah Vecht <helenvecht@zetnet.co.uk> writes:
>
>>Get well soon!
>
>>Glad to hear something positive about Barnet Hospital.
>
>>Hip fractures seem to have happened to quite a few male cyclists I
>>know.
>
> And, FWIIW, I had a very similar fall at very low speed on an icy
> patch a couple of years ago, and even withouth clipless pedals (normal
> platform) I landed solidly on my hip. Just a big bruise in my case.

Yup, I did something very similar up the woods Wednesday before last.
Fortunately, in my case, nothing worse than bruising. Really bad luck,
Pete... get well soon!

--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
/-\ You have discovered a security flaw in a Microsoft product. You
|-| can report this issue to our security team. Would you like to
| | * Be completely ignored (default)?
| | * Receive a form email full of platitudes about how much we care?
\_/ * Spend hours helping us fix this problem for free?

Carol Hague

Pete Biggs <pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:


> I had a road bike crash at 8pm on Monday and broke my hip. Annoying thing
> is, it was just a silly little incident that I wouldn't have thought would
> normally cause very much bother, but I was unlucky in how I fell or with
> the condition of my bones (for my age, which is about half that of those
> who have hip problems normally).

Sorry to hear about this Pete, it sounds terrible. I hope you get better
quickly and that you've got good painkillers in the meantime.

I hope it won't put you off cycling for good, but I can certainly
understand why you'd feel somewhat dubious about it at this point.


--
Carol
"I was just being a little teapot. It's a bad habit of mine"
- Wyvern, Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased).

James Annan

Pete Biggs wrote:

> I had a road bike crash at 8pm on Monday and broke my hip.

Ouch. Get well soon!

I fell in a similar manner a few years ago. A bike can go down very fast
when it wants to - I didn't manage to get a hand down or anything, one
second I was riding along and the next me and bike were lying sideways
on the road. I continued slowly into work, and after a couple of hours
sitting at work feeling sick and shaking the first-aid guy made me go to
A&E to get it checked out.

By the time I had sat in casualty for about 3 hours I had started to
feel better and it was clear that I had not in fact cracked my hip, but
they still gave me some pretty good drugs for the weekend!

James
--
If I have seen further than others, it is
by treading on the toes of giants.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/

Dave Kahn

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 18:49:12 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
<pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:

>Still, it's going to be a long time before I can cycle again, if I want
>want to. My enthusiam for all things cycling is naturally dented after
>this realisation of just how vulnerable I am on a bike.

Pete, I'm sorry to hear about your fall and your injury. When that
front wheel goes you really hit the deck with a bang. I know you're
very down at the moment but it's possible you'll be cycling again
sooner than you now think. And the longer you're kept off the bike the
more you'll start yearning to get back on it.

Get well soon, mate.

--
Dave...

Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live. - Mark Twain

Gonzalez

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 21:39:36 -0000, "Simonb"
<sbennett@YOUAREALLNETDENIZENSwiderworld.co.uk> wrote:

>Gonzalez wrote:
>
>> Had he been wearing a helmet the head may have made contact with the
>> ground first, thereby relieving the fall pressure on the hip and thus
>> avoiding a broken hip.
>
>What?

Had he been wearing a helmet the head (enlarged by a helmet) may have
made contact with the ground first, thereby relieving the fall
pressure on the hip and thus avoiding a broken hip. ;-)


(Wink smiley added)

Jon Senior

Pete Biggs pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc opined the following...
> Hi friends at u.r.c,
>
> Just to explain why I've been quiet for the last few days and why I might
> not be posting much or at all on the group any more... well, for a while
> at least.......

Oooow. Sorry to hear it, hope that it all works out well in the end. Try
swearing a lot. I know it helps at the point of the accident, but there
may be some benefits in the longer term!

In the meantime, on the grounds that laughter is the best medicine, can
I recommend reading "What doctors/researchers think about wearing a
helmet." by John Doe, and the subsequent thread(s). That should effect a
speedy recovery.

Good luck, and look forward to the next ride report (Give up cycling?
Sheesh. What will you think of next?). ;-)

Jon

Just zis Guy, you know?

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 18:49:12 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
<pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
<30pc4jF30kga8U1@uni-berlin.de>:

>I had a road bike crash at 8pm on Monday and broke my hip. Annoying thing
>is, it was just a silly little incident that I wouldn't have thought would
>normally cause very much bother, but I was unlucky in how I fell or with
>the condition of my bones (for my age, which is about half that of those
>who have hip problems normally).

Yowzer! Get well soon. It's the Dark Side for you from now on,
laddie - if you wipe out on a corner you land flat on your arse :-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University