Hey guys.. Got a little ballsy reliving my skating days on Saturday. Ended up with a distal radial fracture, and a distal ulnar fracture. Wasn't super bad, no reduction or manipulation was needed. I've broken both my arms before 3 times on my right arm, and this is my second left arm injury. I want to make Grattan my first track day on the 19-20th of April. Should this be an achievable goal, or should I wait it out another week and do Gingerman? This is 8 weeks away, with an estimated casted time of 4-6 weeks. its day 2 with the fractures and I have minimal pain, I have not taken anything at all for pain (I have a phobia with pills) typing ever so slowly.. lol anyway, i'm sure some of you have broken these bones. Any tips to get enough strength back in that area to ride hard for hours? I know its my first day tracking and I'll be taking it easy anyway.. this is my clutch hand, and these injuries effect grip strength.. I only need the clutch for taking off and downshifts though. Also, for what its worth health wise, im a 26 year old male in decent ok condition.
I had the same injury in August of last year at Grattans Pro School. Cast for 6 weeks, no pins, etc. When the cast was taken off, I couldnt move it. Tried rehabbing it myself for 1 month and then had to go to physical therepy for a couple months. I still have grip problems. My grip strength was only 30% of what I have in my right. Im right handed, so my left is expected to be less, but not that much. In addition, flexibility was lost and any type of quick movements hurt like hell. I now have most of my flexibility back and grip strength is much better. I still cant put weight on it, like doing a push up for example. I did a bunch of research on rehabbing it. Some say it can take a year to fully recover (depending on severity). Your young (I'm 43), so depending on how much pain you can tolerate with stretching out the ligaments and tendons is going to be a big factor. If you want to talk about it, I can tell you the stuff my PT had me doing, pm me your number and I'll give you a call. If you just broke it though, 8 weeks might be pushing it. You dont want to risk hurting yourself again or anybody else at the track. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Just depends on how well you heal. Keep in mind you don't want to cause more injury by jumping the gun. If you ride properly, you won't put stress on the wrist. That being said, I rode Barber 6 weeks after clavicle surgery. Had no problems. Ultimately it's your decision. Good luck.
I've got to think that after 4-6 weeks in a cast you'd be lucky to have enough strength to grip you peckeround: let alone the handlebar. Then again you are young and if the cast came off at 4 weeks it gives you 4 of rehab. I wouldn't be pre-booking Grattan if I were you. Good luck and let us know how it works out.
I could write a book. LOL. I would start with riding on a pedal bike. Even if it's a stationary bike. Put some weight on your wrist and see how it reacts. Get xrays to ensure everything looks good as well. I had a distal radius transplant in February 2013. It was serious w/a 6-12 month recovery time table. I was doing PT 3, sometimes 4x a week, with working exercises at home every night. Diet, running, Insanity workout, etc. all played a part. I was highly motivated to prove I could ride. I rode at the WERA Grattan races in May. We won all four races and set the 2nd fastest lap CCW, about a half second off the lap record. One of the proudest moments I've ever had. Good luck.
thanks a lot guys! I'm supposed to see a specialist at Borgess this week. Eddie, I'll definitely try to do some of those things. I have free access to the gym at Stryker. (I work there) I was starting to lift weights right before the injury as well. I'm hoping to get put into one of those new Exos braces instead of a cast. If so I'll take up swimming for the time I'm in that, then focus on getting my grip back. Again, thanks for all the help! I'll try to update this with my recovery. I think it will keep me motivated, and as someone who is now on his 5th broken arm, I'm willing to try new and better things to improve recovery.
That's the brace they gave me also. Works nicely. Easy to take on and off. FWIW, grip strength was still about 60% of my good hand last season. It's been a slow process, but it certainly forced me to relax on the bars.
Broke my left wrist last August. Put me in a brace for about four weeks instead of a cast. Didn't have much range of motion for a good month after taking the brace off, with some discomfort (pain) using it in certain situations. It bothers me a little to this day, I don't suggest arm wrestling within the year you break it, DAMHIK. Health and fitness play a big role in recovery times. If you're above average fitness I could see you riding at the 8 weeks mark, but then again I'm no doctor (I'm not a gynecologist either, but I'll take a look).
I have plenty of strength to grip mine, but prefer to let my wife do that for me. Problem is, she won't do it.
Exciting little update: went to the Orthopedic, didn't need surgery, i seemed to be healing well, so i was put into a brace and asked not to do stupid things for a few weeks. (this is hard for me) So I've been taking it easy and as of yesterday, i am able to pull the clutch in and let it out smoothly! I go back to the Ortho this week, hoping to hear some good news. the Dr. seems to think i should be able to make Grattan, however he has advised me that crashing is not a good idea. I'ts going to be my first track day, so I plan on taking it easy and just having fun anyway. Hope to see you all there!!
So, my Dr. isnt all that enthusiastic about me making the 4/19-20 Grattan day.. So i was thinking about attending the 5/2 Grattan day with the pro school. ( My G/F's BDAY.. she says go for it.. Might have to wife this thing) What would i be in store for?
Well, the pro school is an LED day, meaning 30 minute sessions. That extra ten mins doesn't seem like a lot, but you will get TONS of riding time. I wouldn't go against the doc. they know a thing or two. I didn't take my own advice and now that I am a little older, there are some nagging injuries I probably could have avoided. Just focus on rehab and fitness. That day (i THINK) is run counter clockwise, so not the normal direction. IMO, its even more fun backward. If you have been there before, riding the track CCW is not simply reversing your lines. Think of it as a new track and learn it as such. Oh, and you can go a lot faster down the hill at the end of the straight than you think you can!!
I had a right wrist distal radius fracture in June 2010, walked around with it for a month with a soft brace on it before getting it x-rayed. 4 weeks in a hard brace, then 2 months of PT 3x/wk. Went to first ride 12 weeks out and it hurt like hell, but I was able to ride. I'm older (was 55 in 2010) so you might heal faster than I did. Also, walking around with a broken wrist for a month wasn't that smart, either. Good luck, and do the PT!
You don't want to do something that might ruin your whole year. You would be better off to wait a couple of weeks and make sure it is 100%.
^^^Broome is the voice of reason^^^ I on the other hand.... I'm an absolute moron, as most here can attest. Five days out of a hard cast on my right wrist and still supposed to be in a soft cast, I was at Speed Academy. Nothing like taking a trailbraking school when your braking hand is hardly working, right? I did OK until Sunday afternoon, when at one point my hand just refused to squeeze the brake lever. I rode off but stayed up. Upon my return home, at my first therapy appointment, I could only manage 15lb of grip strength. Yeah, I'm THAT guy. That said, it's your clutch hand. If your body position is proper, the back of the gas tank takes almost all of your weight while braking or cornering. You should be upshifting without the clutch so that doesn't leave your left hand a lot to do. I'd go for it. But then, I'm me....