The Injury
When luck runs out!
It is easy to take your body for granted as usually it works so damn well, it is an amazing machine and combined with a mountain bike you can climb mountains, descend crazy descents, jump, hop, sprint and keep going for hours.
Then all of a sudden something goes wrong. It can be a crash or an over use injury or an illness, but the result it the same we have to stop. The pain and discomfort is bad but as a serious rider being unable to ride your bike really sucks, even more so when it happens to be your job.
I have been a racing cyclist for 21 years old and during that time I have a catalogue of injuries ranging from a broken wrist to knee tendonitis. Considering how many times I have hit the deck and how many times miles my knees and back have had to endure I consider that I have been pretty lucky, but my luck definitely ran out in August this year.
During a World Cup XC MTB race I am constantly pushing yourself to the limit; the competition is that fierce that you have to fight for every second, both uphill and down. As the race enters the last couple of laps I generally start to feel the fatigue, the legs are fading, your arms are a bit weak and your concentration starts to drift. This is the time when you struggle to hold your line and you are more likely to crash.
The course in Czech was brutal; a mix of five steep climbs and descents on a mix of root strewn wooded trails, with some manmade rock sections to test the skills. Before the race I texted my coach ‘this is going to be one of the most physical races I have ever done’.
On lap five of seven on a flat section I had one of those classic crashes that all mountain bikers have had where one minute you are good and the next you hit the deck, so quickly that you are still holding onto the bars. Normally I would be up quick sharp but not this time as I landed awkwardly on a large root. The pain was insane and I’m not sure how I managed to get off the course. The result was a fractured neck of femur, in other words I broke the ball of the hip joint off my leg.
The next seven days were the hardest of my life. The highlights being.
- Holding my leg onto my body as I was moved from stretcher to stretcher.
- Unable to communicate with someone who is just about to nail your leg back on.
- Being told you are having liver failure and need an operation, when you know it’s just because you have done a WC bike race and need some food.
- Being injected with unknown substances.
- Wondering if you will be able to race a bike again.
- Developing a massive bed sore and no one giving a shit.
- Hopping up the steps onto a plane because someone chump forgot the lift.
During this period though I had massive support from my family, in particular my Dad who flew out to help me, my friends and my employers Endura, which without them would of made a dark period a shade blacker.
After hooking up with a UK hip surgeon on my return I had a full MOT and the Czech fella’s had done a fine job and I should be able to make a full recovery. I was told that my injury would require a 12 week rehab period with no weight on the leg for the first 6 weeks. At this time I was just happy to be home and in one piece (metal assisted) but after a week became pretty pissed off with the situation. After a couple of bad days, a few tears and a several slaps from myself I came round and it was rehab time.
Between myself, my coach Prof Passfield (www.kent.ac.uk) and my PT Andy Wads (www.mylifept.com) we got cracking on my recovery programme and attempting to make Oli mk2 better than the original.
Despite only being able to use one leg I got in the gym with Andy after only 2 weeks and hopped round the gym, working on my good leg and my upper body. Sorting out my weak skeletal shoulder blades was a job I could be cracking on with now. Getting exercising again was great, giving me some structure and keeping me happy. Then after 4 weeks I was allowed in the swimming pool, where I did aqua running, which is possible the most stupid form of exercise ever invented, but beggars can’t be choosers.
After a long six weeks I had my half way check with the surgeon. The x-rays showed that the bone was healing well and it was time to start putting up to half body weight through the leg. He also gave me the go ahead to get back on the bike, well an indoor one, limited to a 200 watt maximum. This is 6 weeks earlier than I was originally told which has been a massive boost.
After 6 weeks of not using the leg for much it is in a bit of a mess, with some things tight and some things weak and wasted. The result was that my first 10min bike session was like a joke, as my leg was going in and out so much I was worried that the damn thing had been put back on the piss.
But now 6 sessions in and a heap of off the bike work I am getting there, the comeback has well and truly started.
