UKC

Hi
So I'm a little injured at the moment (Read this http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/travellers-advisories-safety-security... to find out why)

Anyway, I am wondering on how long I will be away from climbing for. Anyone with any of these injuries care to enlighten me how long it took them to recover?

Broken sternum
Broken toes (not the big toe, the little ones)
Ligament/tendon damage to knees

thanks
Ian

In reply to Ian: ligaments take ages and you really shouldnt do much till they feel a lot better and even then break them into excercise very gently. theres no point guessing just let it take as long as it does and concentrate on getting fit. i did the ligaments in my right ankle months ago and its still sore so your knees will probably take quite a while. just concentrate on recovering and good luck.

In reply to billy.granty:
hmm, ok.

thanks for the info. the right knee is the main one, but I also did my right wrist and left shoulder the same way

looks like its not going to be a 9a year then...

In reply to Ian:My ankle ligament only took about three months to get back to being okay because i had physio on it not long after i tore it,i'd see a physio and follow thier advice on rehab,it depends how good they are i guess and your injuries but it worked for my ankle ligament.
Cheers
Tim

In reply to Timmd:

it just gets better

looks like its only 1 broken toe. thats because they are planning to amputate the other one

f*ck

now its going to be even harder to find a pair of climbing shoes that fit...

In reply to Ian: They take longer as you get older, trust me on this one.

In reply to Ian:

It's very hard to say as recovery from injuries varies quite a bit from person to person. What you do need to do is make sure you are getting the right aftercare, and follow the advice they give you. However, ligaments are slow to heal as they have a poor blood supply, and a broken sternum sounds horrific. Googling for it doesn't bring any joy - the link I found said 6 weeks to 6 months.

In reply to Ian:
Can't comment on broken sternum - fortunately never done that one.
In my youth, broke a toe (same one!) a couple of times playing rugby - was out for nearly two months so I would guess four to six weeks for a non-contact sport, e.g. straightforward climbing. I also seem to remember the toe ached quite a lot during and after exertion for months afterwards, particularly in cold weather.
Torn knee ligaments. You may not want to hear this but I tore them badly playing rugby and it was six months before I could do any reasonably energetic walking, e.g. Pyg Track up Snowdon, and nine months before I could play rugby again, which I would guess is the nearest comparison to serious climbing.
Main lessons learnt from the above:
1. Get good advice/recovery exercises from a physio right from the start of your rehab, even if you have to go privately - and work really hard at the exercises suggested. It does pay off.
2. With knee ligaments. Even when they start to feel strong again when moving normally, any sudden sharp movement, e.g. a slip, can tear them again. So err on the side of caution when getting back into action. A couple of extra weeks weight training to further strengthen the knee could prevent a recurrence of the injury. Not very macho advice, I know, but it could pay off in the longer run!

In reply to Ian:

broken bones may feel ok to use, but don't use em just incase they move or the joins are made rough. you have to keep moving though, making sure you keep flexibility but no impacts or too much weight bearing.

Good luck. I hope the kid you hit is OK, sounds like he may have an amputation too.

Fex.

In reply to Fex Wazner:
yeah
its a bad situation all round. the doctor said that he will be ok, but will saying that he will be in hospital for a few months. Luckily it was just his leg. I'm surprised it was still attached so i can only presume that the pannier is what did the damage. If the bike itself had hit him I'd think it would have been a lot messier.

Thats what happens when people decide to cycle on motor ways

Not fun

In reply to Ian:

Bugger. Really sorry to hear you had such a bad accident. Your healing times will depend on what treatment and aftercare you get really, so get the best you can afford! Cant really offer much more advice other than listen to your body and dont push too hard. Hope youre doing better soon!

In reply to Ian:Try and eat well to help with your recovery,and not think about the negative parts too much,bodys are good at healing if they get the right treatment. I ate a bit too much protien when i broke my wrist and got sore kidneys untill i cut down again,but it did heal okay,googling for foods which help could be a good idea,you might be lucky and only take six or eight weeks for your sternum to heal. Good luck with the shock as well,it can be quite strange to keep thinking back about what happened and what could have happened,if you got concussion you might be left with a feeling that you knew the accident was going to happen,and start thinking about what you could have done to avoid it and trying to think about or remember a sign that you missed that it was going to happen,the sense of premonition can a result of concussion.
Cheers
Tim