Worst cycling injuries you've had so far ?

daragh_

Collar bone, finger and epic road rash last September. Compared to some of the posts in this thread I've had it easy.

n-dawg

Last year... Broken Collar bone and 2 broken ribs (Came down hard in a race, 60 to 0 in less then a second according to the garmin). Ended up with quite a few nasty cuts too.

Other one also a racing crash 12 years ago, fractured my skull/eyesocket while using my face as a brake. Knocked out two teeth too. Luckily the first guy on the scene was a dentist and put my teeth back in (they survived amazingly). Needed surgery to get a bit of bone out from behind my eye and to reconstruct my eyelid. Had to spend a few days in hospital...

I had a few other knocks with a car turning right across a bus lane and a pedestrian walking out from behind a van but they were just a bit of road rash.

Cycling is a great sport altogether...

ustazjoseph

clipped the kerb on the Fossa straight - the flattest road in Kerry , came off , brought my mate down. I had a broken collar bone, it still hurts especially in the cold.

eeeee

As a matter of interest, how long did it take people who have broken ribs to sneeze/laugh without a care again? Currently nursing a couple of broken ribs from a non-cycling related accident. I am so lucky this year already!

outfox

Chr1st, half of you guys are lucky to be still alive.
Those of you who have had to get operations eg. Robfowl, did you have health insurance, or did you go through the public system? Does Cycling Ireland insurance have any relevance to medical cover?

Beasty

outfox wrote: »

Chr1st, half of you guys are lucky to be still alive.
Those of you who have had to get operations eg. Robfowl, did you have health insurance, or did you go through the public system? Does Cycling Ireland insurance have any relevance to medical cover?

Emergency admission for me although as soon as they got hold of my health insurance details they made sure it was charged over, despite the fact I received absolutely none of the usual "benefits" associated with private insurance. I was not a member of CI or the IVCA at the time, but they are not "health insurance" schemes as such - I'm pretty sure this sort of thing would require specific health cover (IVCA offers some compensation for personal injury, but I'm not so sure about CI - the main purpose of these insurances is, I think, to cover 3rd party claims)

This thread has reminded me - must update my will....

Jawgap

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Didn't you break a pedal or crank or something a while back? Any injuries?

Minor stuff - gashed and grazed knee and thigh - plus a perfect Garmin shaped bruise on my abdomen!! My wife reckoned I can't have it that hard as you couldn't see any numbers

Ripping my favourite shorts was the true tragedy.....

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Just thinking there that I have had about four spills in the past four years (disregarding 2 clipless incidents ) but all have been in winter when I've been wrapped up fairly well so no real road rash. I've never come down in shorts/short sleeves (well not since I was a child/teenager!)

The arse cheek versus gravel incident led to several tear filled sessions in a shower!! It also blew my confidence on descents for about a year.

Amprodude

I was clipped by a car mirror in 2012 and as a result went sideways and hit kerb before falling off. I came away with a few cuts but nothing serious.

Jawgap

outfox wrote: »

Chr1st, half of you guys are lucky to be still alive.
Those of you who have had to get operations eg. Robfowl, did you have health insurance, or did you go through the public system? Does Cycling Ireland insurance have any relevance to medical cover?

Doesn't matter what health insurance you have - if you come off in a serious way you're going to have to go through A&E.

The benefit of health insurance probably doesn't kick in until a bit later in the treatment / rehab process.

Re broken ribs: I broke a couple a few years while coaching rugby - took about 6 weeks to be properly right again - it might have been shorter if my kids didn't get such a sadistic thrill from making me laugh!

n-dawg

gadetra wrote: »

As a matter of interest, how long did it take people who have broken ribs to sneeze/laugh without a care again? Currently nursing a couple of broken ribs from a non-cycling related accident. I am so lucky this year already!

Mine weren't to bad... they weren't displaced but it was about 4 weeks before the pain started to subside.

outfox wrote: »

Chr1st, half of you guys are lucky to be still alive.
Those of you who have had to get operations eg. Robfowl, did you have health insurance, or did you go through the public system? Does Cycling Ireland insurance have any relevance to medical cover?

My skull fracture was an A&E admission. But health insurance covered some of the eye consultations after.

Broken collar bone was in the UK so NHS covered everything... although they didn't actually do anything.

wirelessdude01

So essentially the CI insurance is worthless for yourself if you require hospital visit?

Dancor

Turning left one day and didn't notice a pothole. Front wheel went side ways and I went over the bars.

Right wrist broken and still sore now and again almost 3 years later. Right elbow broken and left wrist sprained, both fully healed thankfully. I'm convinced that without my helmet I would be dead or cabbaged as it was cracked where my head landed.

Had such a psychological effect that I only start cycling again over a month ago and thankfully I'm loving it.

Beasty

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

So essentially the CI insurance is worthless for yourself if you require hospital visit?

Policy is here

It does cover medical expenses, but it's not going to be to "private" standard, and is unlikely to improve on what you would get under the State system (but that's not much different from the situaltion you would find with private health insurance if you find yourself in an A&E situation)

It also gives some compensation for specified injuries (similar to IVCA)

However it only applies when racing and training - so falling off your rollers may be covered, but falling off nipping down to the shops is unlikely to be

As I understand it though the main benefits are it gives worldwide cover (ie you should get treated in Health systems outside the State), and 3rd party cover, reducing your exposure to claims if you are at fault (and is required if you need a licence to race under the auspices of CI )

YellowFeather

Broken arm when a lovely driver came at me going the wrong way on the backroads. I had to swerve into the side, towards a wall, and that's all I remember. Left me with a nice scar where the bone had to be screwed back together and I'm lucky that was the worst of it.

Wishbone Ash

gadetra wrote: »

As a matter of interest, how long did it take people who have broken ribs to sneeze/laugh without a care again? Currently nursing a couple of broken ribs from a non-cycling related accident. I am so lucky this year already!

For me the worst was over after a week. I went back to driving after 2 days and recall getting in and out of the car and putting on seat belt being painful for a few days. Having to sleep on my back was also tough. I'd automatically turn over after falling asleep only to get a painful reminder again. I was back on the bike within three weeks with no real problems.

happytramp

Cause: Slipped on a wet twig while going 5kph

Result: Fell and cracked my hip on a rock. Broke my leg just below the hip bone.

Weepsie

Got hit by a van in Sept, lots of grazes and cuts and left me with a small scar just under my eyebrow and was a concussed for a week or so. Helmet saved me from a more serious injury.

Never did anything about it to my shame, tried reporting it to guards a few weeks later (in shock at the time and just wasn't thinking straight), told me to go to a different station or contact the driver and gave out to me for not doing it on the day.

-K2-

Broken collar bone after an almost head-on crash with a car which came around a bend on the wrong side of the road. This was several orders of magnitude less severe than my worst injury which was caused by a slow-speed skiing crash.

crosstownk

A fair few years ago I was heading down Rathgar Road for town on my way to work on my then prized road bike. I was in the bus lane approaching the Esso station at Rathmines. The traffic was heavy and a car going in my direction flashed to allow a car in the opposite direction enter the Esso station. This car crossed my path and I t-boned it smashing the windscreen with my head (no helmet) and badly grazing my left arm. I sat at the kerb for a few minutes and then carried onto work. No damage to the bike.

Lucky.

These days I wear a helmet.

calistro

Separated shoulder & broken ribs after tackling a steep descent of a hill in a Cyclocross race without the bike under me!!

Nice lump that still sticks out from the top of the shoulder, although usually gets me my own lane in a swimming pool when I exaggerate the lump by dropping the shoulder!!

eeeee

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

For me the worst was over after a week. I went back to driving after 2 days and recall getting in and out of the car and putting on seat belt being painful for a few days. Having to sleep on my back was also tough. I'd automatically turn over after falling asleep only to get a painful reminder again. I was back on the bike within three weeks with no real problems.

That's good to hear. Yeah the sleeping on the back is currently a massive pain in the ass! I got pneumonia from not breathing into the bottom of the lungs for a couple of weeks. Turning a corner now, hoping to be back on the bike this week. Or I will go mental!

ghogie91

Right now I have bruised ribs and torn up hip and elbow from a crash last week, still in bits

Worse crash was off a mountain bike a few years ago where I basically cycled into a wall and messed up my face

Heard horror stories from club spins, One lad went in through a rear window of a car that pulled out in front of him, broken collar bones, wrists and arms

The sister had a cycling collision with a drunk cyclist (funny I know) and something sharp from the (not well maintained) bike went into her ankle, drunk cyclist was taken to hospital with head injuries

Beasty

Actually forgot one - was run over by a bike when I was 5 - broke my leg in 3 places (compound fracture) (she was rather a large cyclist IIRC, or maybe it was just I was quite small ...) and was in plaster for 8 weeks

WillyFXP

Getting my bike out of the garage, slipped on my cleats and fell on top of the bike, bottom 5 teeth of the big chainring went through my shorts, and my thigh

maloner

At the age of 5 was being cycled home from school by my mum and was sitting on the back carrier (rather than any sort of seat) when I foolishly put my ankle into the back wheel. Broke the ankle and was in a cast for weeks I believe (its a long time since I was 5...).

I wasn't taken home from school by that method again I don't think.

outfox

So do you guys reckon it would be madness to cycle regularly without health insurance? A few of you suggest that it might not be necessary initially, as you have to go to A&E. But for follow up work, is health insurance a must?
Reason I ask is that I gave up my HI about 3 years ago. I've saved 2000 euro to date. Spent it all on cycling gear last year tho. Should I be taking out HI again?

ghogie91

outfox wrote: »

So do you guys reckon it would be madness to cycle regularly without health insurance? A few of you suggest that it might not be necessary initially, as you have to go to A&E. But for follow up work, is health insurance a must?
Reason I ask is that I gave up my HI about 3 years ago. I've saved 2000 euro to date. Spent it all on cycling gear last year tho. Should I be taking out HI again?

Yep definately need health insurance

Like I was out for 2 days last week after a minor crash where a car was very vigilant behind me and managed to stop a foot away from me on icey ground, if she hadnt of stoped her front left wheel would have either broken my pelvis or killed me and also my helmet stopped the left side of my head from making friends with a kerb, still got a fair bang on my head, but without my helmet or the driver behind me driving safely and keeping distance I might have not been able to write this

deandean

:eek:Well fellas, I am happy to say this wasn't me

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/dublin-medics-treat-rare-condition-that-led-to-7-week-erection-29912019.html

Dublin medics treat rare condition that led to 7 week erection.
Medics at a Dublin hospital have successfully treated a 22-year-old mountain biker for an unwanted seven-week erection.
The rare condition, known in medical terms as Priapism, began when the young man injured himself on the crossbar of his mountain bike. The injury resulted in a high flow of blood to his penis which would not reside.

The man did not go to Tallaght hospital until five weeks after sustaining the rare injury and initial treatment by medics failed.

A pressure dressing was attempted for two weeks but the erection returned immediately after the treatment.

Further treatment where radiography was used on the penis was successful.

The case, which is outlined in the current issue of the Irish Medical Journal, reported that the man did not suffer any further priapism following the treatment and also reported ‘satisfactory erection and intercourse’.

The report adds that, as the erection is painless, patients usually present themselves late.

Beasty

Don't think any of my "treatments" would have been any different whether I had insurance or not. The only thing I've had done where insurance was of benefit was a knee cartilage operation 3 weeks before doing the WW200 - I used the time I was laid up to join Boards (others may have differing views over the actual benefits of me joining up!)

Koobcam

My worst was in June last year. I was cycling down one of those really steep hills in Hong Kong and my front tyre blew. The brakes had more or less stopped working and it was wet, so I was basically buggered. I was doing about 53kph when I crashed and ended up with cuts and bruises all over, and a huge hole in my elbow, which took about 3 hours to clean and stitch. Nothing broken, except the sole of my €350 Mavic shoes, plus all my cycling gear cut to ribbons by the fall and the medic in the ambulance. This was about two weeks before the Etape Du Tour, so I had some serious psychological issues with the descents there..