[Neesmo31]

Hey all, just wanna rant abit about my current status. As I type this my knee is in alot of pain and it locked straight every night due to a motorcycle accident.

I was just riding through a back block on my way home after work when my front wheel got caught in a rut (damn 4bees!) which threw the bike to the side. My leg slipped off the peg and got driven straight into the dirt with a totally straight leg tearing my ACL. After a year of waiting to get operated on and selling the bike I finally got it operated on.

The thing thats bothering me is that the one thing in this world which I loved to do more than anything was ride my motox bike. I would ride literally every day... Now that I have had the operation, I can barely do anything, and its going to take 6-9 months to get me back to 'normal' again.

I have made up my mind that as much as I loved riding - the risks of riding again outweigh the negative consequences of a bad accident. I know that all the pros have had worse accidents and the still ride pro, but for an everyday jo like me this is too risky.

Its just really getting me down at the moment as people who have had bad accidents know the highs and lows of recovery.

I guess I just wanted to get this off me chest, and perhaps hear of other peoples stories and how they managed to cope with it all.

Thanks for reading.

 

[burto1988]

Hey neesmo ,
Ive had back surgery with metal rods pins and bolts , from base of my neck to just above my tail bone , i had scheumans disease ( weakning of the spine) my back was pretty much crushing the blocks in my spine , i used to ride x country and down hill race on bikes ( not motor) used to ride every day , jumps ect , loved it to death ! Now i know my limits i just ride on paths lol , try not to beat yourself up to much , its just makes it worse , was in hospital for 3 weeks, therapy for 3 months couldnt ride for 6 months , lol and im not aloud in theme parks lol. im sure you will find somthing to fill your need for moto x , even buy a road motor bike maybe ?

 

[PaulnLou]

Bugger. Unfortunately I have some idea where you're at. All I think you can do it tough it out and concentrate on doing all the things that speed your recovery. Getting physio ? Got the pain under control ? Getting some exercise like swimming or walking in a pool ? Even just doing leg exercise in a pool? Try to work on what you can. Try to think about other things, give the bike a rest. I

t'll come good in time. You're allowed to feel *****ty about not being able to do the stuff you want to do. Just dont dwell on it too long. Get on with what you can do and what you can enjoy.

 

[bloke83]

When you've stuffed your knee in Yeppoon, I just hope to god you used lube xD

 

[Squalo]

It might not be so easy to totally quit riding, once you are up and about on that knee.

Knee braces help - both to prevent what happened to you, and with continuing to ride after injury.

Wait till Truckster gets in here, over ten years ago I got to know him through roadbiking and then he had the sort of crash damage that definitely takes any future riding out of the equation (pretty much the reason he got into 4wding). A car moved across on him and forced him into a pole...

 

[Del]

i came off a dirty.. at about 100clicks into a creek bed.. busted my left knee pretty badly.. slammed my shoulder.. damaged my right knee...

after 2 knee ops.. one of which i flat lined and was resuscitated.. i basically gave up ever playing sports again.. still a teenager and playing top level country footy from the age of 16. it was a big call. my left knee was never repaired due to the flat line half way through the op. 15 yrs later.. i still dont run.. i still cant ride a push bike.. and i will never play an active sport again in my life..

immediately after the 2nd op i basically lived on pain killers and in a world of pain.. i drove probably the best woman of my life outta my life.. due to the c**t i became.. ups n downs between pain killers working and not.. it was a living hell.

was a few yrs later that life started to become good again..

dont let it get ya down man.. i did.. and it destroyed something great.


ten yrs after the accident... i got into road riding.. and now ride this..

it took ten yrs to get back on a bike.. but now.. i live for it again.. i dont ride like a dick and i ride to the best of the laws that i can adhere to it took a while.. but i found the love again..



PAUL n Lou has a fantastic post.. read it... as often as required.. stay positive.. sounds like you got good chances of full recovery.. minor set backs now you wont remember in a few yrs..

 

[gator patrol]

mate i snapped my tibia(shin bone ) and the other little bone in ur lower leg called he fibia. all that needed to do this was unbalance on a slight hill and my drz400 fell on my leg and did this.. 2 ops and im only 16 this has impacted me hugely.. the little things i can and cant do.. i did this in march and i still have a slight limp but worse at times....
all i can say is let ur injury heel until you feel comfortable with it then ease back into it... ive decided to give my leg 2 yrs to heel then when i turn 18 and can get my bike licence then i will get a road trail.... its all just comes down to time and it will seem like it will never end but it does.. chin up mate

 

[rjhug1]

...

 

[rjhug1]

Neesmo, I'll give you an insight to my experience which is pretty similar. I have ridden dirtbikes my whole life and is by far and away my most enjoyable recreational activity. In the last ten years I have ended up in ICU after splitting by helmet on a tree, broken ankles, ribs and about 10 months ago, hit my knee so hard it went up like a sherrin footy - literally. No cruciate damage, but a massive haemoarthrosis. Took months to get back to walking properly. I'm just about to hit my straps with training (work) and need by hands and fingers in a MAJOR way. I invested in the below, got to love EFI on a bike (although had the leatt for a while) and I'm confident I've done all I can. I'll look like the preditor by who cares.

Knee injuries are 'pains in the ass' type injuries. Head, neck, spine - they aren't so good. I would't let a knee hold you back. Draw from the pro athletes like the Webbers, Hirds, Reeds - they all cop career ending injuries and come back super strong.

In short, brush the dirt off and get back on. You would be mad not to do so. And ride within your limits. You dont have to go 11/10ths.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[truckster]

it only hurts while the pains there.

Edit: I've been told since they have already used Cadaver ligaments in my knee, they cannot really do much to fix it if I do it again. not sure if that was to scare me, but it worked.

dont have any photos of the shattered dislocated left elbow or from when I broke my back the second time.

 

[Neesmo31]

Thanks for the support guys, i know i dont have the worst injury (judgin by others) but at the time you feel terrible. I feel for you other guys who have stated your injuries as well. I dont really ride out of my limits, but all it takes is a rock or rut to poke its head up and i am back in hospital doing all this again. Thanks for the positives, at least i am not alone lol. I have been contemplating a roady, cbr600 or something just to tour around on. Just have to watch out for other cars.

 

[rjhug1]

I have been contemplating a roady, cbr600 or something just to tour around on. Just have to watch out for other cars.

Arrrrrrrr, kind of like having a maltese terrier that nips from time to time and getting rid of it for a pitpull.

Dirtbikes cause knees, shoulders, gravel rash and savage monkey butt etc. Road bikes cause death, quad/paraplegic at best. Tarmac has no give. NEVER in a million years would I get a roady, my experience with riders who hop off them is bloody horrific. I have thought about getting a GSX-R or R6 etc with slicks to do laps at PI or winton, but too many other things I would rather do with time and money.

You're right, it only takes a small thing in the bush. When I had that stack and smashed the helmet it was a very unspectacular off. The ground was slightly greasy and going over whoops, I lost the forks and front end and was off in a split second. Or so I was told - cant exactly remember it.
Its a numbers game. Dont let one major off overshadow the good times. Invest in a set of Pod knee braces. If you have private health, they'll often cover them, especially if you have already and a recon.

 

[truckster]

Just have to watch out for other cars.

yea good luck with that.

 

[Somalian Bush Pig]

Neesmo,

Mate i know 100% what you are going through.

I did my ACL just over 6 years ago and got it operated on about 3 years ago. I couldnt stay away from the dirt and lo and behold earlier this year *pop* there she goes again. I had a false confidence and thought it would never happen again, stupid. I am currently awainting my second ACL reco but do not believe this is any reason to give up.

I bought a pair of Asterisk Cell knee braces (at $670 a pair they are not cheap, but even that was well shy of retail) These things are amazing. my knee is too damaged to ride at the moment but i did risk a quick ride with them on. I came off hard and felt that familiar pain but the patella guards kept the cap in place. I wont lie... it hurt like sh*t. but i could still get up and my knee was still located. i cant wait till i have recovered completely from my next reco.

There is no reason to give up your passion. I have been threated with job loss if i get seen on a bike, this will not deter me. some say stupid. i say if you are too cautious and risk nothing where then lies the thrill in life?

 

[Somalian Bush Pig]

Not everyone who gets a roady gets killed or maimed. You just need alot of self control to know that the road isn't the place to unleash the power these bikes have. If you can do that, they are no more dangerous than a scooter... The only problem is i have never met a single soul who is strong enough to live by that. once you have given one of these bikes a squirt it is infectious and even the most steeled resolve will break one day. Just pray luck is on your side when it does.

 

[Neesmo31]

Yeah totally understand. 2nd reco hey? I dont think i could go through this again. Mainly because i hate being stuck indoors. I cannot stand being inside watching movies or playing games and the like.

I think mentally i will always know that my knee will be not as good and will stop me from doing anything extreme ever again. I guess i will just have to go 4beeing alot more when its all done.

 

[Neesmo31]

Cheers all for the positive feedback.

 

[Somalian Bush Pig]

keep the old chin up mate, for the first 5 or so days after i got home i was p*ssing into a saw-off milk bottle. that should keep you laughing for a bit. I even made my brother empty it once, he almost lost his guts.

 

[Neesmo31]

I was doing the same in the hospital and 2 chicks walked in on me mid relief! I was like "um excuse me" lol

 

[Richo]

Hey truckster who was the skinny bloke in the pics with the injury just like yours? LOL
Your leg looks better in those pics than it does now...


Neesmo, stick with it, rehab takes a while especially with major joints like knees.
2 recons on the left knee and it took another 2 years after that till it got back to reasonable strength.... enough so i could at least run again. but then again, now in in my 40's running is over-rated anyway, drinking beers is much more fun.

Good luck with it, and dont try and push it too hard too soon.