Simple Ways To Get Back In The Saddle After an Injury
Even if you take all of the right safety precautions and you’re as careful in the saddle as possible, there’s always a chance that you’re going to end up in a some kind of accident. This is something that anyone who’s really loving the bike is going to have to come to terms with. Of course, not all accidents are made equal. Sometimes you skid on a patch of wet ground, and you end up grazing your knee, sometimes you end up falling and breaking a bone. Oklahoma City bike accident lawyers Hasbrook & Hasbrook list common major injuries amongst cyclists as including traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries. When you’ve gone through an accident that leaves you needing a long time to recover, it can be tough to think about getting back on two wheels again Of course, the last thing that you want is for anything to come between you and your bike, so here are a few things that you can do to get back in the saddle after an accident.
A static bike
One of the things that can often make it incredibly difficult to get back in the saddle is the sheer amount of time that you end up having to spend away from your bike. Even if you could technically keep riding, it’s generally recommended for you to wait until you’re fully healed. That’s where static bikes come in incredibly handy. You can keep your fitness levels up and hold onto the feeling of the pedals under your feet in total safety. Sure it’s not really the same, but it’s better than sitting around doing nothing. A lot of stationary bikes are surprisingly affordable too, check out this Sunny Spin Bike review to see the kind of high-quality bike you can get without breaking the bank. Not only that but a stationary bike is great for those days where the weather is just too awful to go out in at all.
Start slow
Once the time comes to get back on your bike, you should make sure that you’re starting slow. Trying to jump right back to where you were is never a good idea. Even if you’re feeling totally confident in your abilities, you’ve still had to take a break for a potentially long time. Rather than hitting the high-speed slopes straight away, take the time to cycle round the block at low speed for a while. Until you feel like you’re completely confident with that, don’t try anything more significant. Then you can start getting out onto the roads and heading onto the rougher terrain. The key is to build things up slowly so that you don’t end up getting into any trouble.
Cycle with a friend
If you’re really feeling nervous about going out on your bike after a long hiatus then why not take someone out with you. One of the nicest things about cycling is the sense of community and togetherness that often comes with it. So why not use that to help you get some of your confidence back? Go out with a friend so that they can support you and that you can slowly build up the confidence that you lost being forced away from your bike for so long. You’ll be heading down hills at high-speed before you know it.
Image c/o wikimedia
These are good tips, Darryl. I had a freak cycling accident in April and ended up with my jaw fractured in three places and a fractured thumb. I have been riding my bike on the trainer and looking forward to the day that I can get back out on the road. I would already be back out there except that we are not in a cycling friendly area right now (narrow, curvy, hilly roads with no shoulders and loose dogs), so I am waiting until we get back to a spot with easy bike paths for easing back into it. There is definitely some anxiety when coming back after a serious injury, and this is not my first time (fractured pelvis w/surgery in ’05), so I speak from experience. But I have come back before and know I can do it again. But downhill at high speed I’ll only do with a clear sight line, as that is what got me in trouble this time, coming round a blind curve at high speed only to endo over a tiny girl on a push bike crossing the road right in front of me!
Sorry to hear about that, Emily….but it sounds like you’ve got the right attitude. Good luck with the recovery and I hope you’re back out there Loving the Bike very soon.
Thanks, Darryl. I am better every day and looking forward to riding outside again in August. 🙂