About twenty days before my 57th birthday I broke my pubic bone. Sunday, 29th August, 2021 to be precise. It was a cycling accident. Chenka and I were riding happily in the evening. We went to Rajarhat and then turned back from a big jam near Rajarhat crossing meaning to return home along the same route. On the way near Wipro gate Chenka suddenly pulled the brake hard because some old man on a cycle was trying to cross the road and I was close to him. So I crashed into him and fell hard on my bottom on the road. It was very painful. I had to stay on the road for some time. Luckily it was a service road without any vehicular traffic. I had also seen the man. I did not expect Chenka to pull the brake. We could have comfortably crossed the place without a collision and he didn't need to pull the brake. But an accident is an accident. I am blaming him, if you ask, but I don't have any grudge against him.
When I finally got up somehow - after about five minutes - I realised there was no strength in my left leg. It was wobbly. I sat on the side of the road for about half an hour drinking whatever little water was left. The people nearby, there were very few there at that time of the night (around 8.30 pm), were very helpful. Someone picked up the phone which had fallen out of my back pocket (I was wearing the orange cycling jersey). I checked the pocket for the GoPro. It was intact. The cycle was also intact except that its chain had come off the chainring.
Chenka did a basic check on my back and said there was no fracture. His logic was if there was one I couldn't have stood up. Later in hindsight I understood that that kind of superficial check would show a fracture only if the bone had broken into two or into several pieces. When there is a fall and a sharp pain there is always the possibility of a small hairline fracture. Depending on where it has happened we might be able to do some work (like I cycled 14 km with it) but it is best not to and aggravate the situation.
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| On the way to Rajarhat. Crashed later |
We discussed that the worst case scenario was to call Partha with his Duster and go home in the vehicle with the bike disassembled and kept in the boot. But I took a chance with riding the bike and realised that I could. The small potholes or undulations were hurting. But I could manage.
I rode very slowly. I was a little worried about crossing the No. 4 Bridge in Park Circus. But even that got negotiated just fine. I reached home and collapsed on the bed. I later realised that I had cycled 14 Kms with a fracture !!! In Ladakh I had walked the Chadar with a broken wrist for three days. You might think one does not need the wrist to walk but trying balancing on a frozen river with a broken hand. You will realise where the challenges are.
On the way back, I realised I was feeling giddy when I looked down and then pulled the head up. I remember not hitting the head on the road very sharply. While falling I remember telling myself make sure you don't hit the head. Hold the head high up. It still touched the road but not with a bang. There is no mark on the helmet. This giddiness was there next morning also but in a very mild form. Finally it went away, I don't know when.
Next morning I realised the pain had just not subsided. I could hardly turn. I told Partha about the accident. He is my doctor friend who does anasthesia for Dr Indrajit Sardar, an extremely reputed orthopedic surgeon who also knows me quite well through Partha. Last night we had thought of calling him if cycling was impossible.
He said go and get yourself X-rayed and immediately go to Indra-da. He will be free by 12.30. You should not have cycled home for 14 Kms and called me. If there was a small injury you possibly aggravated it. Fracture in the groin region is very common from such falls.
I called for Ranjanda to be my driver. He kindly agreed to do it. Monisha accompanied us. We went to Nightingale. Got myself X-rayed. Mousumi, Partha's wife and a doctor of physical medicine had advised me on what X-ray to do.
Indrada saw me outside his OT. He was very worried that I had possibly broken the neck of the femur. After seeing the plate he said no, there was no injury on the neck of the femur but he suspected that there possibly was a fine fracture in the ramus - the pubic bone. He made me lie down. Asked me to do a few movements of the leg. He was happy with my response. Finally he started pressing on the pubic bone. It wasn't hurting. Finally at one point it did and he said - there. You have the fracture there. Take bed rest for four weeks.
So the entire month of September looks like is gone. Today is 9th. I got some strength a couple of days back. Today I did some yoga and feeling better on the butt.
I shall give a better status report on the various pains tomorrow.
Thursday 16th September, 2021
I started active recovery in right earnest after last Sunday. Started with stretches of the glute and some very mild stretches of the hamstrings. I was sitting on the floor with the legs outstretched and then tried touching the toes with my fingers, keeping the spine straight. After some effort I could touch my toes. This gave some relief to the butt.
Having suffered for two years with my left wrist fracture I now know the value of rehabilitation exercise. The fracture had healed in a month but the range of motions and strength of the wrist - these are purely muscular issues - came back after more than two years. I was never told what sort of exercise to do after the fracture had healed.
I started doing a lot of pelvic floor exercises (that is where I fell originally and sneezing was causing a pain there) and also clenching the thighs and other small exercises for the legs. Things started improving in a day or two. On Tuesday I was being able to take very small baby steps alone and without the stick support. From Wednesday this improved to a slightly longer steps. But I still have to hold the body straight while walking.
As of now range of motion has improved dramatically - relatively speaking. Yesterday I even did Vajrasan for five minutes. Vajrasan causes no pressure or weight in the groin. But internal rotation of the femur is still a pain.
Last evening I went down to start the motorcycle and the car. I checked the clutch and whether it causes any pain to depress the clutch. There was none. I think I can quite go for a drive to HSBC but I don't want to. I will go out on Sunday and see if I can go and see Maa.
Last night Monisha brought a small plastic inflatable ball. I used it for pressing between the knees and also between the feet. The later is a lot more difficult.
From today sneezing is completely pain free.
One funny part about looking for pelvic floor exercise, Google has started suggesting various sites that deal with Erectile Dysfunction. Normally one looks for pelvic floor exercise as a remedy for ED.
Friday October 1, 2021
Haven't written in a while. I completed my 4-weeks last Sunday. Started walking from Saturday night. On day 1 I walked for a kilometer at around 18 minutes with considerable pain. On Sunday also it was the same. It had started paining from around 200 meters. But at 800 meters when I changed my posture a little and made the body more straight the pain subsided a bit. But on both the subsequent mornings I was totally pain free. Sunday morning I drove to Nightingale and got myself X-rayed.
So being pain-free on Monday morning I went to office for the first time in almost a month. I soon realised that sitting on the chair for extended hours was proving to be painful. I walked from Bishop Lefroy's parking lot to the office with Monisha carrying my bag. But I went back to the car in the evening all alone with the bag strapped to my shoulder. It was not a problem.
That evening I set up my Merida on the trainer. First I changed the rear wheel and installed the training wheel. I had to uninstall the rear brake pads as they were fouling with the rim. This is a new rim. Possibly it's fatter by a mm. After that I set the bike up on the trainer which took a while.
I climbed the bike and pedalled for a minute. I wasn't feeling comfortable. Of course I was in my slippers. I just wanted to have a feel and it was not okay.
Next morning I found there was some pain. So I worked from home. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were rest days with the last two days seeing moderate exercise.
Today I went to work again. I drove Monisha to Dalhousie and came back alone to Bishop Lefroy. Sitting beyond an hour makes it painful. I was constantly standing up and clenching my butts. Came home alone at around 4 pm.
This evening I did a lot of exercise and felt rather strong in the leg. Monisha and I went for a bike ride. Basically to inflate the tyres. The driveway has become extremely slippery due to monsoon. My feet were slipping as I was trying to pull the bike out while sitting astride. Monisha had to pull it a bit.
The driveway needs to be cleaned before I venture out again with the bike. It is dangerous.
I had once before all this driven down to see Maa. I think that was on the third Sunday. I even climbed the stairs in Didi's house. Possibly I shouldn't have. I had also gone for a short motorcycle ride prior to that.
I spoke to Indra-da over phone on Wednesday. After a look at the X-ray (organised by Partha) he asked me not to walk too much now but to restrict them within the house. He said after six weeks I should be fine. These fractures take six weeks to completely heal. He also advised against cycling any time soon but was okay with stretches.
I think cycling would be a wonderful exercise for the thighs without any weight. Indrada possibly doesn't know how to cycle or has forgotten how it works. Cycling or swimming, as opposed to walking or running, is not a weight bearing exercise.
My exercises
With the rubber band I walk sideways while it stays in a loop around my legs. I also wear it for clam shells.
October 5, 2021
Contrary to how most people react, I feel very charged up in the evenings on a working day when I come back home. I don't know what will happen after retirement but right now that is how it is. On the holidays I feel very lazy the whole day.
Anyway, yesterday I did a lot of exercise in the evening. Started with butt clenching, followed by squats 10x3 > stretches for the lower body (glutes, hamstrings, quads etc) > banded side steps > clam shells > squeezing rubber ball > push ups and Trikonasana. It is the best for inner thigh stretching. I have made remarkable improvement in this asana compared to what it was a few months ago.
October 6, 2021
Started indoor cycling from this morning. Did about 5 Km. The first ride was without distance measurement. That would be around 2 Km. For the next ride I added the speed sensor on the rear wheel. That told me I rode for 3 Kms.
To activate the indoor mode on the Edge 130 you click ride settings and then choose indoor. Every time you do you have to reset it. The unit resets itself to GPS mode.
I still don't have Zwift. I think I will activate the account once I start riding in right earnest. Perhaps in a couple of weeks. Today's ride was just the first tentative step. My doctor is dead against cycling at this stage. I didn't argue with him that cycling is not a weight bearing exercise for the legs. Actually yesterday I saw an Instagram post from the Liverpool footballer Harvey Elliott. He had a fracture in his ankle and was operated upon. This was much after my accident. Now he is posting photographs of him riding indoor trainers !!!
Zwift is excellent for the training rides. Must do that also this winter to supplement my road rides. Just road riding every evening is of no use in terms of building long term endurance. I must do at least 3/4 training rides on Zwift every week.
I have said it before and I must say it again. Without indoor training I couldn't have done Darjeeling.
Monday, October 25, 2021
Yesterday marked my eight weeks of the accident. I am doing exercises in right earnest. There is just one exercise that causes some pain after the exercise. That is - single leg squats or Bulgarian squats. The pain does not linger for too long. But it is pain nevertheless. Proper and normal squats don't hurt though.
Another activity causes pain. That is, if I sit for too long. It starts hurting after about an hour.
I have bought a foam roller for myofascial release. It is an excellent thing for stiff muscles. But one needs some physical fitness to use it, particularly on glutes and hamstrings or quads etc. I bought it off Amazon for around Rs 600. Good value for money.
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| Masseur on call |
My exercise regime is a bit haphazard. But I try to do most of the thigh strengthening exercises. I stopped indoor cycling for a few days because it was causing some pain. Possibly I was riding too fast. Will try at a lower cadence tonight and report.
Saturday, November 27, 2021
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| Ready for the first road ride. November 11. Should've tucked it in |
It's been exactly three months since I had the accident. I can say that I am almost 99 per cent normal now. Last night I went for my second consecutive day of cycling. There is no pain. I cycled 20 Kms on Thursday including crossing the LG flyover from both sides. I repeated the same on Friday. I am quite pain free now. I can say that I am back to feeling normal on the bike again.
It took me a while to come out of the road fear. The motorcyclists are so extremely irresponsible now that using the road - whether as a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist or car driver - has become extremely dangerous.
I am using the Surly for these evening rides. But that is more for the Brooks saddle that is obviously a lot more comfortable. I also use my padded cycling shorts.
I say 99 per cent because there is that very little stiffness in the groin region that reminds me about the accident. Otherwise I am fine.
In this last one month or so I had been cycling on and off. But every time I would feel some pain either immediately after my return or the next morning. I was using the heat pad to get some relief. I was even bringing the pad to work.
In November so far I have cycled only 82 Kms. May be it will be 100 by the end of the month. I hope to get back to normal cycling now and clock at least 500 Kms in December. Of course, December is a special month when there always is some sort of engagement in the evenings. That might affect my mileage. But I will try.
Monday, 29th November, 2021
On Saturday evening I tried to test the resilience of my groin muscles. I did Bulgarian Squats. Ten on each leg. There was some pain later. Something similar to a 15 Km bike ride few weeks ago. I applied the heat pad. Sunday night I repeated the squats. It pained a little. Heat pad again. I have to go through these pains and get rid of them once and for all. I checked with the pressing of the ball between the feet. I can do them quite fine.
Bulgarian squats really test the inner muscles of the hamstring near the groin. These are squats on one leg while the other leg rests on a stool behind. There is an element of balance also in this exercise. This squat is ideal if you want a pair of tear drop shaped thighs.
This week will be difficult in terms of cycling as I have some engagement or the other almost every evening for 4/5 days. Will carry on with the squats and push ups at home.
