Hip protection for road riding?

[drossall]

I was at a cycle show not too long ago, and Bump Wear were exhibiting. I've no idea how good it is in practice.

[landsurfer]

I can only repost my previous statement ... 12 months later still cannot sleep on my left side in comfort even though all my medics say there is no damage ;

This mornings ride. Wath to Barnsley, Derne valley via Herons Reach. Teenagers on motor bikes on the cycle path. Scumbags !!!.
2 miles further on I hit the black ice. . Down like a sack of coal.
I was laid on the ice, stunned and self checking for injury, when I heard the motor bikes approaching.
They stopped and the 2 lads ran towards me, 1 shouting " don't move, stay still" !!, " have you hit your head"!!, " lets help you up".
They stayed with me until I had gathered myself. " sure your ok" ??.
I thanked them and they returned to their motorbikes, fired up and wheelied off up the cycle path.
Neither over 16. But they knew exactly what to do.
I'm battered and bruised but glad they where there.

Padded hip shorts sound like a seriously good idea to anyone at my height falling off a bike .. its a maths thing, moment arms etc. ..

[pwa]

Protecting the hip / upper femur area with anything meaningful is very problematic because whatever is used has to be articulated or flexible, yet anything really protective will be something that will spread the impact. A sheet of carbon fibre, for example.

If it were me I would ask myself whether the fracture is still a weak area. Does it still need particular protection? I would also factor in the knowledge that falling and landing on my hip is very rare outside the season of icy roads, so I could cut out most of the risk by staying off icy roads.

[Bill Reynolds]

Hello, Sorry to hear of your fall on to your hip. I dont know what clothing you could wear but may I suggest you start amd keep riding when you are able. Apart from being a life long cyclist I am also a life long motorcyclist and have been brought off my motorcycle by a car in 1975. I flew through the air and landed on my left hip and now have hip problems including Arthritus and a painful right sitbone. If I stop exercising for any length of time my pains start up, so you have to keep 'loose'........

[Richard D]

It's been seven months since the break now, and the surgeon wants me to stay off the bike for another couple of months (the bone was fairly slow in starting to heal, and although it's on it's way, it won't be finished until mid-summer he reckons). But I'll be back on the bike as soon s I can be. The "lightning doesn't strike twice" argument is one that've used on others, but I've come crashing down on that hip a couple of times in the last five years, so itclearly does in my case. Largely due to poor technique (crossing a cattle grid at an angle was one stupid mistake; the damage though happened on another ride when I went across an unseen wet manhole cover at an angle, and was probably on the brake a bit at the same time).

I agree that nothing's likely to stop it breaking again if I go down full force on my hip, but part of my motivation is to find something that offers a bit of cushioning to stop the bolts traumatising the inside of my leg muscles if I do go down, wearing only Lycra - although I'm likely to have more problems than just a bit of internal bruising in such a scenario! Not sure about any sort of trike; too wide, to unwieldy, but mostly just too expensive!

[RickH]

Assos do some bib shorts with removable hip pads but at an eye-watering price (for sale via Wiggle - & probably others, I haven't checked).



Rick.

[Richard D]

I've gone for the cricket pad. It's a much more substantial piece of kit than any padded cycling shorts. Whether it will feel comfortable after a century is debatable; but it looks utterly ridiculous.

I suspect that the amount of metalwork in my femur/hip means that any fall is strongly contra-indicated*, and next time I intend to put my arm down (and damn the fact that the collarbone will break).

As in "is likely to shatter into several pieces".

[[XAP]Bob]

Then I'll reiterate - get something you can't fall off....

[Richard D]

Ok, the cricket pad idea turned out to be totally impractical. Way too large, the wrong shape and it seriously impeded pedalling (I tried it on the turbo - I'm banned from outdoors until after our Easter holiday in case a fall buggers up our third holiday out of the last three; at which point the wife would throw the bike on the next scrap lorry she sees).

But I noticed something in Aldi last week that looks ideal. Closed cell foam knee pad for work trousers. It's just the right size, and pretty much the right shape, and it fits nicely between my shorts and underwear (OK, I'm a weirdo. But I've never had any problems with chafing, despite doing plenty of centuries including ones in the piddling rain). Tried it on the turbo for 30 minutes without it moving or rubbing.

Will it save me from rebreaking my leg in a fall? Who can tell. I was very unlucky to snap it in the first place. I want the extra padding around that part of my hip where the lag screws that go into the ball joint meet the rod that now runs the length of my thigh bone, as it just might make the difference (especially as there's less flesh there than there used to be, courtesy of some of the surgery).

[Bill Reynolds]

I have long term hip problems caused by a dolt driving a Austin Maxi into my Yamaha in 1975 and making me fly through the air for quite a way. If one is a easy rider its possible to buy jeans with multiply inserts fitted that would help if you come off....I have a pair! I can see the thing about recumebant (sp.) cycles and not far to fall, but not being able to see over a hedge on a ride to view distant hills is a none starter....

[Arturo]

Hi,
All the ideas on the thread were very helpful. An update, Enzo, is that I bought two pairs of mountain bike shorts with hip protection and prevailed upon Mrs A. to sew pads in them. Wore them out, as I got used to riding again. Eventually had to bin them, by which time my self-confidence had improved enough to return to conventional lycra. I'm very wary in icy weather and less manic than I used to be on descents. I've had a couple of minor spills (wet leaves, broken crank) fortunately without injury, but it reminds me never to be complacent. I'm incredibly grateful to be riding again, thanks to the incredible work of Mr.McGregor-Riley and the fantastic team at Sheffield Northern General.

[DaveP]

Glad to hear that you found your way forward and are out and about again!

[bigjim]

Hips are dodgy things to break especially as we age. Jobst Brandt suffered this and he never rode again. I've read somewhere about serious bike riders that tend to lose or do not create enough bone mass. Chris Boardman had a problem with this, though I think genetics had something to do with it as well. He has taken up running in order to create more weight bearing and stronger bones. It's something that I am becoming more aware of at my age and am doing more walking and a bit of running. In fact I'm quite liking the running thing, once I can get "into the zone". I wonder what the OPs surgeon thinks about the bike riding as opposed to weight bearing?

[GGYS]

HI All,

Like some of you I fell off my road cycle last July, I, unfortunately, landed on some cobblestones and smashed my left hip and pelvis. I now have plates, screws and a bolt holding everything together.

I would like to get back on the bike and start cycling I have a mental block where I keep putting off getting back on the road with the cycle.

I am going to try these hip protectors POC Hip VPD 2.0 Unisex Protective Shorts, can be purchased from Amazon, even if I only wear them a few times to build confidence then it will be worth the money, however, I am hoping they are comfortable enough to wear all the time. I have just ordered one set and will report back on findings. If anyone has found any good road cycling hip protectors I would appreciate your feedback·

[climo]

Hips are dodgy things to break especially as we age. Jobst Brandt suffered this and he never rode again. I've read somewhere about serious bike riders that tend to lose or do not create enough bone mass. Chris Boardman had a problem with this, though I think genetics had something to do with it as well. He has taken up running in order to create more weight bearing and stronger bones. It's something that I am becoming more aware of at my age and am doing more walking and a bit of running. In fact I'm quite liking the running thing, once I can get "into the zone". I wonder what the OPs surgeon thinks about the bike riding as opposed to weight bearing?

There was a time in my life when I had a lot of physio. I was told that of all the active groups of people cyclists are the most prone to osteoporosis due to lack of weight bearing or impact activity. Still better than couch potatoes though!