Sprained ankle

[ChrisF]

I was knocked off my bike on Sunday (car turning right across my path, hitting my lower right leg just above the ankle) and spent the whole morning in A&E. The lower part of my leg hurt like mad , and my helmet was cracked so I had a CT scan of head and neck (which turned out OK luckily). The X-ray dept somehow got the wrong message and started doing my arm, not my leg, until I repeatedly told them it was my leg that was the problem. They then did the 'fib & tib' but not my ankle.
Four days later now and my ankle is very swollen and painful. I have used the 111 service to speak to a nurse and by all accounts it's a sprained ankle and not a fracture.
Two questions:

• prognosis for riding again? (I haven't tried yet - only been hobbling about the house as little as possible)

• I was using SPD cleats - would they perhaps have contributed to twisting my ankle?

[foxyrider]

Two questions:

• prognosis for riding again? (I haven't tried yet - only been hobbling about the house as little as possible)

• I was using SPD cleats - would they perhaps have contributed to twisting my ankle?

Sorry to hear of your incident.

IME you can usually start gently riding again (if it is indeed a sprain) at the point its not painful to walk on but take it steady, it might be a couple of weeks before you can honk without any pain!
The SPD's probably saved your ankle from worse not the other way about. Back in the days before step in pedals, twisted ankles as a result of offs were pretty much standard, toeclips & straps even if not tight are intended to stop your foot moving so in an off your ankle got twisted every which way. Step ins are designed to release quite early in the twist process, as a result i've not damaged an ankle from twisting in the last 35 years of cycling excitement!

[briansnail]

To avoid poss harm.Take a photo and book a telephone or on line appointment with your GP.Everyone tries to get back to their sport to early without recovery time and delay recovery.
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I ride Brompton and a 100% British Vintage

[Pinhead]

I was knocked off my bike on Sunday (car turning right across my path, hitting my lower right leg just above the ankle) and spent the whole morning in A&E. The lower part of my leg hurt like mad , and my helmet was cracked so I had a CT scan of head and neck (which turned out OK luckily). The X-ray dept somehow got the wrong message and started doing my arm, not my leg, until I repeatedly told them it was my leg that was the problem. They then did the 'fib & tib' but not my ankle.
Four days later now and my ankle is very swollen and painful. I have used the 111 service to speak to a nurse and by all accounts it's a sprained ankle and not a fracture.
Two questions:

• prognosis for riding again? (I haven't tried yet - only been hobbling about the house as little as possible)

• I was using SPD cleats - would they perhaps have contributed to twisting my ankle?

One assumes a payout from their insurance as compensation

[Audax67]

Re the SPDs, it depends how tightly you had them set. If they were on the max I could well imagine them giving your ankle a tweak. I keep mine on the lowest setting and use M cleats. Only very rarely have my feet come unstuck when pedalling.

[cyclop]

I can recall a cycle friend breaking an ankle.He came out riding with a plaster on ! Ok,he was a risk taker and some bravado was at play.I might consider riding in a light boot with some ankle support and using flat ,grippy ,mtb pedals.I,ve got these on my shopper/tip bike and they,re fine,never any problem.

[Pinhead]

I do wonder what would happen if like me, thinking of a trip away it happened 100 miles from home

[pjclinch]

From experience, sprained ankles range from "ouch", hobble a bit, then okay to a month on crutches. I'd suggest book yourself a physio appointment as they'll confirm how bad it is and suggest a suitable rehab programme. I the meantime, RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) is a good start and if possiblle get a walking stick to take some weight off when you do get about.

As for the SPuDs being a factor, impossible to tell, but I'd be quite surprised if they were a significant factor. Sprains are from where things get pushed further than they'll go, and SPuDs are designed to release so that doesn't happen. I've not heard them implicated before, which given they've been common for decades is probably significant.

Pete.

[pjclinch]

I do wonder what would happen if like me, thinking of a trip away it happened 100 miles from home

This is where you have to play probabilities rather than worst case. You can fall and break something anywhere, but if you don't do stuff in case that happens you never do anything.

I've sprained my ankle badly well over 100 miles from home and several miles from the nearest road... it wasn't convenient but I got out with help from friends. Couldn't drive with a dead foot but AA relayed me home. Even before mobile phones and wide coverage it was actually very unusual to come unstuck in a way that throwing some money at extra logistics wouldn't solve, so think of what you might gain from a trip rather than what might go wrong beyond basic contingency planning.

Pete.

[cyclop]

I use clipless on my mtb and,in practice,if the bike starts to lean beyond the point of balance,I have to be damn quick at clicking out else you,re stuck with an uncontrolled tumble.

[ChrisF]

Thank you for replies.
Nearly 4 weeks now since the accident. I still cannot walk very far and am being kept awake at night with aches in various parts of my lower leg. In the last week I have been using an indoor cycle trainer to get my legs moving (mainly pushing just with my left foot).
I have had a couple of physio appointments which have been useful.
Whatever the influence of the cleats on the original injury, I now cannot use a cleat on my right foot because I can't turn my ankle enough to de-cleat.

[Jdsk]

Thanks for the update.

How about a plastic toe shovel for the pedal on the affected side?

Have you talked to a physiotherapist about the specific move needed to release system clips? Lateral rotation of the forefoot isn't typically a high priority!

How about swimming? Other things being equal it's often the best substitute exercise when you don't want to load joints.

Jonathan

[briansnail]

111 service?

The car crossed your part and is at fault/liable.The insurance company should cover reasonable physio and rehab. Assuming you have car details and that they did no drive off.
***************************************
I ride Brompton and a 100% British Vintage

[briansnail]

ps You might be to kind and generous.Insurance companies write off cars as they might have hidden damage that will result in harm to other road users. Think they not not only owe you a new helmet but a new bike.You need to ask for lots and negotiate downwards.The car driver went into YOU .You did not ask him to run into to you. Whatever was he doing? Mobile I bet.
If they think an accident bike is ok they can have it.! The old bike can be donated to a school to teach youngsters how to mend punctures and do basic cycle maintenance.
*******************************************
I ride Brompton and a 100% British Vintage

[ChrisF]

ps You might be to kind and generous.Insurance companies write off cars as they might have hidden damage that will result in harm to other road users. Think they not not only owe you a new helmet but a new bike.You need to ask for lots and negotiate downwards.The car driver went into YOU .You did not ask him to run into to you. Whatever was he doing? Mobile I bet.
If they think an accident bike is ok they can have it.! The old bike can be donated to a school to teach youngsters how to mend punctures and do basic cycle maintenance.
*******************************************
I ride Brompton and a 100% British Vintage

You maybe have a point there, being carbon fibre I'm not too keen on using that frame on the road again. I'm using it on an indoor trainer though.
Not using a mobile; suspected drugs use so he was given a drugs test. Takes 1-3 months for the blood test to come back though ,