Need Help With Recovery

[SpeedyManiac]

I broke my hand last november, and just got the cast off a week ago. The bone is still healing, so I cannot put lots of force on it. I was wondering what I might be able to do in the meantime for training for this spring/summer, when I plan to start racing harescrambles.

 

[mgorman]

All I can tell you is NOT what to do and that is ride right away. I thought I could after having a cast removed from my hand. At the bottom of a 40mph down hill in a strip mine I found out I couldn't squeeze the rear brake on my mountain bike hard enough to slow down for the 90º turn at the bottom.

Needless to say I totaled the front forks when I was pitched over the bars after going over a bank and hitting a log 3' off the ground. I then proceeded to hit a tree with my right shoulder then bounced a while till I came to a stop.

Nothing bodily broke, but I couldn't ride from pain for another two weeks.

I ended up having to keep flexing it and working some strength back into it by sqeezing a rubber ball.

 

[Jonala]

Originally posted by mgorman

Nothing bodily broke, but I couldn't ride from pain for another two weeks.

You could of put the bike on your shoulder and ran the rest of the race.:silly:

 

[mgorman]

we managed unbend the forks by pulling the wheel forward enough to cler the frame and I rode it out. Unfortunately on a short steep climb the chain snapped and I smashed my knee into the bars and sent the computer over the top of the hill. It took us a few minutes to find it but it lived. My brother tried to fix the chain but I told him forget it, a third time wasn't going to be the charm that day. My luck the fork would have broken off on the next obstacle.

 

[SpeedyManiac]

I can't ride right now anyways, there's over 2 feet of snow on the ground. Should I start running and lifting small weights to gain muscle in my arm?

 

[mgorman]

That is something I am not qualified to answer. Personaly it doesn't sound bad till you slip on the ice...

 

[Lemonhead]

Hand exercises

Start squeezeing a racket ball or other similar item. squeeze slow. 2-seconds in and 2-seconds out, one rep should take 4-seconds. do no less than 6-reps and no more than 12-reps. You should reach a point to where thre is no more movement, this is called momentary muscle failure. When you can do 12-reps move up to a stiffer object or a tennis ball and repeat until again you can do 12-reps, 12 is the sign to move up in resistence. Wrist curls are also good so are reverse wrist curls, use the slow style to train. You are training the rest of your body aren't you? You don't need your hand to do leg presses, leg extensions, leg curls, one armed flys and presses for your cheast etc. Train your whole body with the slow style three time per week no more than 45-minutes with 30-minutes being best. No more than 1-minute rest between sets with 30-seconds being best. Work your larger muscle groups first and then the smaller ones an example would be leg extension, leg curl , leg press or squats, calf raises, follow by the back then the chest , shoulders , triceps, biceps and last the abs. Remember SLOW, INTENSE, INFREQUENT.
For more info check out www.cyberpump.com a website on the correct way to strength train called HIT, High Intensity Strength Training. Stronger muscles equal stronger bones, bone density grows with muscle mass. Dark green vegies are a great source of calcium, try and get 8-hours of sleep a night, 9-hours if your are a teenager, drink a gallon of water a day, muscle is 70% water not protien.
Best of luck, any ?s just ask.
Lemonhead

 

[SpeedyManiac]

I can't do chest press/push ups due to lack of maneuverability. I have been working my arms/wrists, abs, shoulders and legs. I'll try that ball exercise for my hands. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Lemonhead]

Training around injuries.

If you have access to machines use them, they are perfect for training around injuries. You can still do half your chest on a machine same with shoulders etc.. For abs cross your arms across your cheast instead of behind your head, use a 10lb. plate to add resistance and to cut the number of reps down, always slow, 2-sec. up 2-sec. down, no pause at the bottom always keep tension on the muscle. If you can't get to the machines go to a medical supply store and ask for (Thera-bands I think thats what they're called) they are elastic strips about 12" wide and about 36" long in different colors with each color a different tension resistance, yellow is easy on up to black having more resistance. They are used by people that can't use free weights or machines or are not yet rehabed enough to use them. The ends can be tied together to from a band , step on it with your foot, hook it to a door knob, tie it to a bed post etc. Tiy this: sit in a chair step on the band with your foot to hold it down, run your arm with the injuried hand through to the elbow, hold your arm at 90 degrees down by your side like your a bird wing, shorten the band so as there is tension on your arm when it is down by your side, now raise your arm up and down like a wing to exercise the shoulder, remember all exercises are to be done SLOW and in perfect form. Hook the band to a bed post or door so it is behind you at shouolder level hook the band to your arm the same way but this time your arm is up at shoulder level in the press position and you want to pull your arm across your chest in an arcing motion like a fly to work the side of the chest with the injuried hand. I'm trying not to get long winded here. Be creative, you can in most cases work around injuries and disabilities.
What did the doctor and the therapist tell you?