One more thing...

aim · Nov 29, 2001

I'm curious as to how many of you have been told by your health care providers to quit motocross after an injury? I'm just wondering if anyone else has heard it as much as I have in the last three weeks?

Today I was told by my Physical Therapist that my recovery time will be one year. She lectured me for riding and I felt like lecturing her about using the bathroom and driving a car because more people are injured or killed in the bathroom and a car than will ever be hurt in the sport of motocross. I also told her that I'd be back on the bike as soon as I was cleared by the doc to ride again and as soon as I could afford to replace the gear I destroyed and figure out what keeps causing my rear tire to go flat (the whole cause of this mess). That's going to make for one heck of a painful treatment tomorrow, but oh well. Us MXers don't give up, nor should we. I often feel like telling doctors that they need to stop practicing medicine because it's too dangerous with all of those infectous diseases out there. I want to tell the radiologists that they should give up their passion for the x-ray machine because the radiation's going to kill them someday.

If we all lived each day in fear, we'd all curl up in a corner and never realize what life's all about--living! If we gave up each time we got hurt doing something, then we never would have learned to sit or or even walk.

I guess what I'm saying right now is that if anyone else is frustrated with the lack of professionalism of your health care providers, I'm right there with you!

Please excuse the grumpy nature of this posting, but right now I feel the need to vent because I'm sure that I'm not the first one who has gone through this and I won't be the last either.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to change this besides doing what a friend of ours does? He lies and tells the emergency room people he's been bicycling despite the boots, helmet and motocross gear. I guess they're friendlier and provide better service if you crash on a bicycle than on a dirtbike.

Keep riding and keep it safe and on two wheels!

VintageDirt · Nov 29, 2001

I noticed that most Docs and PTs will tell skiers that they will have them back on skis in no time. But, they tell us that we are fools if we ever ride again.

zilla · Nov 29, 2001

Depends on the Doc

My knee doc road races (Dr Kiefer) and buys my AMA membership as a perk to his MC riding patiants.. He also worked out a physical training routine for me.. On the other hand all the non-riding docs all say the same thing.. No more bike.. Heck even my personal Dr told me to stay off of my mountain bike fer pete's sake.. Maybe they think it is their duty to protect us mortals from our own stupidity, no thanx..

blackhawk468 · Nov 29, 2001

In october when i got injured i told the dr. "i fell of my bike" he gave me a strange look and goes "well shouldn't you have some cuts and bruises or something" and i laughed and said, "let's just say i was well prepared for the fall"

Four weeks later I go in, and he gives me the okay to take off the silly walking boot, and with a huge smile on my face, I ask "So... Does this mean I can ride my dirtbike again" he looks at me, and goes, "so that's what you fell off of!!!" I replied "yup" and he told me i could ride again, and as I'm walking out he smiles and goes, "see you next time" :silly:

YZDezertGuy · Nov 29, 2001

I agree w/ ya'll! I have a buddy who has hurt himself so many times doing MX that his life insurance said they would no longer cover him on any motorcycle accidents. It just so happened that 2 weeks later he broke his wrist, went into the hospital in full gear and told them he was riding a UNICYCLE! They were totally cool and said he'd be back at it in a couple weeks!

smb_racing · Nov 29, 2001

I've had to have the same hand x-rayed twice in the last 4 months due to injuries/possible fractures. The first time I went in to the student health center (we get cheap medical care as part of our tuition) the nurse gave me the "don't you know those things are dangerous" lecture. The second time the nurse didn't say anything, but did say "I see this isn't the first time". :silly:

skmcbride · Nov 30, 2001

I guess what I'm saying right now is that if anyone else is frustrated with the lack of professionalism of your health care providers, I'm right there with you!

Aim,
I understand your point but do these people lack professionalism or are they just ignorant of our sport? Is your treatment different because you ride a motorcycle? If so, than that would be unprofessional. Healthcare providers of all types are taught prevention, behavior modification etc.. It is therefore prudent for them to suggest to you to cease in engaging in what they consider "high risk" activity. Right or wrong, don't sweat it, their motives are for the most part well intended.

In today's healthcare you are a consumer, therefore I would challenge you to seek out providers that have an understanding of sport mentality and provide you competent care. If you and your provider are not on the same page than find another. They are out there and probably more than you think. I understand your frustration but educating these providers so they can be informed of the unique demands of our sport will serve us all better than flaming them.

So here is what I would do. When you need rehab talk to fellow riders and find providers that understand the sport or at least work with athletes. Call local professional sport teams in your area and track down the M.D.'s, therapists, and trainers. They usually have a clinic often as part of a major hospital and they do see other clients beside the professional team. In fact the team contract serves as PR for attracting clientele to their clinic. State your rehab goals early and often to wart off a paternal lecture. Bring in a video for the healthcare provider who lacks understanding to let them see first hand what encompasses the sport . I have done this with colleagues and it works well. Inform them of the growing popularity of the sport of MX, in all its forms, and the need for greater understanding of the physical aspects that are involved as the injury rate is increasing rapidily. This may inspire them, although maybe not for the right reasons. Let them know that by continuing to ride you are offering them job security! :)

Good Luck from your biased healthcare professional and avid off-road rider, Keith :D

70 marlin · Nov 30, 2001

been there!

couple month's ago jr does a get off and bends his wrist, we go to er just in case. fill out all the paper work "tell all, very short storie." first thing they do is a X-ray, then we sit in a little room for a hour. this doc comes in checks arm says arm looks OK no break on x ray. I say cool, doc reads chart and see's jr wiped out on dirt bike???????? then stands u[p and tell me he wants a complete CT scan on jr ???????? I say jr barely wipped out? doc says motor cylces a very dangerous! and he might have other injuries that we can't see? I say will my insurance cover it? he say's that he would'nt release jr untill he had one !!!! so four hours latter we have nice photo of the chips and bean dip on the way home from the wipe out. guess what no other problem, what'd thunk! friging doctor's :scream:

TrackMaster · Nov 30, 2001

Ah, just tell em you wiped out on your mtb or snowboard (depending on the season);) I can almost gauruntee theyll let you back on it in 1/2 the time compared to a dirtbike.

I always tell people when they ask what i did, that i just crashed on my bike. But its kinda obvious now with my collar bone, that i had a little more than yer average mtb crash.:eek:

One more thing...

aim

VintageDirt

Baked Spud

zilla

blackhawk468

President of Bling

YZDezertGuy

smb_racing

Master of None

skmcbride

70 marlin

TrackMaster

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One more thing...

Baked Spud

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