A compound fracture

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 5:20 pm

My brother's driveway was covered with wet and slippery pine needles. While I wasn't even moving, my right boot slipped, causing me to drop my motorcycle (a 2006 Honda VFR 800) onto my right leg, causing a compound fracture about 6" above the ankle. Fortunately, no joints were involved. My leg is just as good now as before it was broken, even though I have a titanium rod and 5 screws in it.

This happened out of town. I had dropped my luggage off at a hotel. It was rather cold and, to keep warm, I had rain gear on over my protective riding gear. However, because the rain gear was a nuisance and I had underestimated the distance from the hotel to my brother's house (I didn't know the area), I had taken off my rain gear thinking that I wouldn't get cold in that distance. I was wrong!!

By the time I got to my brother's house, I was rather chilled. Otherwise, after taking one look at the driveway, I would have decided that it was too hazardous to ride onto it and would have looked for some other place to park. So, I rode into the driveway. Now I am much more careful to avoid places that could be slippery, i.e., wet leaves, pine needles, a bit of gravel on pavement, etc. Also, I have different frame sliders on the bike; they are farther forward. Probably it was the right-side frame slider that broke my leg, and I doubt that that could happen again.

I didn't immediately decide whether to ride again. But after recovering, I did decide to ride again. Some people think that I'm crazy for doing it.

Member Joined: Dec 31, 2009 Posts: 24

Glad you are OK now:)
I personally think motorbikes are just too dangerous. In event of an accident your only protection is what you are wearing.
Many many moons ago when I was just a little girl, my Dad had someone brought into his surgery (he was a GP) who had come off his bike on a local bad corner.
I was maybe 7 or 8 and my dad's surgery was in our house, so I couldn't avoid seeing what was going on.
This man was screaming like a baby, in obvious agony, and although I was being shooed away, I glimpsed part of the bone in his lower leg sticking out at a 45 degree angle through his leather trousers.
And there was you - similar damage without even riding the damn thing LOL

Member Joined: Dec 30, 2009 Posts: 18

Oh, wow! Glad you're okay now. I had two similar breaks (well one was similar) almost a year ago now, one near my shoulder on my arm and my knee cap. I'm 51, so these breaks didn't do me any favors, but I'm completely healed now. I'd fallen in the drive way and broke my arm, knee and nose.

Does the cold weather affect your healed breaks? It sure does with my knee.

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 3:14 am

Actually, the leg is just as good now as before I broke it. In fact, it is actually more flexible than my other leg, just as it was before.

The orthopedist told me that if the screws caused problems they could be removed, but since they don't cause any problems, I see no point in removing them.

Fortunately, no joints were involved so, even before the break healed, I was able to flex all my joints to prevent a loss in flexibility. The orthopedist told me that I'd have to work with a physical therapist for a long time, but I told him that I would not need a physical therapist. Later, he agreed that I hadn't needed one; I knew what I had to do to recover my strength, and I did it. One has to be able to tolerate a certain amount of pain for a while to recover full function.

If a joint had been involved, recovery probably would have been more difficult.

Member Joined: Dec 30, 2009 Posts: 18

I agree, once you have a joint break, ppl seem to always have trouble with that joint from then on. My arm feels better than ever and I have full range of motion back, but my knee gives me pain in the cold weather. My scapella broke right in half and that's where it hurts.

I heard a remedy for long term pain, thinking of trying it. I know several who've tried it and they all say it works. You take raisins and put them in a bowl, then pour in enough gin to cover the raisins. Then let the gin evaporate and when it's all gone, eat 9 raisins a day.

Glad you're healed better than before!

Driver Joined: Dec 25, 2009 Posts: 100

Nice to see you are okay now. I once fell off the road while taking a U-turn downhill. i skidded as i couldn't control the speed and broke my left leg.