Crash, part two.

I seem to have problems commuting. For the second time in about two months, I've succumbed to gravity's sweet serenade and found myself floundering on the ground while trying to commute to or from work. Last time it was a mechanical malfunction, this time, it was the dreaded--black ice. Yep, I went around a corner that only looked wet, and before I could even think, I was down. The bike went left, the right leg went out, twisted, and I went down. Technically, my right lower leg was externally rotated while my thigh was internally rotated (not good), with significant valgus flexion. Yum. I hobbled up, pedaled the last couple of miles in to work, and went about my business. I was fairly stiff, sore, and swollen by the end of the day, and my lovely wife picked me up. The next day, I was limpin' like a gimp, and I ultimately picked up a cheap cane to facilitate walking. Plus, every at the hospital got to make "House" comments to me. My biggest fear, based on the mechanism of the injury, was that I sustained some cartilage damage. I happen to be lucky enough to be friends with one of the top knee guys in the business, Dr. Ira Evans. He checked me out and felt that an MCL sprain along with some other soft tissue bruising was most likely (here is an article that Dr. Evans and I worked on for Dirt Rag discussing knee injuries).

Now, two weeks later, I'm feeling better. Certainly not 100%, but I'm walking much better, I've been able to do an easy spin on the bike on the rollers and I did a short run tonight. I'm still on NSAIDs, but I think I'm on the road to recovery. I did miss some good cyclocross races, but there will be more races in my life.

I have to say, I don't like being on this side of the patient-provider relationship. Oh well. I guess when I see how often my mother falls down, it's only to be expected...

Anyway, the ironic part is that the day prior to the fall, I had posted a reply to the LinkedIn group for bike commuters extolling the virtues of studded tires for winter riding. I have a set sitting in my garage waiting to be mounted... Had I only taken my own advice! Oh well, needless to say, they're going on before I start back to my two-wheeled commute.