Foot brake, foot break

[TonyA]

I was having this really nice lunch time ride out along the dirt roads under the power lines last week. The big GS felt just great with me standing on the pegs, mostly in 2nd gear. A little bit of wiggle or slip would be felt and a little bit of throttle would straighten it out. Nothing wild, just some fun romping.

I rode down into a little hollow where a few trails intersected. Some of them were not an option, given the GS's heft and my current level of skills. Hmm, that track back over to the left looks less intense. That's the smarter way to go.

As the trail rises out of the hollow I'm seeing that the 2-track's ruts are getting kinda deep. The exact sequence of events is definitely not clear, but within a couple seconds the bike is slamming to the right, into the rut. The bike hits against the outer wall at the right side and my right foot comes off the peg. Before I can bring the bike to a halt the foot has caught something in the dirt wall and is pretty much intent on staying put. The foot hangs up at the pillion footpeg and is bent down and under. Damn that hurts just like when I did it on a pushbike as a kid.

With the bike shut down and listing 30 degrees to starboard (jug dug into the dirt) and me sitting next to it I'm thinking, this is the worst ankle twist I've ever done. I'll have to wait to take the boot off for inspection 'cuz right now I'm frying in the sun. OK, helmet off, jacket off, let's see about that foot now. Hmm, not so bad right at the moment, I can move it under it's own power and all, maybe this will just blow over after a couple days of soreness.

I get up to take some pics (just in case this will be a more memorable day than I'm hoping to get by with). I'm limping but able to get around to see the furrow that the Hepco-Becker bar dug into the dirt. Dang if those bars haven't just paid for themselves.

Time to get out of here. No phone + no radio = I'm either going to ride out or hobble out. Let's see if I can get this bike upright the most direct way. Straddle the bike, push hard against the right foot and I get a NO WAIT STOP THIS IS NOT GOOD sort of feeling. OK, looks like the left leg will have to do. Standing to the side of the bike, bearing the weight against the left leg the bike gets back to vertical easily enough.

Let's get rolling again. The right foot isn't really happy about applying pressure to the pedal to stabilize me against the slope. After stalling once I get the right feel of balancing the hand brake lever, clutch, and throttle and I crawl along as slow as I can in 1st, with the wheels at the bottom of the v-groove rut. Hope I don't fall over again. I don't.

Back at work I'm limping but getting around. We have some ice so I cool the ankle down. There's a little bit of swelling, this feels like a moderately bad sprain. I head home at 5 thinking how nice that my left leg is feeling good when I come to stops. Back in the driveway this was not the easiest time I've had getting the bike onto the center stand but I know my wife couldn't manage it. According to plan, I grill a couple of steaks and we eat. After dinner I take the boot off for some more icing down, and hey, it looks like the swelling has gotten worse. Let's head over to the ER, shall we honey?

They took the Xrays quick enough but I had to wait a long time for anyone to look at them. Doc finally comes over and says, "Guess what, you're going home on crutches." I broke the fibula 1 inch from the bottom. Try to get a doctor to tell you what fibulas do for you besides get broken. I haven't had much luck so far.

Looks like the next 6-8 weeks of prime riding season are toast.

[Rad]

Sorry to hear about da foot.

What kinda boots t'was ya wear'n? MX boots, street?

Hope it heals soon.

[Marc]

Tonya,

Sorry about the broken fibula (whatever THAT is). I hope your next six to eight weeks pass fast...

Marc

[idjut]

Sorry to hear it. Lemme know if you need somebody to come up and keep your bike running for you while you're benched.

[Cactusrider]

The fibula is not a weight bearing bone for the ankle joint, but it does have an important function. The tibia and fibula work as the inside and outside struts of the ankle joint. The bottom part of the ankle is the talus. If the fibula is broken, but in good alignment, no big deal. If it is off by as little as 1 mm, it is a 42% reduction in the weight bearing surface, which translates to traumatic arthritis later in life if it is not surgically repaired to restore anatomic alignment.

How do I know this? I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night of course.

[TonyA]

Said Rad:
Sorry to hear about da foot.
What kinda boots t'was ya wear'n? MX boots, street?

Ah, here's the guy that cuts right to the moral of the story. These were hiking boots that do not protrude significantly above the ankle joint. If my feet weren't so wide I would have properly equipped myself by now. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...s+for+fat+feet

I don't own a pair (listening, Santa?) but I imagine that MX type boots could have distributed some of the torque through the calf, possibly even preventing the over-extension.

At least I'm getting a pretty good upper body workout now.

[Rad]

Said TonyA:

At least I'm getting a pretty good upper body workout now.

I like yur style

[ShaftEd]

That's a pisser Tony. I believe Kurt broke his fib recently also on his GS too. Well, anyway a fib is better than a tib. That is weight bearing and takes forever to heal.

Looks like the higher track is the one to take from you photo. That low track is angled pretty damn bad.

[Arch]

On the bright side, there's plenty of time to shop for boots! Seriously though, what a drag. Glad it wasn't worse, Tony - and here's wishing you a speedy recovery.

[RockyRaccoon]

I broke the fibula 1 inch from the bottom.

Me too, me too!

Sounded very similar in execution, only I was dabbing my foot through some mud when the rear slipped out and my foot was pinned under the Jesse bag.

I celebrated 8 weeks yesterday. I'm walking on it now, but it's still a little swollen and stiff. Apparently some of the soft tissue was stretched in ways that still make it angry. I see the doctor again this week and hope to ride this weekend, but probably no serious dirt for awhile.

[TonyA]

Said Kurt:
Me too, me too!

If yer ever out this way, let's and share stories.

I celebrated 8 weeks yesterday.
...
I see the doctor again this week and hope to ride this weekend, but probably no serious dirt for awhile.

Congrats on the milestone! :walk

Well, there's always the paved back roads until everything's solid again.

[Timberwoof]

Oh. man. That bites. Hope it heals soon.

And sooner than a kinda-sort-anot-really thing that happened to me. My hockey buddies say I'm finally really healed from an injury I had a year ago to my left knee MCL. Hurt to shift up unless I pointed my left toe in.

Injury sucks; I don't like it.

[Frank Warner]

After the cast came off - 6 weeks - I was hobling on mine.
About 2 weeks after that the fires came through the back of my place and I was cimbimg up and down rock shelfs to protect my home ... the ankle hurt some for around a day (ok maybe a week) after that but it was probably the best physio it had :): The doc would not have been impressed ... I didn't tell 'em But I think that is the secret - lotsa work and push the limit and keep pushing. Get your self a stationary exersise bike and get ready to use it too.

Good luck
Frank Warner

[fish]

What boots were you wearing, kurt?

[RockyRaccoon]

Said fish:
What boots were you wearing, kurt?

Just an old pair of Redwing Wellington-style slip-ons.

I'm not convinced better boots would have prevented the break, cuz it was essentially a twist of the foot, but it probably would have prevented some of the muscle damage when the foot was stretched in odd ways. Good boots can't hurt; I sure saw how easy it is to mess up your feet.