Bike (commuting) accident - aftermath incl work and recovery?

[Lilylove]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and I wanted to hear of others' experiences regarding recovery and rights/ attitudes at work etc. This is my situation, sorry if it's a bit long:

On Monday afternoon my bike basket came away from its fastening (seemingly for no reason, it just snapped) and fell onto my front wheel, causing the bike to stop suddenly and I flew over the handlebars, broke part of my front tooth, split open my top lip, scraped my face and upper body but all in all was extremely lucky it happened on a quiet street with no traffic and I wasn't going too fast. I am a really careful cyclist and this is my first bike accident since I was 12 or so.

Heartbroken about my tooth (fixed now but it isn't perfect anymore) but thought that would be the worst, however yesterday my body started aching a lot more, my neck killing me and I developed a bad headache which I still have now. I went to A&E on Monday where a nurse declared I was fine (as in no concussion) and lucky, so I didn't stay on for another few hours to be told the same by the doctor (which is what would be all that would happen according to the nurse). But now I am probably staying home from work all week (have a day off on Friday) as I am in a lot of pain and have to do everything slowly, I'm seeing the doctor today but not sure if they provide a sick note for work or can otherwise help at all.

How long is it likely to take to recover from this kind of accident? Do neck and headaches like these just go away after a few days? How long do you feel incredibly tired? I feel exhausted even though I haven't done much since the accident apart from a couple of trips to the dentist. I am rarely ill so I feel bad about staying home from work but I just find it so hard to do anything with this head- and body ache (neck being the worst).

 

[rugby bloke]

Recovery time depends on a lot of factors - age, fitness, nature of the impact.

I had a similar accident a few years back - went over the front handle bars, broken tooth, stitches in the lip. I was fortunate not to have any neck, head or neck pain, so was sore for a couple of days and then back to normal. However I was playing rugby so the body was used to regular abuse ! The fact you have neck pain would worry me. Make sure the doctor does not fob you off, this could do with a trip to the local hospital and a scan.

 

[steve50]

I would definitely ask for a second opinion regards your injuries, it sounds like your head and upper body took the impact when you were thrown off your bike. You might have whiplash or a neck strain injury not to mention the possibility of an undiagnosed head injury. Go to your own gp and tell him / her about your accident and ongoing pain etc.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Paul99]

I would definitely ask for a second opinion regards your injuries, it sounds like your head and upper body took the impact when you were thrown off your bike. You might have whiplash or a neck strain injury not to mention the possibility of an undiagnosed head injury. Go to your own gp and tell him / her about your accident and ongoing pain etc.

This.

You could have sustained reasonably serious internal injuries.

I was involved in a collision many years ago and was told I was fine by a nurse, but I had in fact suffered two prolapsed discs in my neck and still suffer issues today. Get yourself checked out properly.

 

[raleighnut]

I for one would not take the advice of a nurse regarding a head injury, at least see your GP.

 

[rugby bloke]

Hello and welcome by the way ! I hope you are back on your bike soon.

 

[Dec66]

I'd definitely go back, explain what happened and how you feel.

About eleven years ago I had the misfortune to collide head on with a Renault Clio, went over the handlebars, rolled up the bonnet to the windscreen and rolled off. I jumped straight up and my first concern, bizarrely, was to try to calm down the passenger, who was hysterical as they thought they'd killed me.

I felt OK (a little bit sore in places), the driver asked me if I needed him to take me to hospital and I said no, as I was fine (the BSO I was on, a Raleigh Firefly, looked like a half-folded Brommie).

In the days to follow, I came out in masses of bruises, had pain in my ribs, and felt like I'd been in a car crash, which I had. Your symptoms may well be just the after effects, like mine were (amazing how much adrenalin masks pain), but I really should have gone and got myself checked out. As should you.

 

[MichaelW2]

Sorry about the pain. Sounds like you need professional medical advice now.

Do you have any info about the basket mount, eg photos of the broken mount. This could have significant safety implications for other users of baskets.
Were you using a front mudguard, or an exposed tyre?
What style of brake, V-brake, disk, road caliper?
When you are feeling a bit better, follow this one up, please.

 

[classic33]

Second Guessing Here. Does one side hurt more than the other? Possibly indicating it was an uneven landing(one side hitting the ground first)? Does this go along with the visible injuries?

I'm with the comments made so far, get yourself checked over. With the head, I'd be tempted to go back to A&E, as soon as I was able. Your own doctor will probably send you back on anyway.

Whilst any injury you can see won't look too nice. Any injuries you can't see, are the ones to bother about. Have you got anyone who can check the areas you say are sore for bruising. Seldom come up right away.

 

[fossyant]

To be honest, I'm back in work as soon as possible. I got hit in September 14 and was off a week with broken ribs, but after a week I could just about ride so was in work. Unfortunately, November 15's accident left me with 4 broken ribs and two fractured vertebrae (serious) and I'll be off for about 6 months.

The answer is how long is a piece of string. Your GP can provide a sick note to cover you for this week, and longer if necessary.

 

[classic33]

To be honest, I'm back in work as soon as possible. I got hit in September 14 and was off a week with broken ribs, but after a week I could just about ride so was in work. Unfortunately, November 15's accident left me with 4 broken ribs and two fractured vertebrae (serious) and I'll be off for about 6 months.

The answer is how long is a piece of string. Your GP can provide a sick note to cover you for this week, and longer if necessary.

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ask-me-any-question.181367/post-3731844

Should be 25% of its origional length, to qualify.

Thought we'd to keep it on thread?

 

[Katherine]

If the pain doesn't settle you should definitely be checked over properly. Could be whiplash. You might need some physio if it doesn't settle with rest and anti inflammatories.

 

[jefmcg]

The A&E nurses interest is mainly "might you lapse in a coma and die overnight in your sleep?" She correctly diagnosed that

I had a somewhat similar experience a year ago. Quite street, moving slowly, mechanical and ended up in A&E. In my case I broke my clavicle, and hit my forehead.

The two questions they asked me were "did you lose consciousness" and "did you throw up". The answer to both was no (though I realised I passed out for a second when my head hit the ground, and I was hovering over a bucket for about 20 minutes after the collision, so it was close). The head had an ugly bruise the slowly drained into an even uglier black eye. But no headaches or anything. You've had a head injury, you have on going headaches - yup, get yourself to your GP asap and to hospital if they can't see you quickly. I don't mean to scare you, but have a read of this http://www.nme.com/news/charlotte-gainsbourg/30949

Hint: walking into your GP with a black eye and your arm in a sling and asking if anyone can see you this afternoon makes them sit up and find a spot for you.

 

[Drago]

Fortunately my journey too and from work counts as being on duty, even though I don't get paid. Fellow bobbies have had incidents and accidents during the journey and it all gets written up as work related.

Hope you recover swiftly.

 

[booze and cake]

Sorry to hear about your off Lily, and hope you are back out on the bike soon.

I was filtering between 2 lanes of traffic in November when a street drinker stepped right into my front wheel, I had no time to brake at all and I cartwheeled over the handlebars, on the way to the ground hit the side of my head on the bumper of a parked van getting pretty bad whiplash, and cut knee,hip and elbow. The latter 3 were fine in a week or two but my neck was like a tenderised bit of meat and it was 6 weeks before I could ride again without discomfort, so muscle injuries take longer to mend it seems. My friends all found it hilarious and as soon as the pain subsides you'll look back and laugh at your incident I hope.

Incidentally not only did the person I hit not even fall over and were seemingly completely unharmed, they did'nt even drop their can of kestral super. I was impressed at their committment to their hobby and how they would let nothing get between them.

Get well soon and it won't harm to get a second opinion to put your mind at rest.