Well, not really. It is the inevitable outcome of training. Hubris. That feeling of overconfidence that makes you forget allof the obvious logical things you should do.
Example: Forgetting to unclip at the car midway through an easy Sunday morning ride. I hung onto the car in order to drop my wife's water bottle off. Silly me, I didn't get a good push off from the car. The front wheel flopped to the left and tipped me and the rest of the frame to the right. I reached out to stop my fall with my right hand, but was too far out from the car. My arm was pulled back beyond what could be described as a normal range of motion; two small 'pops' and a gentle topple to the pavement, a'la Artie Johnson in the old Laugh-In skits. Lots of pain.
I felt like I could get a limited range of motion, but it was very uncomfortable. On top of this, I could feel all of the shoulder muscles tightening up as I drove home. Amazing what muscle groups come into play just to keep you balanced in a moving car. At that point, I gave in to Suzanne's suggestion to go to the immediate care clinic...if she drove.
First thought of the doctor was possibly an injury to the rotator cuff; therapy and injected cortisone at the worst. However, after the x-rays, he found a small fracture at the humeral head, the bone that goes from the shoulder to the elbow...up near the shoulder.
So, now I'm in a sling and immobilizer, waiting for an orthopedic consult. Looks like light duty for a while, since I can barely type, and driving (automatic transmission) is hazardous, at best. No trauma, no impact...lots of elliptical trainer and spin bike, maybe some swimming in six to eight weeks. This bites.
Example: Forgetting to unclip at the car midway through an easy Sunday morning ride. I hung onto the car in order to drop my wife's water bottle off. Silly me, I didn't get a good push off from the car. The front wheel flopped to the left and tipped me and the rest of the frame to the right. I reached out to stop my fall with my right hand, but was too far out from the car. My arm was pulled back beyond what could be described as a normal range of motion; two small 'pops' and a gentle topple to the pavement, a'la Artie Johnson in the old Laugh-In skits. Lots of pain.
I felt like I could get a limited range of motion, but it was very uncomfortable. On top of this, I could feel all of the shoulder muscles tightening up as I drove home. Amazing what muscle groups come into play just to keep you balanced in a moving car. At that point, I gave in to Suzanne's suggestion to go to the immediate care clinic...if she drove.
First thought of the doctor was possibly an injury to the rotator cuff; therapy and injected cortisone at the worst. However, after the x-rays, he found a small fracture at the humeral head, the bone that goes from the shoulder to the elbow...up near the shoulder.
So, now I'm in a sling and immobilizer, waiting for an orthopedic consult. Looks like light duty for a while, since I can barely type, and driving (automatic transmission) is hazardous, at best. No trauma, no impact...lots of elliptical trainer and spin bike, maybe some swimming in six to eight weeks. This bites.
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