How much fitness loss in 2 weeks?

Only two weeks should not diminish your form. Just adjust your calorie intake and you should be fine.

Two weeks off the bike kills my form even if un-injured. I would also guess the surgery and recovery from it has also taken the wind out of your sails and will continue to do so for another couple of weeks. I've broken my hand twice and wrist once. THAT cooled my jets. A busted elbow on top of that? Ouch! That is going to limit pulling/pushing on the bars for a few weeks.

Fortunately (if there is such a thing after a hard crash), it is the end of the season for most of us and you have plenty of time to recover and do physiotherapy over the off-season.

Best of luck with your recovery!

Thanks, Campybob. I appreciate that.

Yeah, I can feel my form diminished already - though I also know it's going to take a week or so to blow the cobwebs out. And yes, I'm not going to be able to train at full capacity for 6-8 more weeks so I'm trying to figure out what the best plan of attack will be to get back as close as I can to form and then minimize any detraining so that once I can ride at full capacity I am starting from a reasonable point with minimal loss.

I was injured about 3 weeks ago, and I understand what you're going through. I did manage 40 miles yesterday, though. That last half into a pretty good headwind. I was pretty gassed a couple of miles from the end. Because my bike fared worse than I did in the accident, I'm riding 30 pounds of Chicago steel right now, 10 of which feel like they're in the rims. Don't risk a re-injury by trying to regain what you lost in a week. When you ride, ride defensively. A crash or even a bad fall can set you back even more. Assume that every car out there is trying to kill ya, and anticipate that they may well try.

As Bob said, this is the best time of the year to get hurt (well, maybe December is the optimum time). I usually keep at it pretty hard until around Thanksgiving, then taper back to 75-100 miles a week just to maintain a base (and to keep from gaining too much weight). Back off on intensity until the weather starts to get warmer. I try to get one 40-50 mile ride in on nice weather weekends all winter.

"Assume that every car out there is trying to kill ya,..."

Because, they ARE!

I'm glad to hear you're back on the bike, mpre53.

Quote: Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]
"Assume that every car out there is trying to kill ya,..."

Because, they ARE!

I'm glad to hear you're back on the bike, mpre53.

Looks like it's going to be a short-lived return. MRI results came back yesterday. Partial tear in one of the shoulder tendons. I have a consult with a good orthopedic guy next week to discuss options, who also specializes in sports medicine. The option that I'd prefer is whatever one will get me back riding, without risk of re-injury in a fall or crash, in the shortest possible time. Exercise is very important to me to control both diabetes and cholesterol without any meds, and cycling is the ideal ticket. I'm not risking my knees by starting to run again at age 60. I got out of running in my early 30s with two good knees. No easy access to a pool, and walking doesn't have enough intensity to give me much benefit at my current fitness level, although it will help with weight control.

Best of luck to you in your course of recovery. I hope the shoulder is one of those, "It will just take a little time." prescriptions. Bouncing off cars and roads hurts at 30. At 60 it is something none of us ever need to experience again. I got lucky when I slam bam boomed the mutt a year and a half ago. Hopefully, you have even better fortune! Got that new Madone w/full Campy Super Record EPS on order yet? Remember...your shoulder, "hurts far to bad to work mechanical shifters!"

In addition to the rotator cuff tendon tear, there's also a tear across the superior labrum. I can either [censored] around with PT for six months and have to be cut anyway if it doesn't work, or opt for the surgery now and be back riding again in the spring. Pending the orthopedist's two cents, I'm leaning towards getting it repaired now. Cycling is an important aspect of managing diabetes, and I have a history of high lipid numbers, which cycling has done wonders for. Completely med free for three years. And I enjoy the hell out of it. As far as a new ride goes, I'm by no means married to Trek. 😎 My favorite shop has since gone out of business, and Trek was their brand. I'm now a free agent. But that Madone fit me like a glove, and it had a near perfect balance between handling and comfort.

Good to hear you're managing the diabeetus [Wilfred Brimley voice] without meds. Very few, around here at least, have the discipline to do the exercise or even to manage their diet. Get that second opinion and I would probably go for the repair surgery before the holidays.

You might as well take a recovery vacation to warmer weather to rehab in for a couple of weeks, too!

FYI, if your surgery was for elbow repair, get thee into physical therapy as soon as your doc will allow, and go at PT as hard as you can manage. Elbow repairs can be problematic in terms of ROM and function loss. Note the "can be".

It's the shoulder, not the elbow. And I will hammer the PT. I've seen what happens to people who don't conscientiously follow their PT regimen after joint surgery. My orthopedist has a PT facility on-site, so I can do it under supervision as soon as recovery allows it, if the surgery is needed. Or start with PT alone, depending on what the best course is.

mpre53 said:

It's the shoulder, not the elbow. And I will hammer the PT. I've seen what happens to people who don't conscientiously follow their PT regimen after joint surgery. My orthopedist has a PT facility on-site, so I can do it under supervision as soon as recovery allows it, if the surgery is needed. Or start with PT alone, depending on what the best course is.

I was referring to the OP. PT is the beez knees for getting full function, again, after surgery. It's too bad that PT can hurt so much.

Mpre,

I had a SLAP repair 4 years back for a 14 year old injury. The recovery itself is not very painful. As I remember, I didn't even take any of the prescribed pain meds. PT wasn't too bad either. The biggest issue I had was I was not supposed to use, lift with my arm for 3 months. That was not easy with 3 small children and while I was in the process of finishing my basement.

The most painful part of the PT is the stretching to get back range of motion. The resistance work was cake. My therapist was a 5'3" young lady, I think she ended up working harder than me. I would nearly throw here across the room when she was trying to provide resistance.

Stationary trainer workouts are still possible with your arm in a sling.

maydog said:

Mpre, I had a SLAP repair 4 years back for a 14 year old injury. The recovery itself is not very painful. As I remember, I didn't even take any of the prescribed pain meds. PT wasn't too bad either. The biggest issue I had was I was not supposed to use, lift with my arm for 3 months. That was not easy with 3 small children and while I was in the process of finishing my basement. The most painful part of the PT is the stretching to get back range of motion. The resistance work was cake. My therapist was a 5'3" young lady, I think she ended up working harder than me. I would nearly throw here across the room when she was trying to provide resistance. Stationary trainer workouts are still possible with your arm in a sling.

It does depend a fair amount on the reason for PT. Elbow PT is generally pretty tough because the history of outcomes with elbow surgery (especially surgery involving fixation of fractures). I can say that PT for a broken hip sucked, especially since it started about 3 days after surgery. Shoulder PT at 4 weeks after having over 26 fractures in the torso and neck verily sucked. Right now, neck PT isn't too bad. Drugs are always a big help in PT, and a physical therapist with a nice cleavage and a well done thong panty line helps a lot, too.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by maydog
Mpre,

I had a SLAP repair 4 years back for a 14 year old injury. The recovery itself is not very painful. As I remember, I didn't even take any of the prescribed pain meds. PT wasn't too bad either. The biggest issue I had was I was not supposed to use, lift with my arm for 3 months. That was not easy with 3 small children and while I was in the process of finishing my basement.

The most painful part of the PT is the stretching to get back range of motion. The resistance work was cake. My therapist was a 5'3" young lady, I think she ended up working harder than me. I would nearly throw here across the room when she was trying to provide resistance.

Stationary trainer workouts are still possible with your arm in a sling.

Well, I have a cyclist's upper body, so I doubt that I have enough arm strength to throw a 10 year old across the room. [IMG]files.cyclingforums.combig smile.pngOpen ↗[/IMG]

To the original posters question, the link below (Read under figure 1) suggests:

Quote: "50% of the increase of mitochondrial content was lost after one unit, i.e., 1 week, of detraining (a) and that all of the adaptation was lost after five units of detraining. Also, it took four units, i.e., 4 weeks, of training (b) to regain the adaptation lost in the first week of detraining."

In top form two weeks is a lot to make up for.

gssiweb.orgsse 54 muscle adaptations to aerobic trainingOpen ↗

I busted my elbow earlier in the year - was prescribed 6 weeks off bike but was back in two. As others have said - make sure you get some therapy on that arm, even if it is just stretches from the internet.

In terms of fitness. You lose a fair bit quickly after 2 weeks. I find however that you quickly get up to speed. Enjoy the time off the bike and build your appetite up for when you return!

It is frustrating when you are not up to the level you were at. Its just a little bit at a time and do what you can. You don't want to make yourself feel bad about not being the same. Mostly if you keep at it you will get back up just as strong and fast.