Re: Ed, Why aren't you out on your bike?

[Jeff Grippe]

"Edward Dolan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> PS. Why can't you ride anymore? Surely you could go out for 1 hour a day
> like I do? Just poke about. You don't have to go fast. That is for
> teenagers and other severely mentally deprived souls.

I never was into going fast. That isn't the issue.

First of all, I don't feel safe riding where I live anymore. I won't do it.
In order to ride I would need to travel to a rail trail which means it has
become an activity that would be limited to vacations BUT...

My spinal cord injury has left me with a most unpleasant after effect called
"clonus". What happens is that my foot and ankle begin to shake
uncontrollably when pressure is applied to the foot at exactly the spot that
the pedal usually would hit. There is probably the option of having some
sort of custom pedal made that would change the point of contact BUT...

I'm still fighting the fight with lower back pain (which, in spite of my
weight, I did not have before the accident).

In short, at the moment, riding is no longer the pleasure that it once was.
I'm working on the problems that are keeping me from riding but it is going
to be a while before I can ride regularly again.

I'd love to get out for an hour a day and there may come a point in the
future when that can happen. I've already told my wife that once my son
graduates from college (7-8 years from now as he is just turning 14), I
would like to move somewhere along the GAP (the rail trail that runs from
Pittsburgh to Washington DC. Then I could ride frequently assuming I've been
able to get the other problems under control.

Thanks for asking.

Jeff

 

[Jeff Grippe]

> Your injuries from your accident appear more serious that I had at first
> thought.
>

I don't know what you thought but briefly, I broke T8 (in my back) and my
spinal cord was injured at that spot in my back. My lower back also appears
to have been effected. It is the spinal cord injury that causes the problems
that make it difficult to ride.

> It is hard for me to imagine that you could not find a safe place to ride
> your bike somewhere in your neighborhood. But maybe that comes from small
> town living most of my life.
>

White Plains isn't NYC but it is still a city. I have to go 4 miles from
home to get to a "path" that is free from cars. The route to that path is
the same one I used to take when I was riding so I would consider it a risk.
My retirement plans include moving to a small town somewhere along the GAP.
If I move 30 min to 1 hour away (by car) from either Pittsburgh, Baltimore,
or Washington DC then I can still have access to the cultural pleasures of a
city while having access to riding.

> It s has been my observation that most folks, even those who are
> enthusiasts, only ride their bikes for about 10 years or so and then go on
> to other things. However, it is no fun to ride a bike if you are hurting.
> It may be that you will have to give up cycling for good. There are many
> other things you can do that will give you pleasure just like cycling did.
> I think I would start searching for those other things if I were you.
>

I got my first bike as an adult in 1983. It was love at first ride. It was
in the late 80's that I got my first recumbent (the Infinity) and that too
was a pleasure. I'm going to do what it takes to repair my body and find a
way to cycle again. It won't be the same but that is ok. I think that with
time it can return to being pleasurable. Going back to the 80's, my three
sports have been cycling, cross country skiing, and martial arts. I think
the only one I'm going to have to give up is the skiing although it might be
perfectly safe on a rail trail where there are no hills. We'll see.

Thanks for your concern and for giving me a chance to put some of this into
writing. It helps.

Regards,
Jeff

 

[Jon]

"Jeff Grippe" <[email protected]> wrote
> My spinal cord injury has left me with a most unpleasant after effect
> called "clonus". What happens is that my foot and ankle begin to shake
> uncontrollably when pressure is applied to the foot at exactly the spot
> that the pedal usually would hit. There is probably the option of having
> some sort of custom pedal made that would change the point of contact
> BUT...

I hope you are getting medical advice from someone who *understands
that you want to cycle again*.

I didn't have "clonus" symptoms, but did have unilateral nerve damage
from a herniate disc that resulted in 70% loss of muscle control in
one ankle. A good physical therapist helped me with targeted exercises
and "positions" to recover probably 95% of strength and control.

> I'm still fighting the fight with lower back pain (which, in spite of my
> weight, I did not have before the accident).

My PT told me that effect from spinal injuries and some treatments
can "migrate". My GP said I would need surgery to recover. PT
said surgery for my injury would likely address the problem but also
might shift the symptom up or down. Perhaps your T8 vertabrae
break and cord injury put more stress on your lumbar spine which
might account for the low back pain and ankle "clonus". Surely
your MD or PT has addressed this, but if not, don't let them off
the hook.

My experience is, if you are motivated, good physical therapy can
help with lower back pain.

Good luck.

Jon Meinecke

 

[Jeff Grippe]

"Jon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> I hope you are getting medical advice from someone who *understands
> that you want to cycle again*.

The docs I am working with do understand that I want to return to a level of
athletic ability that is similar to what I had before the accident. I'm
going to reach for whatever I can get.

> My PT told me that effect from spinal injuries and some treatments
> can "migrate". My GP said I would need surgery to recover. PT
> said surgery for my injury would likely address the problem but also
> might shift the symptom up or down. Perhaps your T8 vertabrae
> break and cord injury put more stress on your lumbar spine which
> might account for the low back pain and ankle "clonus". Surely
> your MD or PT has addressed this, but if not, don't let them off
> the hook.

There is no doubt that the T6-T10 fusion that I have is putting stress on
whatever is above and below. I gather from the docs I've talked to that many
people with this type of fusion end up needing more fusion down the road. If
I knew what I know now I would talk to the surgeon about less (or even none)
fusion and longer immobility to allow the broken vertebrae to heal. It is
too late to make that decision now, however.

I'm going to continue to work toward being athletic with the full
understanding that it may put additional stress on my back now that will
require more surgery later. I'm willing to assume that risk. I don't want to
give up these years to this injury.

Thanks for all your encouragement and feedback.

Jeff