broken heel?

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rest_assured
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Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 5:30 pm

broken heel?

Postby rest_assured » Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:04 pm

Sustained a broken heel after an accident last Tuesday. Was knocked off after a bloke failed to give way on a roundabout. Anybody have experience with this? I had a tour planned for late April but have managed to push that back until mid-June, when apparently it should be healed (plan to ride the reverse 'Hannibal' route from Rome to Barcelona, then up to the Camino de Santiago trek and onwards to Paris).
The bone should be healed by then, just worried about residual pain, but then again your heel is not really used at all to bear weight when riding, is it? It hurts like buggery now.
Thoughts?
'84 Repco Nishiki Olympic 12
'83 Peugeot Montblanc
'93 Cadex CFM3
'12 De Rosa R838
'09 Giant Trance X1
'07 Giant STP

rest_assured
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Re: broken heel?

Postby rest_assured » Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:05 pm

Will have to remember to remove the Cadex from the bike list in my signature too :-(
'84 Repco Nishiki Olympic 12
'83 Peugeot Montblanc
'93 Cadex CFM3
'12 De Rosa R838
'09 Giant Trance X1
'07 Giant STP

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RonK
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Re: broken heel?

Postby RonK » Fri Mar 25, 2016 1:38 pm

Commiserations. A broken heel bone seems an unusual injury so I don't know if you'll find fellow sufferers here.

If the bone is properly knitted I wouldn't think pedalling would cause any discomfort.

But touring usually means plenty of walking too, so perhaps that would be more problematic. I suspect only time will tell.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

rest_assured
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Re: broken heel?

Postby rest_assured » Fri Mar 25, 2016 6:46 pm

Yeah, the doctor was quite surprised as well. He said he would normally see this in a person who "has fallen from a decent height". I was sort of knocked flying and I guess the heel broke my fall. I won't be in any hurry, so can take it easy... yep guess I will wait and see
'84 Repco Nishiki Olympic 12
'83 Peugeot Montblanc
'93 Cadex CFM3
'12 De Rosa R838
'09 Giant Trance X1
'07 Giant STP

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DrShifty
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Re: broken heel?

Postby DrShifty » Mon Mar 28, 2016 4:06 pm

I'd be checking where the crack/break is on the heel bone and seeing how it relates to anchor points for tendons, especially the tendon group that runs to the toes. These tendons support your arch and if they relax and shorten (which can happen if you are resting that foot for some time) they react against you when put to full use again and pull away from the heel. You then end up with the heel pain of plantar fasciitis which can take months to heal up. Ask your doc if it's advisable to wear arch support soles in your shoes while the weight is off the foot. This will keep the tendons at full stretch. Chemist support soles are about $20 or so.

rest_assured
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 5:30 pm

Re: broken heel?

Postby rest_assured » Sat Apr 02, 2016 9:09 am

DrShifty wrote:I'd be checking where the crack/break is on the heel bone and seeing how it relates to anchor points for tendons, especially the tendon group that runs to the toes. These tendons support your arch and if they relax and shorten (which can happen if you are resting that foot for some time) they react against you when put to full use again and pull away from the heel. You then end up with the heel pain of plantar fasciitis which can take months to heal up. Ask your doc if it's advisable to wear arch support soles in your shoes while the weight is off the foot. This will keep the tendons at full stretch. Chemist support soles are about $20 or so.
thanks for the advice! are you a doctor, as your name suggests? the main problem with that is that I can't fit it in a shoe yet, it is still pretty swollen. My ankle was pretty badly sprained at the same time. They have me in a moon boot for the first six weeks, then maybe they will recommend a sole once I can wear a shoe again.
The worst part of all this is using crutches
'84 Repco Nishiki Olympic 12
'83 Peugeot Montblanc
'93 Cadex CFM3
'12 De Rosa R838
'09 Giant Trance X1
'07 Giant STP

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DrShifty
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Location: Lake Macquarie

Re: broken heel?

Postby DrShifty » Sat Apr 02, 2016 10:59 pm

rest_assured wrote:thanks for the advice! are you a doctor, as your name suggests? the main problem with that is that I can't fit it in a shoe yet, it is still pretty swollen. My ankle was pretty badly sprained at the same time. They have me in a moon boot for the first six weeks, then maybe they will recommend a sole once I can wear a shoe again.
The worst part of all this is using crutches
PhD, which makes me a real doctor, compared to my father who was a GP and could advise on broken bones. :)

I once had a very manipulative client in counseling who called me Shifty as he could never manipulate the counseling process I used. Then he found out about the PhD and started to call me Dr Shifty. I kind of liked it. :)

Sorry to hear about the moon boot and the swelling. The ankle sounds bad.

rest_assured
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Re: broken heel?

Postby rest_assured » Wed Apr 06, 2016 9:16 am

DrShifty wrote:
rest_assured wrote:
PhD, which makes me a real doctor, compared to my father who was a GP and could advise on broken bones. :)

I once had a very manipulative client in counseling who called me Shifty as he could never manipulate the counseling process I used. Then he found out about the PhD and started to call me Dr Shifty. I kind of liked it. :)

Sorry to hear about the moon boot and the swelling. The ankle sounds bad.
Yeah it isn't much fun. These things always happen about a week before I plan to move house as well.
Luckily the guy that hit me has a son who works with personal injury lawyers, and they are going after the insurance company for me. I'm a teacher and missing a lot of work (I had grade 3, which is an incredibly active job).
You're a counselor? I have a bachelor pf psych degree as well and was thinking of making something of it before too long
'84 Repco Nishiki Olympic 12
'83 Peugeot Montblanc
'93 Cadex CFM3
'12 De Rosa R838
'09 Giant Trance X1
'07 Giant STP

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silentC
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Re: broken heel?

Postby silentC » Wed Apr 06, 2016 9:55 am

I broke my right calcaneus about 20 years ago in a rock climbing incident. It is most common in people who fall off ladders apparently. Because it involves the ankle, it can, and indeed in my case has had, long term affects on movement of the joint. I have never gotten full movement back, it is often painful and the bone saw said I will most likely develop arthritis in the foot. All cheerful stuff to tell you, I know!

Having said that it has never stopped me from doing anything. The only related issue I have with cycling is that I have a tendency to roll the ankle slightly, which can cause discomfort when walking afterwards. But really I am so used to it now that it doesn't bother me.

Having said all that, mine was a bad one, the bone was in several pieces and it required surgery and a plate. It sounds as though your's is not so bad, so hopefully you won't have any of the issues I have had with mine.
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outnabike
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Re: broken heel?

Postby outnabike » Wed Apr 06, 2016 4:46 pm

Hi rest_assured,
I broke and smashed my heel about 12 years ago. Doc came to me with all the forms for invalid pension. I said no and started on an exercise bike, very slowly getting more time in.
Anyway I was setting up some plastic extruders for my son in law; so in 12 weeks I was scooting around on a simple 3 wheel small office chair. You have to watch out for obstacles I can tell you. :)
(They do have these knee rests in rehab for rent at exorbitant prices by the way. My own chair suited me just fine.)
I was walking with a stick in 2.5 months and pain persisted for around a year fading slowly away...... but I was probably too active.

The Doctors reckoned they had never seen any one come back from such a bad break and resultant surgery etc. They put it down to the exercise bike.

I still get pain in that heel even though it healed well. But walking along without a limp. I think I was around 58 when all this happened so age is probably the reason for that.
But it did effect me as far as clip pedals go, and I have changed a couple of times to settle on the Shimano click Rs, for ease of use. I am very happy with them, as far as foot articulation.
Vivente World Randonneur complete with panniers

rest_assured
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 5:30 pm

Re: broken heel?

Postby rest_assured » Sat Apr 09, 2016 10:39 am

Thanks for the input.
Mine seems to be healing pretty well, there are two main breaks and the biggest one is pretty clean. The other is a bit more of a shatter than a break apparently. Much less swelling and less pain after 3 weeks, feeling confident (wishful thinking?). Getting really sick of crutches.
Cheers
'84 Repco Nishiki Olympic 12
'83 Peugeot Montblanc
'93 Cadex CFM3
'12 De Rosa R838
'09 Giant Trance X1
'07 Giant STP

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