# Impaled in the thigh



## chillmolly (Apr 30, 2007)

Just riding along, up a rocky trail. Not sure what happened, but before I knew it I had fallen sideways onto the trail - didn't even have time to think about unclipping.

I perfectly fell on a small sapling that had been cut into a spear point. I took a look at my leg and saw shiny white tendon. At that point I got really nauseated and felt like I was going to pass out. I was able to get out my phone and call 911, and about a zillion EMS, firefighters, rangers, and other first responders showed up. After getting some IV Fentanyl (YES!) they carried me out on a litter to the ambulance, and I got trucked out to the hospital.

After filling me up with more narcotics (YES!) they cleaned out the would and stitched it up. Bummer for me the stick tore off part of my IT band, which is the white thing hanging out in the pic below. Looks like I'll be couch surfing for a while, at least the Olympics are coming up so I'll have something to watch.

If anyone else has been impaled by something, is there a ballpark how long it takes to recover??

Thanks, Marcia


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## Mentor (Aug 14, 2015)

That is a nasty looking injury, I wish you a speedy recovery!

This is why I'm dilligent about rooting out all broken saplings along the trail. I make a mental note of where they are on my rides, then come back with a Pulaski. I also check fallen trunks for broken branches that are an impalement hazard, and cut off any that pose a risk.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Hope you have a speedy recovery chillmolly.

Some trails we ride are along a river have pointy stumps that are the result of beavers coming up on the river bed and gnawing on trees. I've thought about the possibility of falling on one of those pointy stumps. We always try to remove/cut the stumps out when we do trailwork.


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## Julie (Jul 26, 2005)

yep...I had a similar incident several years ago. A rocky uphill technical singletrack lined by manzanita trees, some of which had been cut back, leaving pointy branches. I failed a rock-up and fell into a tree-shrub-pointy thing and impaled my thigh right above my knee. I watched as the branch stabbed in about 3 inches deep...and then broke off..inside...and disappeared into the skin hole. UGH Had to coast my bike out (mostly downhill) and get a ride to the ER so they could dig the stick out of my leg.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Heard a story about a guy on a trail where we go camping a few times a year... He fell head first onto similar o_0 impaled through the eye!! >.< Constantly see little shortened trees and ride past thinking 'Ouch! Someone's gonna wear it on that!' Maybe I should carry a hatchet when I ride? Couldn't possibly end badly...

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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

Ouch, sorry man, hope recovery is quick.

I am curious to know who is so stupid (besides equestrians which I'm dealing with cutting those out of one trail every season) to leave crap like that on the trail. No excuse not to cut it near the ground and flat.

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## chillmolly (Apr 30, 2007)

I think that is controlled by the city - Yeah - pretty crazy something like that was left as a giant booby trap.


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## mudgirl (Jun 19, 2007)

Ow! Ow! Ow! Yes, this happened to me last August, though it wasn't as bad as yours. I was riding along a wide path and someone had cut a tree down along the side of the trail, and some sharp ended branches were hanging out into the trail. I was zipping along at a good speed, was distracted by something on the other side of the trail, and swerved into one of the branches. At first I thought I had just cut my thigh, just above my right knee and just kept riding (I was trying to keep up with a group in front of me), but then we finally stopped and realized the end of one of those sharp branches was hanging out of my leg. I pulled it out, and my friend in front of me watched in horror as I kept pulling this thing out of my leg! It was about 3" long. I finished the ride, went to the ER, and they flushed it out for me and gave me a course of antibiotics. They didn't get it all, though, as the wound was stubborn about healing. It wouldn't heal, and finally about 2 months later, another 1/2" long piece came to the surface of my skin and I pulled it out with tweezers. That was it, though. It finally healed pretty quickly after I got that last piece out and all is good now. I wish you the best with your recovery! That looks awful!


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

Saw that happen to someone that stuffed their front wheel into a fairly deep narrow rain rut on a downslope, trying to slow down on typical low traction SoCal dirt. They panicked and tried to eject, and had their unplugged handlebar take a core sample out of the inside of their right thigh in a similar location to yours. I was riding behind them, far enough to see the trail and make my own line choice, and to more safely control my speed. I felt a little guilty, cause I know feel pressure to go faster when there's someone following me, and it might have been too uncomfortable for this guy. I had plenty of time and space to not run into them, but I kept looking back and saw that he sat down instead of going to remount, so I checked up (I didn't want to be guy that goes "OWWW! Are you alright!?" 1.5 seconds after the crash). He got help to push his bike and carry his pack out so he wouldn't have to put stress on that leg, as he walked back to the car, which was only 1/2 mile away.

Haven't seen the guy again. Maybe the trauma was more serious than the injury. Normally, I'd be riding once the wound sealed up and wouldn't risk tearing open again. Maybe 2 weeks, maybe less.


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## chillmolly (Apr 30, 2007)

Yikes! I feel better hearing similar stories (I think). Jeez - getting poked in the eye. Kinda puts things in perspective.

I have an appointment with the trauma guy at our local orthopedic surgical center. I'm hoping there isn't any additional damage and infection stays at bay. I just can't seem to shake the fever, so I guess we'll see. Thanks all for the support.


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## saildesign (Aug 10, 2006)

Hang in there. One day this will be a story to scare your grandkids with, and dine out on.


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## chillmolly (Apr 30, 2007)

Ha! Thanks. Today at the doctors I saw the X-ray - even though it was a soft tissue injury it was easy to see the damage. Turns out the stump stabbed me all the way to the bone. No wonder it hurts!!


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