Post-Surgery Fitness Loss

[telephd]

I had some vascular surgery on my left leg on 6/15 and, after he asked if I was capable of taking it easy, was cleared by my doc to start moderate aerobic activity a week ago. On Friday morning 7/15 exactly a month from my procedure I went out for a spin. I rode a 20 mile out and back on the local MUP that I have ridden a hundred times. On the day before my surgery I rode easy at 19.2 mph with a heart rate around 125 bpm as Ive been working on aerobic capacity. Friday I averaged 15.4 mph in similar conditions with a heart rate around 128 bpm and was noticeably more tired from the effort. I know at 57 conditioning is easier lost and harder gained and I expected a loss, but nothing that dramatic.

The rebuilding begins.....I guess Ill treat this as the beginning of the season. Any thoughts from the tribe?

 

[RojoRacing]

First ride back is always 3 times harder then the second ride back a day or two later.

I broke my left wrist back in Dec and went full couch potato status in discuss at ruining my 2016 race season. After 6 weeks of nothing I headed out for my first run(on foot) and as expected my pace was 20% slower then normal and I felt like I was working 50% harder to just go half the normal distance. The following week I was only 5% slower at what felt a normal effort but still working on building up my stamina for the needed distance. After 3 weeks of running I bought my first ever stationary trainer and mounted the Vendetta to it with the small hope that in 4 weeks my wrist would be strong enough to race a 12hr Mtb race. I did in fact win my 12hr and from the data collected I was only a few % off my potential in previous races at that venue so all the hard work on foot and inside the house worked.

At 26 years younger then you I can't expect you to have quite the same recovery speed as me but know this. A positive outlook does miracles for the body and like I said before that first day back is always 3 times harder then the second day.

 

[RAR]

I had some vascular surgery on my left leg on 6/15 and, after he asked if I was capable of taking it easy, was cleared by my doc to start moderate aerobic activity a week ago. On Friday morning 7/15 exactly a month from my procedure I went out for a spin. I rode a 20 mile out and back on the local MUP that I have ridden a hundred times. On the day before my surgery I rode easy at 19.2 mph with a heart rate around 125 bpm as Ive been working on aerobic capacity. Friday I averaged 15.4 mph in similar conditions with a heart rate around 128 bpm and was noticeably more tired from the effort. I know at 57 conditioning is easier lost and harder gained and I expected a loss, but nothing that dramatic.

The rebuilding begins.....I guess Ill treat this as the beginning of the season. Any thoughts from the tribe?

I went through a similar situation, my fitness came back quickly. Don't worry just continue on as you normally would and you will build up quickly. I did and I'm 62.

 

[RojoRacing]

Oh yeah and if you haven't hear I broke my right wrist 6 weeks ago and due to scheduling and a delicate post opt recovery I spent another solid month on the couch. I'm now finishing my 4 week back on the indoor trainer and I hope to go buy some new running shoes this afternoon because I've killed the ones I got back in February. Again the first day back was hell but since the situation is so similar to what happened earlier this year I've chosen to try and stay positive and work even hard inside for another triumphant return to racing in November.

 

[LMT]

I'm feeling people's pain.

I had an off 5 weeks ago today and fractured my hip (a NOF intertrochanteric), was on a DF just finishing an audax and came down hard on a wet pavement. I was about 200 yards from the finish. Coming off the road, doing about 4-5 mph across a wet pavement/sidewalk going into the park itself, when I steered the bike ever so slightly to the left to go through the gate and the front wheel gave way. Before I knew it, I had hit the pavement hard, not having no time to get my arm down and with no other part of my body hitting the pavement the hip took everything. 5 weeks tomorrow would be when I had the op, my recovery and season so far is:-

Mille Pennines, Douze Cents du Massif Central, Miglia Italia and Le 1000 du Sud all binned. All that training and tinkering with the bike and a MTB set up for f*** all.

However on the bright side:-

On the static bike after two and a half weeks.
On a static recumbent bike after two and a half weeks
On a DF after three weeks.
Have noticed my power on the static recumbent go up from 110 watts back up to pre op which was about 200 watts with me just turning a gear. Have not tried no real high intensity stuff yet going through the 300 watt barrier but I've been up to around 250.
Balance on the wattbike is returning, was 31/69 Left leg/Right leg but is now back up to around 48/52 so the strength is coming back into the leg.

Just down the gym everyday of the week apart from two rest days, a mixture of strength and stretch exercises in the swimming pool, work out on the recumbent bike and treadmill to get walking without crutches again. Am going on holiday at the beginning of September and hope to be back to fullish strength by then, with training to commence when I come back. Have an eye on LEL and Le Sud next year.

Physio is going well and I have bone density scan in the morning.

 

[telephd]

Thanks all for the encouragement and fast healing and recovery to you injured. I went out for ride #2 yesterday and what a difference a day (week) makes. Granted the ride started out 20 degrees cooler and temps ended 10 degrees cooler but there was a remarkable difference. Went 10 miles with heart rate under 125 bpm @ 20.5 mph and felt great. Turned around and came back @ 17.5 mph though I did let my heart rate climb because I wanted to see what was in the tank. Im going to be able to start riding a bit more regularly as Ive got some projects around home done. Im looking forward to that and all riding will have to be early morning because temps have been between 1o5-115 here in the afternoons.