Longest self-imposed injury break you've taken?

Ten months off the bike after smashing my femur against the road on a 100-mile audax last summer.  2 months non-weight bearing, 5 months on crutches, and 10 months of physio before I got back on.

And yes, the muscle wastage in the first few weeks was pretty disheartening, and things only started to improve once I was allowed to walk on it.

Although I cheated a bit, by using a recumbent exercise bike after about 6 weeks (physio not overly keen on that), hydrotherapy after ten weeks (physio keener on that), lots of exercises (cheifly performed while standing at the photocopier) and put the bike on a turbo after about 6 months (when I was finally flexible enough to get my leg over the saddle). 

My cycling is pretty well back to where it was, though the leg stil shows up various weaknesses and irritations at other times. 

Severe ITB after a running/hiking week long holiday in Oct 2015. 6 months to clear up (well, enough to do something physical again). Lost all fitness, put on 10 to 12kg and gave up running. 

On the plus side, when I got my shit together - I got a bike and hung the trainers up for good 

16 weeks physically off my feet, huge amounts of atrophy in right leg. 2 years of cycling to regain lost muscle

I had a nasty "idiot versus ice" incident in January last year & was off of the bike for nearly 5 months. The best thing I did was to see a physio' and follow the exercise program she gave me religiously. I could barely walk for 2 months and it was hard, hard work but worthwhile. You may be able to find a good (private) phsio' through your local cycling club, shop or - yes - even your Dr's surgery. You may of course have plenty of other financial commitments (I certainly did!) but paying for physiotherapy is likely to be less expensive in the long run 'cos you'll get seen now not in 3 months time and certainly cheaper than many of the shiny bits of kit so beloved of we cyclists.

Sorry to hear about your knee, I've been out since November last year, very difficult to find a replacement and ultimately I just plain haven't. However when I know you the repercussions of keeping going are likely to be very early arthritis, I can deal with a year or so out.  

Key thing with injury is to keep your chin up and not get depressed, the problem with being depressed is that it blocks you from being proactive in chasing every avenue for diagnosis and treatement at the one time you need it!  Make sure you tell yourself "OK, this is bad now, but what can I do to get better?  I know I WILL get better, I just have to wait"  

Hope that all  helps give persepective!

I shattered the talus bone in my right ankle at the start of September (was hit by a van while out on my bike). Due to the massive amount of damage done it's going to be a very long road to recovery. I won't be weight bearing until at least mid December, so no possibility of any bike action for the rest of this year.

If I'm lucky I'll be back using a turbo, very gently to just turn the legs over (no real power at all), by the end of January. Unlikely I will be able to ride outside before next summer. All of which is really depressing me.

Silly question really as it depend on the injury.

Tendon and tracking issues - get seen and treat with great care.

Longest off the bike? Bust verterbrae and ribs -  Doc recommended 3 months  - but if I 'had to' then be bl***y careful  after  6 weeks went on a winter training week!

Get a bike fitting and cleat position check may help?

I’m now entering the second month of being ‘off-bike’ having received definitive medical advice to remove my posterior from the bike saddle for a prolonged period, lasting as long as three months, due to coccyx pain.

Just started seeign a Chiropractor which is starting to bear some fruit, but it has been annoyingly tough staring at the bike on the stand.

I wrote a long blog post about it here: https://vamper.cc/very-real-pain-in-the-arse-coccydynia/

Cheers

Matt

I'm at the end of an 8 week lay off after a back injury, did a 200k on cocodamol during which i regret now! Just getting back on the turbo is killing me though.

For the sort of injury you're carrying I'd be tempted to start at a week as a minimum and work up from that.

Longest I've had was 8 weeks after a pretty bad off a couple of years ago. I was climbing the walls.

To be fair, only the last two weeks were self imposed.