Out for good: Shatzker Gd 6 tibial plateau and 4 transverse process fractures....

jpgibson

Bronze Level Site Supporter
I've contemplated giving up dirtbikes everytime I have an injury- which seems to be more often than my riding buddies.
Broke my scaphoid 7 months ago, had it repaired, no sequelae. Had sold my Beta 250 prematurely, missed my buddies so bought my old '13 300 from a mate.
Fixed it all up and installed Jakobi's KYB's ( after spending some more $ on more custom spacers).
Fast forward 0600 27th December. Was on call overnight ( finishes at 0600), my mate picks me up and we drive 2 h to a state forest to meet my bro and another friend.
Having a hoot. We do all the challenging stuff and have ridden for about 3h.
Heading along a firetrail to a lookout ( for 'lunch'), I give the 300 a bit of throttle, next thing I'm screaming just prior to a very severe impact with a tree, and them another tree.
As I'm the slowest, I'm at the back of the pack.
I hit the deck very hard and am winded.Talk myself through breathing. Lie there knowing something is very wrong with my left leg and my right loin.
Cant move, just watching fuel dribble out from the carby hoping someone comes back for me soon!
The cavalry arrive and drag me to a fallen tree to sit on.My leg is crunching but bearable as I preemptively splinted it! ( POD K4's). I keep thinking creepy crawlies are biting me on my right loin ( it was pain from the T12-L3 transverse process fractures).
No phone reception, so I'm kept company for the next 2 hours whilst my bro' and a mate ride out( 25km), go to his brother in laws farm, borrow their Landcruiser, and somehow manage to get it to me. After a very painful trip through the bush, we are met by the ambulance.
I get cannulated an given a small dose of morphine ( I told them I was a lightweight). Instant nausea. No more thanks.
Go to Bowral Hospital, speak to the Police, a couple a docs, get a CT and then transferred to the trauma centre ( Liverpool Hospital).Get procedural sedation ( ketamine/propofol) to get the brace off and backslab on.
Surgery the next day. Get myself transferred to a private hospital soon after for respite ( so my family can get away on the family holiday we were all meant to go on!).
All in all not an experience I would wish on anyone, it's a long road to recovery ( 3 months non weight bear ie no work) BUT I am alive, and lucky I am not more severely injured. I put that down to wearing a good helmet ( Airoh), Klim gear, Acerbis body armour, knee braces and Gaerne SG10's.Oh, and Knox gloves.
This was totally an 'accident' - unlike my scaphoid fracture which was the result of me riding beyond my skill level.
Not sure why I'm sharing this with you all. No cautionary tale, maybe just catharsis.
Three things for sure: wear good gear, dont ride alone- or if you must, make sure there is either phone reception, you have an EPIRB and people know where you are.The third being, accidents actually DO happen.
No photos soz, just imagine what happens when your tibia is driven up into your femur.....
*Schatzker....sorry, spelling pedant!
 
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Very sorry to hear Jon.. Wishing you a speedy recovery and if there's anything that can be done to help just yell out.
 
Wow you really hit those trees hard and now hang in there and get better . When I had to recover from my issues I started riding trials alot and it really is a great way to train without the big scares:eek: . Now I ride trials more than enduro bikes and it has improved my enduro riding and developed a whole new group to ride with . Just a thought !
 
Jon, hoping for a full and speedy recovery. Hopefully after it is all done, there is some form of motorcycling that you can/want to participate in. It is natural to feel like no way in hell right now.


I had a highside back in 97 while road racing on a Honda RS250 GP bike at about 135 mph. I was turning left through an fairly high speed turn with all of my weight on the left foot peg. Someone in a different class that was racing at the same time cracked their frame which was also their oil tank. the oiled the outside of the track with a very light film. The 250 is ridden much like a dirt bike in that you throttle steer with the rear tire to keep your corner speed and momentum up. I entered the corner with my rear tire about 1 foot out of line with the front tire. And on this lap I missed my turn in point by about 6 inches. Which put my rear tire in the oil. I was in 4th gear about 12,000 rpm on the pipe and haulin ass. The back end went sideways an spun up before I even felt or reacted to it. I was launched about 20 feet in the air according to the corner workers. Time slows to a crawl at that moment. I swear it took 5 minutes to land on the ground. I remember thinking this is gonna hurt, reaching back and grabbing my shoulders. Yanking so I could roll out of it and land on my back. Which I did flat enough that I did not even knock the wind out of me. As I slid up the track about 150 feet on my back. I can echo the shout out for good gear.

The force of the highside went through my left foot it as it launched me off. I dislocated all the metatarsals and broke three bones on the bottom of my left foot. I got it stabilized with the EMT's at the track and then wen to the hospital to have xrays and confirm what I already knew. I went to the leading foot specialist in the area the next day to look at, and had surgery the next day. After two surgeries and 10 months, I was fully recovered. Have not had any issues since. The doctor told me at my last follow up that he was amazed at the outcome considering the speed involved.

I am convinced that following the doctor's directions and keeping a positive outlook are the two main factors for my full recovery. I was also in very good physical shape at the time which I am sure helped too. I also stayed active with the road racing club as I was also the race director that year and on the board of directors for the next three years.

It gave me something to focus on and kept me active in motorcycling. I never road raced again, but I did get back into dirt bikes with my kids and family, I taught the motorcycle safety (MSF) course, and got into sport touring. My whole family still rides dirt bikes, (albeit much slower now), and my wife & do at least 1 two week trip a year on our Yamaha FJR1300 sport touring bike (riding 2 up towing a trailer). Last years trip was our third to Alaska which we went all the way to the Artic Circle and rode just over 7000 miles total camping the whole way.

I can't imagine not riding in some capacity for as long as I physically capable and I hope you will be able to do so too.
 
Thanks! Mine will be a long recovery and I MUST stay away from forums in which everyone shares their often terrible recovery ( mostly). I feel pretty lucky with my surgeon ( I'm in the business) and he did tell me he was particularly happy with how it went. Patience and staying positive are going to be my biggest hurdles.
Mind you, surgery was 3 weeks ago ( today) , so that means 'just' another 9 weeks of non weight bearing to go! I was fairly fit prior, what is amazing is how quickly the muscle disappears- basically no quads, calf muscles after 3 weeks- hopefully after review on Monday, I'll get the go ahead to start physiotherapy.
The progress is in such tiny increments that you forget you are actually getting better!
I'm lucky I've got a very supportive family and friends.
At this point, even though I have a road bike ( Husqvarna Nuda 900R) and a new e-MTB ( Merida e-160), I'm not sure the rewards are worth the risk ( albeit pretty small).
I cant afford (mentally, financially and maritally) to be off my feet for this long again!
 
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