I broke my hip in 2008. I was 9 weeks NWB but rode the trainer with no resistance and did some easy swimming almost from day 1. Biking came back really fast and was back bike racing 3 months later.
Running took A LOT longer - but I wasn't very smart getting back into it. I really pushed things too early as a group I normally train with was doing a trail run I thought it would be OK with (softer ground, etc) - but it involved an lot of jumping large rocks and steep down hills and I refused to quit once I started. As a result I was almost 8 months before doing my first 70.3 and even then I hadn't run the full distance before the race. I was a good year before I was back doing times similar to prior to the fracture. My recommendation would be to start very slow and build up gradually and don't try to run through pain or discomfort - stop as soon as it hurts.

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"There may be men that can beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it." Steve Prefontane

Thanks for the reply. I was "weight bearing as tolerated" from day 1, so maybe I will be able to run at some point.

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bb

When recovering from something similar-ish, when I was given the "as tolerated" guidance, I had enough foresight to predict the conflict between my desire to keep going and the reality of my recovery.

What all those convoluted words actually mean is that I ran laps around the block or a track so that I wouldn't fall into the trap of getting too far away from home and saying "well, might as well run all the way back."

Another good mantra has been always knowing I could have done a little more rather than wishing I'd done a little less.

Good luck and be patient!

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Eliot
blog thing - strava thing

Sorry to hear about your accident, but congrats on your progress so far.
This also happened to me last July in a bike crash, and i had a dynamic hip screw installed.
I was attending physiotherapy twice a week, and was pretty diligent in doing the recommended exercises. After 3 weeks, i could start lightly spinning on the trainer, and after about 9 weeks i was able to start very light jogging on a treadmill. I usually run daily, and was able to re-establish that routine in about November... obviously at a much slower pace though.
I'll warn against pushing things too fast, your muscles are learning how to fire again and will have imbalances increasing potential for other injuries. I ended up tweaking my SI joint and had to take another 3 weeks off running during January.
Despite the rapid progress in the beginning, it does takes a looong time to feel like your completely back to normal. 11 months post injury, and i now feel I'm approaching this point, since i just think or notice my hip much less now throughout the day, and I'm finally getting my bike power and run pace back to where it was pre-injury.
I strongly believe the active lifestyle has paid huge dividends, so you should be well positioned. Good luck on your journey back!
38 years old btw.

Broke a hip in 2002 at the age of 33. I was back riding a recumbent exercise bike in 3 weeks, trainer riding about at the 2 month mark, outside riding at 3.5 months, and running after about 6 months. I had a fair amount of pain just walking due to muscle loss. The lateral strength and stability was not there. But once I started running, it took just a couple of weeks for those smaller muscle groups to get strong and make walking pain free.

It is a hassle waiting for recovery, but better safe than to rush things.

I was hit by a motorbike racing motocross and broke the neck off my femur when I was 9 and was pinned and in traction for 8 weeks in 1985. I was back on the bike for the 1995 season. They set the femur shallow and my leg was two centimetres shorter so two years later I had my femur cut further down, extended and plated. I raced the next season and have never had any issues. Both times I was back on the bike before the doctor cleared me but I was young... I didn't take up triathlon until 2013 but I'm a solid runner and multiple KQ. All I can say is listen to the experts and I know there is a difference in age of the accident but stay positive and listen to your body.

I can give you a more modern account of advice being hit by a car training for my first triathlon in 2013 breaking a scapula, two bones off my vertebrae and slashing my neck open. I had a big crash in a race in 2017 breaking nine bones off vertebrae, five back ribs and then developing a hemothorax that had to have a drain put in. With both incidents I was back on the bike as soon as I felt I could, swim and then run the same both by feel. I didn't ask the doctor as it wasn't long and I am sure they would have told me no but being your femur I would err on the side of caution, listen to your body and trust their advice.

Thanks for the reply. The responses have all been very encouraging.

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bb

Thanks! That sounds like the time line the Ortho has given me. Great that you have been able to recover essentially to pre-injury fitness. Take care.

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bb

Hi,
I just read your post and wondered if you could tell me a bit about the pain side of things. Did you have a DHS? I am 4.5 months post op, broke my hip at 42 and had DHS fitted. I can do everything except run - doc's orders not to do this yet. The pain is intermittent, some days non-existent, then for no apparent reason my thigh is quite painful, then the groin and I've not had this pain, it is new. Any advice at all would be very much appreciated. I just don't know what to worry about and what to ignore. Were there any specific exercises that really helped? I was back doing most things pretty quickly but within reason.
Thanks in advance,

Claire

I do have a DHS installed (never had it taken out). I never had significant lingering pain in the thigh. The only pain below the hip joint would come from sitting with crossed legs, and like the bone was wanting to stretch but couldn't because of the titanium. That would be a sharp pain or sensation but not unbearable.

By the 4.5 month mark, I was already back on the bike outdoors. That was probably about the time I was able to start walking without a cane as well. I will tell you that at the 3 month mark I made my first trip to Japan for work. What a joy it was lugging a suitcase through train stations with the cane. And one night I stubbed my toe on the raised threshold to the bathroom. The pain rang out from my hip.

Hang in there; it just takes time.

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

I think everyone is different and I have been walking unassisted since 8 weeks after the operation so can't complain. I think it's the fear that it could break again, which I'm sure is very unlikely!

Best wishes,

Claire

I broke my hip in a skiing incident back in 2007, I was not allowed to put weight on it for 9 weeks. I needed about 20 weeks after being Ok'd for weight bearing before I got back to my normal mileage. My advise is take it slow and listen to your body, the trauma of breaking a major bone like the hip will stick with you for a while but you will come back.