Planning on going into the Dr. this next week but wondering if anyone has had this happen from a crash. Went down 3 weeks ago doing a 4TTT - rear wheel slid out on grit/centerline paint - had just come off the front so thankfully didn’t take anyone else down. Cracked ribs and some road rash on my left upper leg which has healed up fine. However I have a large hematoma (??) where I landed on the left upper thigh. Looks like a large pocket of fluid under the skin and flab - looks strange (~ 3 inches across) and it acts kinda like a water bed when you poke it. It’s a bit tender to sleep on but not a problem riding - got in 12 hours last week. Not sure if I should be worried about it and I’m assuming it will go away with time as the body reabsorbs the fluid but curious about it none the less. Any similar experience and advice ??
If indeed it is a hemotoma, and it sounds like it, it will resorb over time. It might become fibrous and hard and leave a hard lump, and might even calcify but that will resorb, too.
Yes, likely a hematoma although you should have noticed it long before now (3 weeks later by your post) or it should be more “firm”. The other possibility, especially in that location, is an acute adventitial bursitis. Both should get better in time, but one does better w/ ice, the other heat.
Yes, likely a hematoma although you should have noticed it long before now (3 weeks later by your post) or it should be more “firm”. The other possibility, especially in that location, is an acute adventitial bursitis. Both should get better in time, but one does better w/ ice, the other heat.
Thanks to you and Doc Fuel as well. Didn’t mean to imply that I just noticed it - it has been swollen since day one but hasn’t diminished much in size. It also doesn’t seem to be getting any firmer. All the bruising is gone from the area. The lump also feels numb.
I’ve never heard of bursitis looking like a hematoma, but I only work in emergency medicine, not other types, and I haven’t seen a picture of this thing. However, if it dark, it is most likely a hematoma, which is simply a pooling of blood from busted blood vessels. There is no real danger, however often time they do become quite sore, as they eventually become a large black and blue mark. Since this is already formed, ice will not help it shrink, and only heat will help, as it will improve circulation in the area, and speed up the breakdown of the area. It is in some sense, a large blood blister. It can be lanced, but as it is much larger than a small blood blister, I recommend letting a professional do it, as you may need a vessel cauterized to stop it from bleeding. Even though it isn’t medically necessary at all, from my personal experience, I would highly recommend getting it lanced. Also you can try massaging it if it isn’t too large, it will help it get reabsorbed into the body.
2 yrs ago I had the identical thing–without the cracked ribs. What was weird is that it was just a bump/bruise for a couple of days, then I went out for a ride and it’s exploded–like the size of a softball right on my hip. I thought the skin was going to break!
I didn’t know what the hell was wrong, and when it exploded, I could barely walk. I ended up spending x-mas eve in the emergency room. Good times.
Anyway, it took forever to completely go away (4 weeks maybe), but after a couple days I was able to train on it fine. If it’s not getting bigger, I probably wouldn’t worry about it.
I’ve never heard of bursitis looking like a hematoma, but I only work in emergency medicine, not other types, and I haven’t seen a picture of this thing. However, if it dark, it is most likely a hematoma, which is simply a pooling of blood from busted blood vessels. There is no real danger, however often time they do become quite sore, as they eventually become a large black and blue mark. Since this is already formed, ice will not help it shrink, and only heat will help, as it will improve circulation in the area, and speed up the breakdown of the area. It is in some sense, a large blood blister. It can be lanced, but as it is much larger than a small blood blister, I recommend letting a professional do it, as you may need a vessel cauterized to stop it from bleeding. Even though it isn’t medically necessary at all, from my personal experience, I would highly recommend getting it lanced. Also you can try massaging it if it isn’t too large, it will help it get reabsorbed into the body.
Thanks - it isn’t at all black and blue - no color at all just a large lump on the upper thigh rotated toward the back of the leg. Professionally draining it sounds like a good idea though.
2 yrs ago I had the identical thing–without the cracked ribs. What was weird is that it was just a bump/bruise for a couple of days, then I went out for a ride and it’s exploded–like the size of a softball right on my hip. I thought the skin was going to break!
I didn’t know what the hell was wrong, and when it exploded, I could barely walk. I ended up spending x-mas eve in the emergency room. Good times.
Anyway, it took forever to completely go away (4 weeks maybe), but after a couple days I was able to train on it fine. If it’s not getting bigger, I probably wouldn’t worry about it.
Thanks,
Good to know you are OK. As I mentioned the swelling was there immediately. The area is a bit tender but no problem at all riding. I’ve had it for 3 weeks now but I’ll have it checked out next week.
Had a very similar crash in the rain a few months ago. The fluid retention was there but it was becoming much firmer by the 4th day. My health insurance has a 24hr advice nurse phoneline, hopefully you have one too.
I had a large hematoma in my left quad after my last major bike crash, caused the the arm rest on my bars driving into my leg and compressing the muscle practically down to the bone. Didn’t quite match the description of yours - more like a hard raised knot, without the feeling of having fluid inside it. I started with a physical therapist about a week afterwards, and he used therapeutic ultrasound to help it break up and get reabsorbed. This was a great help for restoring range of motion (which was thereafter mostly limited by the strained knee). I don’t know whether your injury would be a candidate for this sort of treatment, or whether it even bothers you enough to be worth it, but it might be worth asking your doctor about it.
I had a bad crash a couple of years ago resulting in a broken clavicle, two broken ribs, road rash and a trochanteric bursitis. The bursa was swollen for a couple of months but eventually went down to normal. It’s in the exact location you are describing. A hematoma would more likely be discolored although not necessarily if it’s a deeper injury. Hope you feel better soon.
In spring 2006 I fractured by spine in 2 places, and at follow ups with my orthopedic surgeon 2 weeks later I still had a large pocket of fluid across my low back .My low back was pretty cool with a water balloon/pillow that you could press on and squish around.
The ortho explained that when there is trauma you can basically tear the layer of subcutaneous fat in the area, and that clear fluid can accumulate for up to 6 or 8 weeks.
For me, it took about 4 weeks until the fluid resorbed
In spring 2006 I fractured by spine in 2 places, and at follow ups with my orthopedic surgeon 2 weeks later I still had a large pocket of fluid across my low back .My low back was pretty cool with a water balloon/pillow that you could press on and squish around.
The ortho explained that when there is trauma you can basically tear the layer of subcutaneous fat in the area, and that clear fluid can accumulate for up to 6 or 8 weeks.
For me, it took about 4 weeks until the fluid resorbed
Good luck,
Maritn
Thanks Martin and to the others who replied with info and advice. Your injury was much more serious than mine - hopefully you have made a complete recovery. Your doctor’s description is what I thought might have happened but couldn’t find the words to describe it. When I crashed I slid for ~ 30 ft on the pavement then stopped on the dirt shoulder fortunately ~ 2 ft. short of a steel pole. I thought that possibly a fatty layer may have separated with an accumulation of fluid in the separated tissues. It looks a bit smaller today - 3 weeks after the crash. I may hold off going to the Dr. (probably a hard week to get in anyway) to see what week 4 brings.
It sounds like a heluva hematomato. I like to gross out my co-workers and my wife’s friends by showing off those nice multi-color soft tissue insults. btw, it will look really bad around 2 weeks after the fact.
It's a hematoma/seroma. An accumulation of blood and water under the skin. I aspirate these in the office with an 18 gauge needle and syringe. They can reaccumulate fluid. Sometimes they'll require two or three aspirations over a period of a few weeks.
Small ones may reabsorb spontaneously. Larger ones that have a lot of blood are better treated with aspiration. Blood contains calcium which hardens and leaves a lump after the fluid resorbs.
I have even aspirated my own hip hematoma after a crash.