The Road: How Yoga Healed My Body and Spirit After a Hip Fracture

Lying on the ground on the side of the road of a busy highway, unable to get up is definitely not a good situation to be in. Yet, there I was one early spring afternoon in March of 2013. My bicycle was 100 feet away from me, my riding partner was 100 yards down the road and I was laying on my left side in total shock. I was waiting for the pain to subside so I could get up, get my bike and ride back home. That never happened.

Luckily for me, Charlie, my riding buddy turned around to check on me. We had to maneuver past the enormous potholes and road debris left from the winter weather’s assault on the roads. He managed to get past the mess unscathed. I didn’t.

The ambulance was called. The x rays were taken. The diagnosis made. I had a left acetabulum fracture. This was my new vocabulary word. The acetabulum is the part of the pelvis that holds the head of the femur. Basically, I had a hip fracture that needed surgical repair. I would be on my back until I had the surgery and wouldn’t be able to walk unassisted for 14 weeks.

I had been road cycling for 5 years. Road cycling is riding a lightweight bicycle with skinny tires meant for smooth, clean roads. These bikes allow the riders to ascend hills at quick paces and descend very fast. It requires skill to maneuver the bike at high…