Cam McCaul Hits Rock, Breaks Leg in Oregon

May 17, 2023 at 13:14
by Christie Fitzpatrick  
Cam McCaul shared an unlucky bike accident on his Instagram earlier today. The video shows him sliding out, almost maintaining control, before a sudden impact with a rock that resulted in a broken leg and trip to hospital. We are relieved that he is resting, doing well and we wish him all the healing vibes for his recovery!

bigquotesSo… I broke my leg. Seemed like a mellow slide-out until I slid into a rock. It broke my tibial plateau and I had it plated back together. On the mend now. Got a cool scar. Looking forward to being healthy again and grateful this seems to be a straightforward injury. Resting now, rehabbing soon. Thanks for reading.—Cam McCaul


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68 Comments
  • 72 1
 That thought 'I can't be hurt' when you think, I have a job, I have commitments, I cant afford to be off for 8 weeks. Rest up mate. Hopefully you are not out for too long.
  • 61 1
 Well, look on the positive side.... At least he didn't stand barefoot on a Lego brick.
  • 4 1
 @bigtim: Well, the surgeon thought it would be funny to replace his tibial plateau with a Lego brick...so now Cam will forever be standing on a Lego brick.
  • 8 0
 your not wrong! All my bad (injury) crashes, like broken bones bad. First comes the denial an then when the reality sinks in....I lay on the floor screaming obcenities at my self, calling my self all sorts of names an insults.....
Untill the adrenaline wears off an the pain kicks in.
Reality sucks
  • 10 2
 I don't think this is discussed enough in these circles. It's not the fear of getting hurt that bothers me as I get older, it's the fear of it affecting my livelihood outside of my hobby. As much I love my bike, I think twice before hitting those bigger gaps like I did as a teenager. As a teen, a cast is a cool story to tell the other kids at school. As a middle-class adult with responsibilities, not so much.
  • 7 1
 @Spark24: I managed a full grade 4 AC separation on a boneheaded short of a small 5ish foot drop. I remember some of my first thoughts on the six-mile ride back to the car surrounded around how I was going to deal with caring for my 9mo old. It's really tough carrying around a baby when one arm is in a sling and the other is doing everything else.
  • 5 0
 @Spark24: Fully agree. In my 50's I've had my worst injuries yet, and now have to be realistic about how I ride.
  • 36 0
 It's those random little biffs that get you
  • 1 0
 Right? I had a TPF from just putting a foot out in a corner I overheated just a wee bit. I simply didn't believe I was really hurt until I tried to put weight on my leg. I've had many other violent tumbles that I've emerged from relatively unscathed.

Thankfully, you can recover from a TPF pretty quickly (after the mandatory 8-10 weeks of no weight bearing) if you handle your rehab business. Look forward to see CM back at it later this year.
  • 35 1
 I applaud the lack of profanity.
  • 16 1
 "Darn! . . . What the heck, man!" Good dad, knew his kids would probably be watching this clip!
  • 7 0
 It comes with spending a lot of time in Utah
  • 1 1
 @danielfloyd: wrong brother.
  • 18 0
 I too have broken my tibial plateau mountain biking. Not an easy recovery! Hopefully the soft tissues damage was kept to a minimum. Best wishes to that crazy bastard on a speedy recovery!
  • 2 0
 Me too. Tibia head fracture, torn out ACL, broken rib and crack in the scapula. Thought I'd never ride again. Ten days in hospital followed by a month on crutches slowly increasing the load and another month with a walking stick. Lots of thrombosis syringes, lymphmassages and rehab to regain the full range of motion of the knee.
Had a hard time but it's all good again. Doctor said, I'll likely get arthrosis in that knee earlier than others.
Have two cool scars Smile
All the best Cam
  • 1 0
 @santa-banshee: did this happen while riding?! Dang man.
  • 1 0
 @BiNARYBiKE: Yeah. Was on a table I jumped literally a hundred times before. Normally the run in to the jump was pretty rough and you had to break. When I arrived at the jump on this day the run in had been fixed and was completely smooth. So I didn't brake as usually, overjumped it by a mile and crashed into a tree directly after I landed. My left hand side was pretty much f*cked up.
  • 18 0
 Bones heal, chicks dig scars, pain is temporary, glory is forever”- Evel Knievel 1969
  • 15 0
 I don't know what hurts worse. The injury, or not being able to ride. Heal up brother.
  • 9 0
 Always the latter.
  • 3 0
 @yoobee: allllways the latter
  • 2 0
 been off the bike since last August due to a gnarly wrist break. definitely the latter.
  • 2 0
 @yoimaninja: broke my arm 3 months ago. definitely the latter
  • 1 0
 @IsaacMagers: heal up brother!
  • 13 1
 Is the rock ok?
  • 36 0
 Yeah, he's doing alright for himself, made a few $$$ from his films.
  • 5 0
 @bigtim: oh good good. Hopefully he stays out of that black hole that is DC…oh wait.
  • 7 0
 Please keep us updated on the Victim. #RockWatch2023
  • 7 0
 Ah fudge, that sucks, I hope he heals up quick. I grew up watching him at Crankworx and used to take the kids from the mtb camp I worked at to ride the Aptos pumptrack and watch him session the Post Office jumps, he always had time to talk with a fan and inspire the little ones. I never got over his amazingly friendly and positive vibes, and I try to replicate them on especially bad days. Best of luck Cam! We're rooting for you!
  • 3 0
 Seems like genuinely one of the nicest people in MTB.
  • 8 0
 TMZ reports: Rock that broke Cam McCauls leg, last week seen in drunk stupor, after hours with Pothole from Sea Otter.
  • 1 3
 Underrated comment.
  • 8 1
 “Status of the rock is unknown at this moment”
  • 3 0
 I heard it had the schist knocked out of it.
  • 2 0
 I am wondering if he broke the right leg, because he was tiltind and sliding off to the right, and the photo is mirrored about the leg, or somehow he broke his left foot even though sliding on his right side?

Anyways heal up Cam!!!
  • 2 0
 Look @ pix very , very carefully . You might be able to figure it out .
  • 2 0
 Did this one racing moto in my 20s. Mine came with several torn knee bits as well. ACL, both meniscus, strained MCL. Had to wear a cast until the bone fracture healed, rehab my leg for six weeks, then get knee surgery, and more rehab after that. I was on crutches for almost a year! Glad he just did the bone and hopefully his knee is still solid.
  • 6 1
 Mountain Biking, its not if you fall its when you fall,,,,,,,
  • 1 0
 Everytime I had to go to hospital after crashing I can hear my non-biking surrounding think out loud ;´ it´s time to grow up!' I always return the imaginitive middle finger and think to myself ´I can do that when I´m old.
  • 1 0
 Get well soon. I know how it feels and how hard the recovery of this particular injury can be. But in the end it will heal quite well if you keep it together in you rehab program and do not over pace. I hope you knee is still fine and that you just snapped your tibia.
  • 1 0
 @ kkse and @Spark24: Fully agree. In my 50's I've had my worst injuries yet, and now have to be realistic about how I ride.

Sadly true: I am presently off the bike 8 weeks (out of work, my income goes to zero) due to hitting gap jump (poorly) that I had / have no business doing at age 56. Hard dose of reality for me, super mad at myself. MTBing 23 years, my only serious injuries age 53 and now 56.

Reality check: lack of fear of crashing does not equal immunity to consequences of crashing. Frown
  • 1 0
 Hope you're back on it soon. I had a little mellow slide out like this also, tipped a rock and oops, displaced radial head fracture....sometimes the small ones bite hard and you walk away from the big crashes.
  • 1 0
 Shit man, I broke the same spot in the first and only bike race I ever participated in! My heal time was about 6 months unfortunately, I wish you the best of luck and an easy recovery.
  • 2 0
 I wonder if he was wearing knee pads and whether they would have helped in that situation?
  • 2 0
 Would not have helped, the tibial plateau fracture is caused by the compression of his foot sliding into the rock pushing the top of his tibia into his femur / knee (I'm obviously not a Dr, my wife broke hers skiing).
  • 2 0
 @ccrida-pnw: not always the case, I broke mine by twisting of the ankle to the point of my tibia plateau fractured in half. Been a year (next weekend) and still dealing with issues.
  • 2 0
 @ccrida-pnw: the one person online who claims they aren't a doctor... So you actually are a doctor!
  • 1 0
 And I broke mine on impact from crashing sideways on uneven dirt,so there's plenty of ways to break your tibia plateau.
  • 1 0
 @nozes: I did the same, bi-condryl fracture, lots of ways to break the knee.
  • 3 1
 All cooped up with a broken leg, means one thing…Bonnee is gonna get pregnant!
  • 3 0
 Heal up fast,Cam! It's going tibia ok.
  • 1 0
 I wear the hard plastic leatt knee/shin guards under dh pants. Save me so many times from impacts abrasions.

Highly recommended
  • 3 0
 Healing vibes
  • 1 0
 Ouch! Sucks to get injured any time let alone the start of their summer. Gonna be a nice scar.
  • 1 0
 f*ck man that sucks!! I hate seeing people get hurt but you’ll be back in no time
  • 1 0
 We know it's officially riding season when the pros start getting injured. Hope he heals up quickly and safely.
  • 2 0
 Tis but a scratch!
  • 1 0
 No Red Bull hardline then?
  • 1 0
 The injury clock reset. You are good for a while!
  • 3 1
 尽快恢复我的兄弟
  • 1 0
 Maybe Drago, or saddle at cline?
  • 1 0
 Either place that could happen as soon as you drift off like that.
  • 1 0
 Ouch, nothing simple about a TPF a very complex and serious break.
  • 3 4
 R.I.P greatest announcer ever
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