BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (BRAIN) — Matt Moore, QBP's general counsel, is in rehab — and a full upper body cast and neck brace — following a collision with a car while bike commuting earlier this month.
Moore is still in the hospital but moved out of the trauma unit and into rehab about five days ago. He's working on standing with a walker and moving around with a wheelchair. Moore expects to be able to return home next week, but he'll be in the plastic body cast for about three months.
"We are going to become great friends," Moore said, referring to the cast.
Moore, 57, is an avid cyclist with a memorable white beard and a cheerful manner. One year for QBP's annual commuting awards, he was voted the distributor's "Best Dressed" bike commuter.
He was on his regular 11-mile ride home on March 19 at about 5:45 p.m. when a driver in a small Ford SUV turned left in front of him, going 25-30 mph, he said.
"I was conscious the whole time. I remember getting struck and falling to the ground. I went up on the hood and my head hit the windshield, which I don't really recollect. But I fell off (the hood) and rolled onto my back. I knew I was hit pretty hard."
Moore suffered seven compression fractures to his spine, including three in his neck. He also dislocated his hip — "THAT is extremely painful. I don't recommend it," he said. He said it took eight people to relocate the hip at the hospital. "Thankfully I was not conscious for that."
Moore, who is also the legal and legislative committee chair for the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association, said he expects the incident to lead to litigation. The Bloomington Police Department traffic investigator was not available Tuesday afternoon to provide details on the incident.
Moore is looking forward to a slow but steady recovery. His left leg can't bear weight for six weeks, when he will probably be able to get around with crutches. He said he expects biking to be a big part of his recovery.
"I'm going to take it slow. It's up to the doctors (how quickly he gets back on a bike). I'm thinking of recumbents — my son has one. But the first step will probably be a studio spin bike, that kind of stuff."
He said even in the worse times after the incident, he never contemplated giving up cycling. "I never thought about quitting, I've been doing it too long. It's just a part of me. And I think it will be the best way to rehab for this, with the lower impact energy. A fat tire bike might be the best, something super stable."
