Broken collarbone help
sam_thebatman
Posts: 112
in General Chat
Hi,
Anyone boken their collarbone before? I was knocked off my bike on New Years eve, some ideot opened there car door on me as i was going along, hit it at about 20moh, straight over the handlebars and the door and landed smack on my shoulder and head. Anyway ambulance comes and turns out i have a broken collarbone and bruised ribs. Went to a consultant yesterday for some more x rays and it seems that surgety wont be needed, but am going back next week to make sure the position of the broken bones hasnt changed too much and that i still wont need it.
Anyway, this has really put a downer on the start of the year, and and has also meant my base miles that i have been building on are pretty much useless. I dont know when i will be back on the turbo (at the moment i seems a long way off as i hav pain just walking), but on wont be running or swimming for 9 weeks it seems.
Was due to race in May and do IMUK 70.3 end of June. Am just paraniod about not gaining full movement back in my shoulder or getting pains when swimming.
Really anoying thing is the driver isnt even insured so have got a real headache now sorting that out.
Anyone boken their collarbone before? I was knocked off my bike on New Years eve, some ideot opened there car door on me as i was going along, hit it at about 20moh, straight over the handlebars and the door and landed smack on my shoulder and head. Anyway ambulance comes and turns out i have a broken collarbone and bruised ribs. Went to a consultant yesterday for some more x rays and it seems that surgety wont be needed, but am going back next week to make sure the position of the broken bones hasnt changed too much and that i still wont need it.
Anyway, this has really put a downer on the start of the year, and and has also meant my base miles that i have been building on are pretty much useless. I dont know when i will be back on the turbo (at the moment i seems a long way off as i hav pain just walking), but on wont be running or swimming for 9 weeks it seems.
Was due to race in May and do IMUK 70.3 end of June. Am just paraniod about not gaining full movement back in my shoulder or getting pains when swimming.
Really anoying thing is the driver isnt even insured so have got a real headache now sorting that out.
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Comments
I was back on the turbo in a couple of days, get someone to set it up and just sit up and pedal easy keeping the collar bone immobilised to keep the fitness up. In terms of recovery, I went against conventional wisdom and wore my sling as little as possible around the house to stress the break and encourage growth and then after a couple of weeks began returning movement to it, by moving it as much as I could (with help from the other arm) as much as was bearable. I was back doing light swimming (front crawl) after 4 and a bit weeks and running around the same time. The main thing is to keep yourself within your pain barriers and try and stay upbeat. It feels like the season has been ruined but it will heal soon enough and you have plenty of time to prepare.
Rugby related I might add.
I hoefully will be back on the turbo in 2 weeks, at the moment though i cant do anything as its too painful. I am also concerned about running, especially the shock.
Agent Tri, how bad was your break? Were the two ends of bone separated/overlapping?
a) mentally as you are still doing something
b) physically as you will still keep a lot of fitness
c) most importantly, getting your HR up and blood pumping around the body helps speed the healing process up and get things moving and cleared out
I am unsure whether to opt for surgery, it was talked about, but the doc thinks leaving it should be fine. However, i am really paraniod about not gaining full range of movement back. I may therefore push for the surgery just to be on the safe side (i know there can be comlications with surgery, but i would rather rick it than risk not getting 100% range of movement without the surgery). It is just that swimming is my main sport and i average about 6 hours of swimming per week, often more, with up to 6000m per session.
I know the biking and running wont be affected in the long term but the swimming is my main worry.
The only complication I have is very occasionally I get a pull in my intercostal muscles (ribs) caused by the slight realigenment of my shoulder. This can cause back spasms.
Only my experience but it really hasn't caused me any problems.
Good luck
Oh and just don't put it under preasure to quickly.
It will take a while to get back to fitness as the shoulder will be immoblised for a while, but I must have swum over 4k for the IM swim 9 weeks later, with the only problem being a sore back!
He has a very good reputation in the motorsport (bike racers) scene.
As been said tho depends on your age, the break, pain threshold blah blah
I rested for one week folowing my MX riding break then light training...any movement was "painful" so initially tricky. Also its never heals the same but aside from having to alter my tri bar position a little (but still cant get it spot on) its nothing major.
Finally surgery really is a last option as even the most expensive private hospitals still pose some risk.
Monday - walk to work, 18k in 2h34, a bit boring and freeeeezing cold at 5.30am!
Tuesday - ellipitcal trainer, 30 minutes, not very comfortable
Wednesday - 30 minutes stationary bike, better than Tuesday and good to get the HR going
I will be back walking tomorrow and elliptical on Sunday ....
Very annoying to be so restricted, but I need to keep active to stay sane. Race schedule similar to yours with OD in June and Cowman in July. Afew other races planned for April/May.
So im now due under the knife tomorrow morning, will let you know how it goes, timinngs etc and how it feels (movement wise) after the op.