Collarbone

Discussion in 'Crash Confessions' started by TwoWheel Eric, Aug 23, 2017.


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  1. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    I recently crashed on wait for it, yes I'm ashamed to admit Borrego trail in Whiting Ranch. No I'm not a beginner just took a common every day trail for granted. I had moved over to accommodate a hiker coming the opposite direction and after passing the hiker clipped a tree branch with my right handlebar. It was a slight downhill section and I landed hard with a lot of force directly on my shoulder. I broke the collarbone and five ribs. Just had surgery on the collarbone last week and looking for advice on recovery tips, length of recovery, etc. Thanks.
     
  2. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Yikes! Heal up and get back out there.
     
  3. MrGreedom

    MrGreedom Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Name:
    Ryan
    Current Bike:
    BH Lynx6
    Hikers are such a nuisance
     
  4. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    I hate when I see collarbone breaks. I have done more Supermans than Superman himself but have yet to break mine. Of course I probably just jinxed myself. Hope you heal quick!
     
    TwoWheel Eric, Mikie, bvader and 5 others like this.
  5. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    Follow doctor's orders. When I broke mine, it was 20mm displaced very close to the sternum and of the 4 orthopedist I saw, not one wanted to operate. They said I was lucky it displaced in front of the sternum instead of behind it and since there wasn't much shaft on the sternum side of the clavicle to connect to, and we humans no longer swing from trees, it would stabilize and remain unessential for day-to-day tasks. I was able to ride uninhibited 7 weeks from the incident, but I never had surgery and it remains non-union.

    I bet laying down to sleep sucks for you. Hopefully it's not on the arm you use to wipe your ass. Avoid anti-inflamitory meds, as they slow down cell regeneration. Also, rely heavily on this website to get you through the downtime. Good luck!
     
    bvader, TwoWheel Eric, Mikie and 11 others like this.
  6. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Crikey, man, that sucks! Sorry to hear it, but it's the price of fun sometimes.

    I've broken a clavicle 3x; not really bad. About six weeks before I could start doing normal physical activity. Keep eating/drinking well and stay focused on your return, because it happens quickly. Here's to it. :thumbsup:

    PS: Go as easy on pain meds as you can get away with, i.e., use only if you're having trouble sleeping.
     
  7. scan

    scan iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    fran allas
    Current Bike:
    Scott Spark
    Surprised you're not asking about the ribs, supposed to be really painful!
    I found the 2nd time I broke the same collarbone(30 yrs after the 1st) , it was more painful. Pain meds are fine and I bet you need them with that combination!
     
  8. CBone

    CBone iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Antelope Valley
    Name:
    Tucker
    Current Bike:
    Intense Primer
    Not fun. I feel your pain. Check my screen name.

    Sleep in a recliner?

    Time heals all wounds - no easy way out. Sorry.
     
  9. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    First off....don't take any NSAIDS(aleve, motrin, asprin)....these are known to slow down bone healing.

    You had surgery, so i can assume that hardware was installed. My understanding is that once the bone heals enough, hardware on collarbones gets removed. This will slow down recovery...as you have to allow the bone to heal from having the screws removed...this could be weeks.

    You'll start to feel better at some point...don't push it. Just cause you can sit on your bike and pedal it, doesn't mean you can actually ride it. I thought mine was pretty much healed to the point where I got on the bike, felt good, so I went for a ride. All was good til I had to pull up on the bars....could have sworn I rebroke it.

    Take your time and let it heal correctly.
     
    bvader, TwoWheel Eric, Mikie and 6 others like this.
  10. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Follow the doctor's advice... Heal up fast, and we'll see you back out there. :thumbsup:
     
  11. kioti

    kioti iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Jim Jennings
    Current Bike:
    ibis ripley
    Wait. Borrego? How fast you climbing that trail?!?

    I broke mine too once.. Lower stretch of Black Star. Healed w/o surgery and looks like a couple tight switchbacks, or possibly a train wreck.

    Stationary bike trainer is your friend.

    And maybe narrower bars?
     
  12. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    THIS^^^
    I kept my ass in bed for as long as I could, and my clavicle healed up really fast and well.

    Broke ribs a while back in Bend JRA, and that took forever to heal. A good 18 months for me not to feel any pain there.
     
  13. Luis

    Luis iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Sylmar
    Name:
    Luis
    Current Bike:
    La Diabla
    :gag: Of all my cycling injuries throughout the years, breaking my collarbone was the most annoying. Broke it descending a fireroad of all places, when my front wheel washed out from under me.
    The worst was sleeping on my back. I'm a side sleeper and that was impossible to do without experiencing pain. What I did was go out and buy a two inch thick memory foam topper for the bed. That helped by alleviating pressure points especially on my lower back :thumbsup:
    Be patient and let time heal that bone. You'll be back at it six weeks or so from now.
     
  14. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Last OTB I took was in the Whiting Ranch area on the fireroad south of the park - the segment of Edison trail that locals call "Banzai trail". I had just done 15 miles and 3000 feet looping through Whiting every way I could think of, and was about a quarter of mile from my car hauling ass down the last little bit of fireroad above Aliso Creek Trail. When I launched I never even knew what happened; just one minute everything was flowing and then next minute I was airborne. That was five years ago and I've had a few dabs and slips since... but nothing quite like it.

    I have been very fortunate.

    My advice to the OP - take up a passive sport in the interim... for example gardening. Maybe gardening with small trees in pots... like that Japanese art form called... bonsai :)
     
  15. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    All I can say is I can't believe the ribs aren't a bigger deal than the collarbone. Everything I've ever heard says broken - or even cracked - ribs are excruciating. Listen to the docs (up to a point) and heal up right so you can get back out there. :)
     
  16. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    I feel like I have broken one of everything...

    Broken both my collarbones. I'll take broken ribs over a collarbone any day. Some say the opposite. I take it if you had surgery they plated and pinned it? If so then you are way ahead in my opinion. Bolted in place helps stabilize the break. I still have plate and pins on my right collarbone.

    Take the time to stay immobile so bone starts growing, DO NOT shortcut the healing process. It's not worth it. Give that bad boy time to heal.

    Ribs? There ain't nothing you can do. No sneezing, no laughing, and certainly no coughing!

    :( I'm so bummed this happened to you. Big time healing vibes to you brothah!
     
    kioti, mtnbikej, Danimal and 6 others like this.
  17. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Of all my spectacular get offs over the years on motos & mtb's somehow I've managed to keep my collarbones intact but I seriously can't imagine five broken ribs. I've busted ribs several times and they're no fun. Just about the time you think your good and you'll do something stupid like cough or sneeze or in my case ride a roller coaster before you're fully healed and bust it clean in half again. Give it time and ease back in to things is my only advice.
     
  18. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    That completely sucks all kinds of ass - except the good kind.

    Sorry to hear. And horrible to do it in such a mundane way, and not pursuing some heroic descent. :(:(:(:bang::bang::bang:
     
    mtnbikej, Danimal and TwoWheel Eric like this.
  19. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    Wow glad to hear yours worked out. Yes sleeping is tough but the oxy works well. Doc said sleep with arm sling so I don't move it by accident. Sleeping in a recliner with an ice machine hooked up to the shoulder. I've been relying on Advil and Tylenol during the day for the last two days to avoid too much oxy. So cut out the Advil?
     
    DangerDirtyD likes this.
  20. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Advil decreases swelling and the pain related to swelling, but slows bone growth. Pick your poison - or pick no poison!
     
  21. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    Yes the ribs were definitely painful but as the doc said there's not much to do about them. They seem to be healing quite fast now. I had to turn off Seinfeld as I was laughing too much. But ironically the instructions from the ER were that I was supposed to deep breathe and cough every hour to avoid pneumonia and that was very painful.
     
  22. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    Yeap recliner working well
     
    DangerDirtyD and Cyclotourist like this.
  23. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    Ok will stick to Tylenol during the day, that's OK right? The surgery involved a plate and screws and the surgeon indicated that the hardware typically remains in and only very occasionally I think he said once in the last 30 years has he had to remove hardware because it irritated the patients skin. So he said it can be removed but it's not a simple procedure and not sure I'd want to get cut open again unless it was bothering me. Good advice on don't push it and being aware of pulling on the bars.
     
  24. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    Ha ha, I wish I was going uphill. It happened very close to the trailhead at Portola, A few fun turns right there at the beginning. Strava shows I was going 14.8 miles an hour. Was not out to set a PR or anything but we were getting a late start and wanted to get the ride done before dark. Edit: oh funny thing about the bars, I had just cut them down by 10 mm on each side the week before. I guess I should've gone 20 mm. :)
     
  25. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    uggh, sure hope it's not that long.
     
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  26. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    Ahh RIP Banzai trail. Same here I was launched before I knew what had happened and I recall thinking while airborne WTF. I've probably ridden Borrego literally 100 times in the last 17 years, which I think in hindsight is probably the root cause of the crash-complacency.
     
    BonsaiNut and Cyclotourist like this.
  27. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    The worst pain was 12 hours after the surgery when the nerve block wore off. I was taking Oxy and seemed like baby aspirin. Didn't sleep a wink. In the morning the doctor approved doubling the Oxy dose and that did the trick.
     
    Cyclotourist likes this.
  28. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    Thanks Mikey. I've been pretty lucky on the mountain bike with no broken bones in 17 years and just one dislocated shoulder. Yes I have a plate and screws. So how's the plate in your collarbone any irritation or issues with it?
     
    Mikie and Cyclotourist like this.
  29. scan

    scan iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    fran allas
    Current Bike:
    Scott Spark
    Several people chimed in on slowing bone growth with NSAIDS but the evidence is not completely definite on that. There are other studies that show the opposite. One study stated that if you're in a high risk group you should probably stay away from NSAIDS, which I doubt you are. Check with the doc.

    Do Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Affect Bone Healing? A Critical Analysis

    There is no robust clinical and/or scientific evidence to discard the use of NSAIDs in patients suffering from a fracture, but equal lack of evidence does not constitute proof of the absence of an effect. The majority of the available evidence is based on animal findings and these results should be interpreted with caution due to the differences in physiological mechanisms between humans and animals.
     
    kioti, Cyclotourist and TwoWheel Eric like this.
  30. TwoWheel Eric

    TwoWheel Eric Member

    Location:
    Orange County
    Name:
    Eric
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    Yeah that's the irony. When I got my new tallboy about a year ago and at about the same time started Strava I got a renewed enthusiasm for faster descending and have been riding quite a bit faster than previously, not fast, just faster for me and have had very few and minor offs. shrug:bang:
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


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