Fractured collarbone

[Euskadi]

I fractured my collarbone last Monday cycling around Richmond Park. I will be following the medical advice from my local GP and fracture clinic, but I wondered if anyone else reading this who has fractured a collarbone could post how long it took them before they were able to ride again? I am really keen to cycle Hell of the Ashdown next Feb. Now i hear it takes 6-8 weeks for a fractured collarbone to heal which means I won't have much time to build up some fitness again. Am hoping to hear that 6 weeks is longest time..!

[Vorpal]

You can ride on the turbo or a spinning bike. Ask your GP / fracture clinic when you can do that. If you use a trubo trainer, raise the front wheel (more than usual) to reduce the strain on your collar bone, and get your torso more upright. Pros often use turbo trainers during the whole recovery period. Collar bone is a common fracture among cyclists.

[Euskadi]

Thanks! Will enquire about local spinning classes as don't have a turbo.

[Norman H]

I broke my collar bone just over a year ago. It required surgery (Google "Dog Bone joint reconstruction")

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=90413

I was back on the bike within 4 weeks of the surgery. The main problem was a loss of confidence. Until the ligaments heal and take over the function of the reconstruction, there is a danger that another off will cause more damage.

[Audax67]

I did mine 13 years ago and the ER intern screwed up. He only saw one fracture where there were two, and overlooked tendon & ligament damage. I've been suffering ever since. So be very sure that everything is OK before you let up on the docs etc - badger them about everything that feels a bit abnormal.

BTW, on my first real ride afterwards I had a flat, and found out that my arm was too still weak to use the pump. I had to flag down another cyclist and ask him to do it.

It might be a good idea to lay in a gas pump.

[cycleruk]

About 4 weeks before I got back on the bike after the op'. The main problem was when hitting bumps in the road caused a bit of pain. So back on the turbo for a bit longer. Mind you mine was completely shattered and had to be reconstructed with a graft from my hip bone. I also did my Scapula (shoulder blade) in at the same time just to make a proper job of it.
I would certainly expect you to be back on your bike by January. Problem then is the weather and possible ice on the roads.

[Euskadi]

Ouch. Thanks everyone for replies and advice. Spinning classes def seem way to go until i can get back on the bike. Will aim for a month but will follow medical advice.

[nez]

Audax67s advice re gas is worth following. I've had a frozen shoulder and was amazed to discover I couldn't pump after. Really impossible

[boblo]

I've done my left twice and my right once. The perils of mountain biking...

The usual approach in the UK seems to be to leave it to heal itself. With this, I was about 4 weeks off the bike. The first time, I thought; fantastic, I can train every day being signed off from work.... That lasted about 15 meters and the first gear change (downtube levers then). I only had one available hand so promptly had a major wobble, nearly fell off and pulled my 2 day old broken bone. So, best not try it...

The last break I had plated. I was back on within a week and left for a 3 month tandem tour within 4 weeks. It's really just soft tissue damage so, so long as you're careful...

Whilst we were away, one of the nutty Motogp motorcycle racers broke his collarbone one weekend, had it immediately plated and won the race the following weekend... Just goes to show...

[Audax67]

"Just" soft tissue damage... Oh my aching a... shoulder. Tendons & ligaments heal a lot more slowly than bone, and can go on hurting for years.

[Flinders]

Might it be cheaper buying a basic turbo than going to exercise classes? (especially as the cost of getting to the classes should be factored in unless you can do it as part of another trip)
The you'd always have the turbo for exercise later when the weather it too foul to go out.............

[AlanW]

I was back on the bike about 4 weeks after breaking mine in a crash in a road race. The bad news was that I was starting a new job the following day on the Monday morning. Eyebrows were certainly raised when I presented myself to work with my arm in a sling!

But........seven weeks later I then broke the other side when a dog ran out in front of me! To be honest, it was more than eyebrows raised when I turned up for work seven weeks later with the other arm in a sling...

I was told in no uncertain terms that perhaps I should explore other possible out of work activities. But I continued to ride to work ignoring any such advice.

Then funnily enough, but six months later I was made redundant......odd that

[Euskadi]

I was back on the bike about 4 weeks after breaking mine in a crash in a road race. The bad news was that I was starting a new job the following day on the Monday morning. Eyebrows were certainly raised when I presented myself to work with my arm in a sling!

But........seven weeks later I then broke the other side when a dog ran out in front of me! To be honest, it was more than eyebrows raised when I turned up for work seven weeks later with the other arm in a sling...

I was told in no uncertain terms that perhaps I should explore other possible out of work activities. But I continued to ride to work ignoring any such advice.

Then funnily enough, but six months later I was made redundant......odd that

That's funny, sorry to laugh at your pain Def want to be riding in another couple of weeks if I can. See what the fracture clinic has to say if they actually write to me with an appointment...

[eileithyia]

Like Cycleruk i broke both collarbone and shoulder blade...... the complete break thru the collarbone with the shoulder blade meant it was pulled complete out of line... requiring surgery. As we lost 2 weeks due to poor level of urgency of referral to #clinic, then Xmas before surgery i did have some quite severe mobility issues after.

I think i was on the turbo a couple of weeks after surgery, probably 4 weeks before i began physio, but i very much was not ready to ride on the road until Feb/Mar Accident was 13th Dec. Biggest issue with getting back on the bike was lack of mobility, how long it took to get sufficient layers of clothing to do a short ride to find out how it felt. By end of March i was in Mallorca, less clothing needed and by the end of the week was up to 60 miles......

All breaks are different, level of damage etc., and level of required recovery.......

For my part with the complete break, the plate that is used is fairly thin, so any major stresses before the 2 ends of the bone have started knitting together can cause the two ends to move, put strain on the plate and possibly even break the plate..... This was only fully explained to me by the physio, when there was a concern of non healing.

[borisface]

You might be back on the bike within 6 weeks. I broke my collarbone on 12 July when a cat ran into to me whilst descending at 42mph (that's what the garmin said when I downloaded it). I tried to do a turbo ride after 4 weeks but simply could not get onto the bike. My first turbo was after 7 weeks, first road ride after 8 weeks, after that its been pretty much OK. 4.5 months after the event, I don't quite have full mobility or strength and still get some discomfort and pain from time to time. Best of luck.