Broken collerbone

[Stevecadiz]

Hi everyone New year's Eve I had an off! My left pedal caught a tree stump on a single track doing about 28kmh. I landed full on my right shoulder and have broken my collerbone for the 3rd time. I'm due in next week to have it screwed and plated. Has anyone else had this op and have any idea on how long recovery is expected to take. Thanks

 

[irie]

Few years ago wife had an off on a MX bike and broke her collar bone in two places. After plating full recovery took 6-8 weeks.

 

[irie]

Pro tip: For sure if you want them to heal faster eat as much cooked red meat as you can! If you want them to heal slower become a vegetarian. Science.

I think what really you mean is to eat foods which are rich in iron which helps promote the production of collagen, of which red meat is one.

 

[RustyMTB]

rich in iron

Broccoli , nuts, Tofu, Greens, Chard, Kale, Spinach. Also science.

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Broccoli , nuts, Tofu, Greens, Chard, Kale, Spinach. Also science.

yea, ill take longer to heal, thanks !

 

[irie]

No. I mean mostly to eat meat. Also that vegans are mental and based on science:
Compared with omnivores, vegetarians and vegans had lower BMD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine and vegans also had higher fracture rates. Conclusions: Vegetarian and vegan diets should be planned to avoid negative consequences on bone health.

You have carefully sidestepped what I posted in order to make a post about veganism*. You should not "mostly eat meat" because omnivores have other dietary requirements which are only supplied by a balanced diet.

* which I happen to agree with btw.

 

[cozzy]

12 weeks for me, but I did have a punctured lung also.
Im hoping leaving the plate in will make it stronger. More likely it will yank the screws out & splinter the bone making it even worse if I crash again hard.
I do remember the pain after the operation took the emphasis away from my lung. Got to love the oramorph though

I recommend lots of bacon regardless of helping bones fix.

 

[irie]

12 weeks for me, but I did have a punctured lung also.
Im hoping leaving the plate in will make it stronger. More likely it will yank the screws out & splinter the bone making it even worse if I crash again hard.
I do remember the pain after the operation took the emphasis away from my lung. Got to love the oramorph though

I recommend lots of bacon regardless of helping bones fix.

Also took longer for my wife because before plating they found that a subclavian artery had been severed by a piece of collar bone and they had to use "digital control" while finding a specialist surgeon to repair the artery. She was quite lucky to live through it - before being operated on she did say her shoulder was "a bit sore" ...

 

[Stompweaver]

Hi everyone New year's Eve I had an off! My left pedal caught a tree stump on a single track doing about 28kmh. I landed full on my right shoulder and have broken my collerbone for the 3rd time. I'm due in next week to have it screwed and plated. Has anyone else had this op and have any idea on how long recovery is expected to take. Thanks

I feel your pain. I have been there and have the scar to prove it. It took 6 weeks for it to heal up properly although I had some nerve damage too which meant I was off the bike for even longer. I have a plate and 7 screws in my right collarbone now. It wasn’t a pleasant experience as the others have said but it doesn’t last forever and it’s a lot quicker than waiting for it to heal on its own. Good luck and get well soon.

 

[steve_sordy]

Whatever route to full health you choose, take the appropriate time to heal. One of the guys I used to ride with regularly had broken many bones in his motocross days. After breaking his collar bone, he alarmed us all by riding only a few weeks afterwards. I asked if he was sure he was OK, to be told that he knew his body and how it healed. I suspect that what he didn't take into account was that as he got older his recovery periods got longer. Anyway, he survived that ride OK, confounding us all, but not the next one a week later. It was a short and steep descent and I was taking photos at the bottom. Suddenly he fell on me! Just after the drop-in, his collar bone fracture decided to give way and he lost strength in his arm. Fortunately, he and the bike went in different directions and the bike missed me! He was lucky that day as he had me to land on head first, the alternative was an old railway bed. His bike survived OK, but he cut his ride short that day. I didn't see him for weeks afterwards, and I'm glad to say that he's OK now.
I was OK after a day or so.

 

[ilostmypassword]

Pro tip: For sure if you want them to heal faster eat as much cooked red meat as you can! If you want them to heal slower become a vegetarian. Science.

Bullshit. There are many factors that enable healing.

 

[Digital]

No but it’s much better than separating the ligaments from the bone and needing dead people parts. Bones usually take 2-8 weeks to heal depending on their size and your age.

Pro tip: For sure if you want them to heal faster eat as much cooked red meat as you can! If you want them to heal slower become a vegetarian. Science.

Might you be able to quote the peer-reviewed science on that one...?

 

[stage 4 steve]

Hi everyone New year's Eve I had an off! My left pedal caught a tree stump on a single track doing about 28kmh. I landed full on my right shoulder and have broken my collerbone for the 3rd time. I'm due in next week to have it screwed and plated. Has anyone else had this op and have any idea on how long recovery is expected to take. Thanks

I broke my collar bone and dislocated my shoulder in September, shoulder popped in easy due to no collar bone resistance, due to starting stage 4 chemotherapy I was unable to have op to pin and plate the bone. I was in a sling for 6 days but then started light riding again to slowly build up muscle strength. After 8 weeks I had 90% movement and was able to ride ruff off road again.
Basically strap it up to reduce movement and separation and try and keep motivated.

 

[elektrifiziert]

Phew, that drifts a bit too much in the direction of nutrition....


Hi Steve,

yes, vegetarians have poorer bone quality and may suffer bone fractures more often. But it is not possible to deduce from this that everyone (even a non vegetarian) should eat a lot of meat to heal their bones.

A balanced diet is certainly the right way.


In adults, the clavicle usually takes 6-12 weeks to look healed on x-ray. However, plate removals after one year very often result in re-fractures, so it must be assumed that even after the long time no stable healing has taken place.

If it is a re-fracture in your case (or were the first two fractures on the opposite side ?) please see if it is the same place as then. Depending on that, the old fracture was not healed stably.

Because of a re-fracture, you would not treat it conservatively, but surgically. You should also consider leaving the plate in place for at least two years or possibly for life.

Smoking is a major risk factor for poor bone healing. I hope this does not affect you, if it does, reduce smoking as much as possible.

If the plate is inserted correctly and the x-rays look good, I would start activities of daily living after 6 weeks. Heavy weight-bearing would be more likely after 3-6 months.

So starting MTB depends on your riding style.

 

[Stihldog]

“Over The Bars for Dummies”. I should’ve finished the book.
I think we all fall differently and sometimes our bones and tissues pay the price.