Smallguy

I was in a crash yesterday at high speed broke my collar bone

so what have others done to stay semi-fit while recovering ?

I see a specialist Friday for determining my options

jabbahop

looks like Ted King is spending time on a recumbent bike while he recovers from his collar bone break.

https://www.iamtedking.com/2011/06/upinmaineguy/

gsteinb

it kinda depends on how bad it is and how you feel and what other injuries you have. I was on the trainer pretty quick, but since most if not all my ribs were broken on one side there wasn't much physical benefit; merely psychological. I've found motivated racers can be back in 6 weeks (crap I raced in four weeks and I was a disaster) so loses can be pretty minimal. Listen carefully to your body. It needs healing.

Soloist Assassin

I broke my collar bone in a crit last Sunday. Yesterday was my first day back on a bike. It was a mountain bike, and it sucked, but it still felt good to be riding. Gonna ride the trainer for the next few weeks, and hopefully I can ride a real bike again soon.

Smallguy

did either of you get a plate ?

Grumpy McTrumpy

I wish you guys speedy recovery.

Soloist Assassin

I didn't even go to a doctor. I broke my other one in two spots, 15 years ago racing MX. They just put me in a shoulder brace that pulls your shoulders back and up, and 4 weeks later, I was racing again. I got the brace back out, and I'm doing okay. This one hurts less than the first one, so I would say I probably only broke it in one spot. Usually you don't need a plate unless you shatter it, or if it is a compound fracture.

Smallguy

I went to emerg ambulance was on the scene another racer and friend got it worse and was taken away in the ambulance

I waited for my gf so she knew I was OK

I'm in a sling right now my road rash hurts more than my collar bone

Soloist Assassin

Thanks Grumpy.

gsteinb

yes. the two parts of my collar bone were in separate zip codes.

Smallguy

thanks grumpy and I hope both of you recover quickly as well

Soloist Assassin

Weird I wouldn't even feel he road rash until Thursday or so. The CB was all I felt. Get yourself one of these braces, they are far superior to a sling for a CB break. You will have a lot more mobility as well.

Soloist Assassin

Also if you have access to a hot tub, I've found it invaluable to help with the process so far. If you had head trauma you may want to wait a few days on that however. I had a pretty bad concussion from mine.

shovelhd

I broke my collarbone years ago riding my track bike on the street. Classic endo. Compound fracture, and they didn't do surgery back then, just set it with the harness. I remember being in a lot of pain for the first few days, so I didn't do anything. Once the pain calmed down I rode the trainer with the harness on and my arm in a sling. As someone else said, it's mostly psychological as I couldn't go hard at first. Just keep your base going, and plan on a build cycle once you heal up.

Bets of luck to you guys.

carpediemracing 

I've only broken my pelvis, but that kept me off the bike for a while. I used the down time to diet, think about how I race and how I could optimize equipment for how I race, fit, and any "out of box" changes I could make in tactics and technique. In other words I decided to use my down time in other ways other than actual fitness.

When I could ride I started riding, but that was 6 or 8 weeks later. I had the second best season of my life the following year (last year); my best season was probably 1992, but 2010 came close.

Remember, you can always race later, next year, next decade. Don't rush things and mess up the recovery bit.

Smallguy

I'm only in my 2nd year of racing and was starting to get a better grasp on positioning and tactics even was able to stick with the front 20% of the pack on the climb which is huge with me being 195.

I was so happy felt like things were coming together and my hard work was beginning to pay off.

I have a mixed bag of emotions right now....happy it wasn't more serious, upset I was in a bad spot and didn't move earlier...bit of a roller coaster but I'm only 31 so I can race for many years to come

my first priority is getting healed I want to race but I need to be ready for my riding vacation in late August more

echappist

yikes. heal up guys.

as mentioned in similar threads, slow and steady. build a base, have a plan, and watch your diet during the recovery period

currand

I had a pretty severe separation of my AC last year in late April. I spent about 3 weeks or so inside doing mostly steady state, the next 2 or so by myself doing threshold. Primary reason being that any sort of quick reactions or pulling on the bars hurt like hell and I felt I was a danger to others in a group/race. That being said, I came back and killed the end of the season. A couple back to back wins (including my first race back) and a bunch of other top 10s and new wattage PRs.

You'll be amazed at what a difference being rested (physically and mentally) makes at the end of July when you are 100% again and everyone else is tired. Get well soon.

Soloist Assassin

Well, I won the state championship RR the day before I went down. So, I've got to comeback strong. There is no exception for anything else. I know exactly what the problem in my tactics was. I let someone with horrible pack riding skills near me. He almost took me out the day before. I should of disregarded him, and got the hell away. Problem was I was racing Cat5, and of course meant first race out, and I wasn't quite awake that early, and thinking properly. I'm putting in for an early upgrade. I have 7 starts on my license, but I did 5 races with day license last year, and one the year before. So I've got to get back on the trainer today, and get to work.

Matt2.8NJ

I'm in week 3 of my collar bone break - from Memorial Day weekend.

Back on the trainer after two weeks.

Now incorporating a little intensity into 1 hr trainer rides.

I go back tomorrow afternoon for round 2 of x-rays to make sure it healed up ok.

It's a huge pain in the butt injury. Nothing to do but be patient and let the body heal.

merlin55

I took a week off the bike, and kept riding...my clavicle never healed and require surgery, a metal plate, and a bone graft. See your doctor, and get a good arm brace, not a crappy $2 bag with a single strap. Maybe it wll heal without surgery, maybe not.

Smallguy

I see an ortho doc friday I want to get a brace like the one posted here if I can

I'll listen cause I can always come back stronger next year

Might bust my ass to move up smaller pack size less sketchy riding... they do not tend to ride much faster just 10-20km longer

Soloist Assassin

Yeah, the brace is the way to go. It aligns the bones where they need to be, plus keeps your arm mobile. I am putting in for an early upgrade myself. I have 7 starts on my license, but I've raced 5 more races on one day licenses the past two years. With the state championship win the day before, I hope that will help. I am guessing you are a cat 5 too? How exactly did you go down? I was in a three man chase group, and the sketchball in front stopped pedaling, and yanked his bike to the left on me. Right where my front wheel ended up since he slowed abruptly at 30mph or so. BTW, don't forget to drink lots of milk, and take some calcium chews while you heal.

Smallguy

we have an ability based system here so its by speed and distance

be have a,b,c,d for men I'm a C

our races are generally a 32km/h ish average and 50-70km..... this race was 81 and the average was 35km/h and 35 at the time of my crash

and no people do not say slow down we will go over the average

any way we had just finished the climb a few km's back and were on a series of rollers the boys up front were driving the pace around 40 km/h

the pack was stretching like and elastic on the descents and piling up on the uphill of the rollers... not smooth

I said to a buddy this is sketchy today

I saw a hill comming up and the pack began to surge on the downhill into it but as we started going up someone hit their brakes, I assume they peddaled too hard into the hill

the guy behind them ended up hitting the braking guys wheel(inexperience I guess) he went down and I had no where to go so I hit his bike and tried to roll out of it.

I felt like if I went left or right I'd take out more people and could not react in time to even attempt hopping his his bike

Soloist Assassin

Gotcha, what country are you in? I guess I made the mistake of assuming you were from the US.