KerryIrons

6 years for a clavicle fracture? What the heck is going on?

katsup

You replied to a post from Dec 2017.

rsbob 

When single track mountain biking and doing about 15 down a steep hill and wanting a fast run up the other side, the right bar end hit upended tree roots of a large Douglas fir, which promptly slammed me to the ground landing on my right shoulder/back. After having the wind knocked out of me, I mustered the courage to see if I could wiggle my toes and fingers. My shoulder was severely bruised but fortunately nothing was broken. After 5 minutes, I collected myself enough to ride the two miles down to the trailhead.

Had treatment for 6 months but was back on the bike in 3. The accident really didn’t change my riding style or frequency. My attitude back then was, if I wasn’t bleeding or bruised at the end of a ride, I wasn’t pushing hard enough. Now that I almost exclusively road bike, I stay as far away from that mantra as possible.

ofajen

In 2021, I had a fall at low speed and banged up hip, knee, ankle and shoulder. Some seriously annoyed muscles in the hip area. My PT said I should start riding again after about two weeks but to start off gradually building back up effort.

I’d say that since then, a higher percentage of my rides don’t include navigating intersections and pedestrian crossings, which was where I made some small, unforced error and had that fall. I also ride the MTB more often than the road bike while before it was about an even mix.

Not really connected, but over a year ago I switched to minimal shoes and took up regular running workouts three times a week, so I’m cycling less than before.

Otto

rsbob 

Heretic! You will burn for forsaking sacred cycle,

cyccommute 

Just gotta say that 3 months off for a bruised shoulder is more than a bit conservative. I’ve been hit by a car and was back on the bike in 6 weeks. I’ve broken my ankle and had surgery to remove old hardware that caused the break and was back on the bike as soon as the cast was off. Hell, I crashed on ice and had a bruise that extended from my hip to my knee…still have a golf ball sized lump on my hip 15 years later…and I rode the 5 miles home and rode to work the next day. If I listed all the times I’ve crashed and the various injuries I’ve endured over the years, I’d run out of electrons!

rsbob 

Since I wasn’t road riding at all then, the impact of going off jumps and logs and boulders was more than I could handle. And I wasn’t going to poodle around on the green and blue trails, so instead I did a lot of hiking - typically 1,500 to 2,000’ and 6 to 12 miles. Yup, I am a proud woosy.

Homebrew01

I was hit by cars twice, luckily just a small scrape, so no interruption.
Another time I passed out on my own and crashed into a tree, breaking 9 ribs. Didn't ride for several months.

Sierra_rider

Not counting MTB'ing, my only real major cycling incident was a low-side @35mph in a turn on my road bike back in '16...I don't think it kept me off the bike for very long. I didn't break anything, hellacious road rash all over though, and I probably took a 1 week break until my scabs were healed enough to not be excruciatingly painful. I got really lucky in that one to only have bruises and road rash.

I've had some MTB crashes, but nothing that kept me off the bike. My "cycling superpower" is that I have a fairly well-developed musculoskeletal structure and have thus far avoided anything that would put me in a cast. The downside to that, is I'm deceptively heavy for my size and will never be a gifted climber.

ZHVelo

Broken collarbone. 2 weeks, or a bit less, to get back on the indoor trainer, but it was very easy going, couldn't use the right arm to support myself. Took a couple months before I did the first outdoor ride again. Took 4 months, or rather during the 5th I realized, for me to say the shoulder, and all the muscles and tendons, are back to normal.

andydallas

guy coming toward me lost control, i went off the pavement to miss him, hittng ditch and flying over handlebars, finished the ride and thoughtn I was ok. Left arm never felt normal, 9 months lsater I had rotator cuff surgery because of that crash, now off the bike for about 3. months but. shuld be back to normal for Spring

Windows95

I ran into a tree trying to avoid a tire that came flying off its car. It took me six weeks to get back on my bike after I let my arm heal

Kabuki12

After going over the handlebars six years ago , breaking my orbital bone , face in five places , plus my left hand , it took 12 weeks to get all the fragments of bone to grow back together. Recently , a non cycling related broken hip , took 10 weeks before I am back on my bike. If broken bones are involved , it can take a while.

Jughed

2 years ago, equipment failure... crashed my gravel bike about 6 miles from my truck.

Broken collar bone, broken shoulder, 3 broken ribs, concussion, gravel rash and a busted up knee.

Rode the 6 miles back to the truck, stopped a few times as I was going to vomit, but didn't.

Collar bone break was clean and in a spot that didn't stop me from using my arm, shoulder break was only on the cap, ribs were only slight breaks.

I was back on the bike in about 2 weeks.

My knee still gives me issues.

marko_1111

Sure I've had accidents and crashes and enough of both to discern between the two. Injuries? Absolutely. Bad ones.

I've also been back on the bike soonest to determine whether or not I can still ride, regardless the severity of the injury. It doesn't always mean I keep riding straight away. Quite the contrary.

My priority in the end is determining whether I'm mentally comfortable and physically able. I've seen too many people try to cover up for the physical or mental parts - shying away from proper form or speed or whatever - and that's when something far worse happens. Tentative and shy are bad. Purposeful and confident are good and anything else means go back to step one and reevaluate.

What I've carried forward from all that, what I've changed, is depth of awareness. I ride the same rides, but I guard against cascading sequences of events that have led to unfavorable outcomes.

DirePenguin

I was hit by a car in Nov. ‘21; concussion, broken shoulder, 5 broken ribs, 4 fractured vertebrae and a broken ankle. Eight days in the hospital followed by 10 in rehab, then about 4 months of PT.

I started riding indoors in the middle of Jan. ‘22. But, I didn’t get back outside until early Feb. ‘22.

Since getting hit, I’ve been avoiding doing road rides and I’ve been sticking to the trail system near my home. I do have to ride on some roads to get to the trailhead and I got a Garmin Varia radar taillight for added safety.

noimagination

I've had a few accidents, but only one has rendered me physically unable to ride a bike. I had a hairline fracture of my left thumb, and a left knee that wouldn't bend enough to pedal (it was just a contusion with a dozen stitches, so my range of motion returned in no time).

My bike was DOA and I only had one at the time, so I didn't ride until I got a new bike. I was off the bike for ... 5 months, I think. I was commuting by bike at the time, so I wanted a touring bike, and had to order it at an LBS. It was at the end of the year, and the current year models were sold out. I had to wait for the new model year the following spring. That was fine, since it was (almost) ski season anyway. As soon as I received delivery of my new bike, I was back in business.

LarrySellerz

Getting back on the bike isn’t the same as mentally recovering from a crash. There are professionals who have never gotten over a crash and tense up etc.

tomato coupe

Really? Who?

rsbob 

When professional cyclists experience crashes, it can have a significant impact on their mental and physical well-being. While there isn't a specific list of pro cyclists who have lost their nerve post-crash, it is a common phenomenon that can affect riders at any level. The fear and anxiety associated with crashes can lead to a loss of confidence and a reluctance to take risks

tomato coupe

Any cyclist that makes it to the pro level has experienced numerous crashes, and they wouldn't have made it to the pro level if they didn't know how to mentally deal with crashes.

duffer1960

Only half seriously because these happened around a half century ago when I was a kid
-Several skinned knees and elbows wiping out on sand on tight corners, as we raced around the light poles in the parking lot. Off until the sting subsided, a few days at most. Schwinn not damaged.
-Concussion when I was stopped cold doing stunts by a neighbor kid riding his bike into my path. Off for maybe a week. Schwinn not damaged.
-Severe poison ivy after crashing off a single track. A few days maybe. Schwinn not damaged.
-Bloody lip after crashing into the back of a stopped car. Happened 2x. Schwinns not damaged.
-Skinned knee and elbow crashing when the front wheel folded up as I took a corner. Crappy French no-name? '10 speed' ('Vainqueur' stick-on label) bought 2nd hand from a shady seller after my trusty Varsity was stolen.

Haven't crashed as a seasoned adult. yet. .... wait, I have, but not badly enough to put me out of commission