rode my bike and broke my collar bone. Advice

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Tobra

You might get a delayed union to heal with a bone stimulator too, but if you don't do a decent job of immobilizing it, it will not work

I have been doing a bunch of running around, driving and such since the pain has decrease about 50 % today. They say rest, do they really mean sit on my ass and not move the arm so it will heal?

[Tim Hancock]

Back in the day, I broke my right collar bone twice and my left once racing motocross. They snap like a pencil when the edge of the helmet contacts them when you hit the ground. After the first break, I always asked for surgery, but was always denied... Doc said as long as the broken ends of a collar bone are in the same room together they will heal. Missed some big races back in the day waiting 6+ weeks typically to heal. The stupid figure 8 braces pulled the outer section down and in so I have dogleg shaped collar bones that look ridiculous. I would have much rather have had them screwed/plated.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by intakexhaust

Jeff- Just noticed the thread. Sorry to hear and hope your recovery is swift.

(Just a quick note on group rides. More so than cars its the unknown of other riders that's most discerning. Some may look experienced and have the gear, but are not who you want to ride with.

We've had a 'popo' female who also competes in tri events occasionally join in. Pretty tough but can't keep on the wheel safely. She went down hard while following another and blamed him. I didn't see it but heard both sides of the story. The front rider was adamant about it and let her know.

Anyhow, she ended fairly busted up, fractured ribs and who knows what else. Was on the way to healing, a few later joined in on another ride with us. I watched her and could see her lack of smoothness, lots of side to side, mixed cadence - shifting. Scary to ride near her. I don't doubt her competitiveness, has a high end bike and wheels, but does need major discipline or coaching in cycling.

It could be an unfriendly wall built between two, but that rider who took you down needs to be told and aware of how it happened.)

Oh yeah, I see all the big dollar pro bikes on the beginner's group. They can't hold their line if their life depended on it. I stay away from those. 15-20 years ago, telling someone might work from the mouth of an experience riders. Now, I just suck it up and save my breath and just go around them and stay up front. It seems that the newer riders can do "no wrong". They can't be told, not even in a nice way. Most ***** back and refuse to accept it. I had a guy yell at me because I rode up inches next to him for about 100 yards and took his wheel he was drafting off of. He was pissed.

[herr_oberst]

^^ Thing that cracks me up is the fixie riders who want to draft off me. I don't mind pulling for a little while, but they often take umbrage when I slow down and force them to take a turn at the front - (and I'm talking about my commuter bike, 35 pounds at least, when I have all my work crap loaded up and stuff - and I'm old!)

Get offa my lawn!

Jeff, you should think about doing STP next summer!

[Joe Bob]

I now have a fixie, wimped out and flipped the gear over over......screw that, freewheel and delta brakes..... .

[look 171]

STP? Sexually transmitted p.......?

Talk about old? I worked through out last summer to get into shape to hang with this group of riders ( I was the wippersnapper for years). By the end of spring time, I felt pretty strong riding a couple or three times a week. The same hills I used to big ring up now required little effort. It was doable until the ride got some speed in it during the race season, the wippersnappers turned on the gas on these hills on the way back to the finish. That was when I realized the lack of power I was able to generate.

At least the fixers riders will take a turn when you slow up to force them up front. Our down here will continue to slow up. That's when I shift on the up hill and grind it out until they are out of gear or blow up. some of those guys are pretty good and will say something, most are just a bunch of punks. I have to hand it to some of them, there are some very strong fixie riders out there.

[rayng]

sucks to say, but i stopped riding because i nearly died twice riding in public streets. now the only time i ride is on exclusive bike trails. there's also a bunch of renegade fixie hipsters who ride without any regard for traffic laws, such as running red lights, stop signs and taking over entire lanes of traffic.

[look 171]

Not too many bike trails for me. Lots of nut cased yelling, screaming when you go by them or when getting around them I always got yelled at by on coming traffic for riding on that broken white line for about 3 second from the rider coming the other way 3 miles down the road.

[Noah930]

Here are the x-rays from the ER on Saturday.







Thanks guys

Hard to tell exactly from your pics. Maybe it's also because I'm logging on through my phone. But it looks like a middle third fracture with some displacement. Unless there was a break in the skin with bone sticking out, or unless the ends of the bone are tenting up the skin significantly, I think most orthopedist would lean towards non - op mgmt. but I don't fix these for a living, so stick with the advice of those that do. The ends will most likely mend together. You'll have a slight deformity/bump where they stick together, but for most people I don't think that's reason enough for surgery. There's a saying: there's no condition so bad that surgery can't make it worse.

And yeah, you're supposed to wear the splint all the time. And you're supposed to be taking it easy on that arm (not moving it around) so that the ends mend together and you don't wind up with a non -union or delayed union.

[look 171]

Thanks Doc. Well, since I have been feeling better sitting around for a couple of days suffering from cabin fever, I was thinking about going out for a drive in my lil' S2000 Sunday morning for a cup of coffee on the other side of town to blow off some steam now that my shoulder isn't as painful. After reading what you wrote, I suppose I will just stay home instead.

[Hayabusa]

It takes approximately 7 pounds of pressure to break a human clavicle. Crazy little things. They should have made them stronger since so many break so easily.

[winders]

Originally Posted by Hayabusa

It takes approximately 7 pounds of pressure to break a human clavicle. Crazy little things. They should have made them stronger since so many break so easily.

That's ridiculous!!! You can put 7 lbs of force on your clavicle with one hand while sitting in a chair.

Let me do some quick research.....

Look here:

Experimental and computational investigation of human clavicle resp... - PubMed - NCBI

The test to failure shows the average clavicle to break at an average maximum force of 1159+/-133 N. That would be 261 lbs +/- 30 lbs.

That makes much more sense.

[slodave]

Originally Posted by Hayabusa

It takes approximately 7 pounds of pressure to break a human clavicle. Crazy little things. They should have made them stronger since so many break so easily.

Trust me, that's not true....

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by look 171

Man, I wanted one of those Kenny Roberts specials.

I had several opportunities to buy one and failed to, doh!

Sit on your ass, no. Wear the brace and not use the arm, pretty much, sorry.

Imagine trying to weld something that the two pieces were not clamped together. It would take you longer to do, if you could manage it, and it would be a sloppy looking weld. You have your team of tiny 'welders' on the job right now, melting down the damaged bone, throwing down some quickset bone, then will remodel it best they can to make it right for you. Help them to help you.

BTW, if you smoke, quit right now or that beeyatch will not heal

[dlockhart]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Wear the brace and not use the arm, pretty much, sorry.



l

Which is why I am in the bolt the darn thing together and get back up to speed ASAP camp.

[jtkkz]

one of our MTB team riders broke his collar bone last year at a mtb race, he wore a sling for 3 months. He hiked and ran since he could not ride

my wife broke hers too last year while mountain biking, same wore a sling did some hiking