#1
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Broken Collar Bone
I don't know why, but I never anticipated injuring myself so severely.
Last Friday I was riding too aggressively, hammering away when I pegged the inside pedal on a tight curve (I was pedaling - du-uh) and crashed hard. I broke my left collar bone (broke the last inch or so right off.) And wouldn't you know, just a few days earlier I had purchased my plane ticket to Frankfurt (depart July 5 - return July 27). Now I don't know if I'll be able to make that trip. They way I feel today (5 days later), arm in a sling and still feeling very very very tender and sensitive, it seems unlikely. I've heard it could take anything from 4 weeks to 4 months to heal. And even if I do heal enough to ride (July 5 is still 5 ˝ weeks a way), I don't know if I would be ready to sleep on the ground in my tent. The Emergency Room doc said 4 - 6 weeks. Some online searches have indicated it could be months. The doctor said that there was nothing that should be done for the break (other than immobilize my arm in a sling). The collar bone is the most "mendable" bone in the body, and the two pieces of bone will find their way back together and mend on their own. It seems odd, but all research I've done indicated that is so. Does anyone here have any advice or experience to relate? Should I hold out hope for a cycling camping trip in July? (My Lufthansa ticket *is* restricted, but they said I can get a full refund with a medical certificate.) Any therapy I should consider? Amazing how much can change in a fraction of a second. Wish I had a do-over. (I am seeing an orthopedic doctor on Friday, so hopefully he can tell me more.) -- ***************************** Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO http://www.CycleTourist.com Integrity is obvious. The lack of it is common. ***************************** |
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#2
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Broken Collar Bone
Amazing how much can change in a fraction of a second. Wish I had a do-over.
So sorry to heear of your accident. I do hope all goes well and you can make your trip! Never broken anything except my big toe, so my experience is of little help. Good luck and best wishes. http://members.aol.com/foxcondorsrvtns (Colorado rental condo) http://members.aol.com/dnvrfox (Family Web Page) |
#3
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Broken Collar Bone
Sorry I don't have any advice. I've never had a broken bone.
My youngest daughter did break a collar bone when she was a teenager and I don't remember it keeping her from too many activities. Hopefully you'll have the same experience. Hope it heals soon and you can do the trip. Beverly "Chuck Anderson" wrote in message news:%D8tc.116868$536.21977098@attbi_s03... I don't know why, but I never anticipated injuring myself so severely. Last Friday I was riding too aggressively, hammering away when I pegged the inside pedal on a tight curve (I was pedaling - du-uh) and crashed hard. I broke my left collar bone (broke the last inch or so right off.) And wouldn't you know, just a few days earlier I had purchased my plane ticket to Frankfurt (depart July 5 - return July 27). Now I don't know if I'll be able to make that trip. They way I feel today (5 days later), arm in a sling and still feeling very very very tender and sensitive, it seems unlikely. I've heard it could take anything from 4 weeks to 4 months to heal. And even if I do heal enough to ride (July 5 is still 5 ˝ weeks a way), I don't know if I would be ready to sleep on the ground in my tent. The Emergency Room doc said 4 - 6 weeks. Some online searches have indicated it could be months. The doctor said that there was nothing that should be done for the break (other than immobilize my arm in a sling). The collar bone is the most "mendable" bone in the body, and the two pieces of bone will find their way back together and mend on their own. It seems odd, but all research I've done indicated that is so. Does anyone here have any advice or experience to relate? Should I hold out hope for a cycling camping trip in July? (My Lufthansa ticket *is* restricted, but they said I can get a full refund with a medical certificate.) Any therapy I should consider? Amazing how much can change in a fraction of a second. Wish I had a do-over. (I am seeing an orthopedic doctor on Friday, so hopefully he can tell me more.) -- ***************************** Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO http://www.CycleTourist.com Integrity is obvious. The lack of it is common. ***************************** |
#4
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Broken Collar Bone
2.5 years and my collar bone is healed about 50%. For most of that time, it
had only healed 20%. My non-union is fairly rare, but it was the last 1" of bone, just like yours. From what I understand, collar bone non-unions are less rare when you get out near the end like that. I had to use two different electro-stimulation units to help bone growth. ' hope your recovery goes better than mine. -Bob |
#5
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Broken Collar Bone
On Wed, 26 May 2004, Chuck Anderson wrote:
I don't know why, but I never anticipated injuring myself so severely. Last Friday I was riding too aggressively, hammering away when I pegged the inside pedal on a tight curve (I was pedaling - du-uh) and crashed hard. I broke my left collar bone (broke the last inch or so right off.) And wouldn't you know, just a few days earlier I had purchased my plane ticket to Frankfurt (depart July 5 - return July 27). Now I don't know if I'll be able to make that trip. They way I feel today (5 days later), arm in a sling and still feeling very very very tender and sensitive, it seems unlikely. I've heard it could take anything from 4 weeks to 4 months to heal. And even if I do heal enough to ride (July 5 is still 5 =BD weeks a way), I don't know if I would be ready to sleep on the ground in my tent. The Emergency Room doc said 4 - 6 weeks. Some online searches have indicated it could be months. The doctor said that there was nothing that should be done for the break (other than immobilize my arm in a sling). The collar bone is the most "mendable" bone in the body, and the two pieces of bone will find their way back together and mend on their own. It seems odd, but all research I've done indicated that is so. You should have a figure 8 brace that pulls your shoulders back, With out that, the collarbone will heal short and your shoulder will be pulled forward. Does anyone here have any advice or experience to relate? Should I hold out hope for a cycling camping trip in July? (My Lufthansa ticket *is* restricted, but they said I can get a full refund with a medical certificate.) Any therapy I should consider? Go ahead and do your tour! I broke my left collarbone - in two places about 2" apart - eight year ago next week - on Memorial Day - on the first day of my first cross country ride. I was in Oregon, and planned to ride back to North Carolina. The Dr said wear this figure eight brace and in three or four months you'll be fine. I said 'What a way to waste a summer!" I broke my collarbone on Monday. On Wednesday I rigged my bike so I could shift the front derailleur with my right hand - thumb shifter - and use the front brake with my right hand. I also took off my aerobars - no way I could use them!- and raised the handlebars level with the seat. It was painful working on my bike, but I managed. On Friday I continued my trip across the country. There were several painful moments on the ride, but I think I probably hurt much less than I would have if I abandoned my trip. I camped several times in the first few weeks. I was a challenge putting up my tent, but sleeping was OK. I had to sleep on my back all summer and for several months into the fall. Other than that, I was able to use my left arm fairly normally after I finished my tour grin. See http://www.cs.unca.edu/~boyd/touring.../crossusa.html for the ride report. =09Mark http://www.cs.unca.edu/~boyd/bicycling.html PS Tomorrow I fly to Portland and Saturday through Monday I'll be visiting the folks who helped me when I broke my collarbone. This will be the fourth time I've been in Dallas Oregon by bicycle. Well, the first time I arrived in an ambulance, but I left, four days later, on my bicycle. |
#6
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Broken Collar Bone
Chuck Anderson wrote in
news:%D8tc.116868$536.21977098@attbi_s03: Does anyone here have any advice or experience to relate? Should I hold out hope for a cycling camping trip in July? (My Lufthansa ticket *is* restricted, but they said I can get a full refund with a medical certificate.) Any therapy I should consider? I found that I could ride gingerly after about 4 weeks and progress was swift from there on....you have roughly 5 1/2, tough decision. |
#7
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Broken Collar Bone
On Wed, 26 May 2004 22:13:16 GMT, Chuck Anderson wrote:
I don't know why, but I never anticipated injuring myself so severely. Last Friday I was riding too aggressively, hammering away when I pegged the inside pedal on a tight curve (I was pedaling - du-uh) and crashed hard. I broke my left collar bone (broke the last inch or so right off.) And wouldn't you know, just a few days earlier I had purchased my plane ticket to Frankfurt (depart July 5 - return July 27). Now I don't know if I'll be able to make that trip. They way I feel today (5 days later), arm in a sling and still feeling very very very tender and sensitive, it seems unlikely. I've heard it could take anything from 4 weeks to 4 months to heal. And even if I do heal enough to ride (July 5 is still 5 ˝ weeks a way), I don't know if I would be ready to sleep on the ground in my tent. The Emergency Room doc said 4 - 6 weeks. Some online searches have indicated it could be months. The doctor said that there was nothing that should be done for the break (other than immobilize my arm in a sling). The collar bone is the most "mendable" bone in the body, and the two pieces of bone will find their way back together and mend on their own. It seems odd, but all research I've done indicated that is so. Does anyone here have any advice or experience to relate? Should I hold out hope for a cycling camping trip in July? (My Lufthansa ticket *is* restricted, but they said I can get a full refund with a medical certificate.) Any therapy I should consider? Amazing how much can change in a fraction of a second. Wish I had a do-over. (I am seeing an orthopedic doctor on Friday, so hopefully he can tell me more.) Sorry to hear about my accident. My wife came off her bike and broke her left collarbone last August, probably even closer to the end than you. She had surgery to put a plate into it. (Search on google for clavicle hook plate.) She was running (slowly) within 7 days and we went on holiday after 3 weeks. We were cycling on steep alpine roads and tracks and she was fine apart from a slight miscomfort after long descents. She's a bit younger than you and the surgery may not be an option for you but it does suggest that the injury need not stop your holiday. The orthopaedic specialist will undoubtedly be able to consider all your options. -- Michael MacClancy Random putdown - "He had delusions of adequacy." - Walter Kerr www.macclancy.demon.co.uk www.macclancy.co.uk |
#8
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Broken Collar Bone
I have broken two of them, one on each side. The first healed rather
quickly, 6 weeks, the other took forever, 6 mos. Once the soft tissue damage heals, within a week, you should feel much more comfortable. As sugggested, get a figure 8 strap, the sooner the better. You will feel much more comfortable. As far as riding, the doctor warned me against it saying if I crash I could make matters much worse. However, he did say that riding itself would do nothing. Good luck Jim Chuck Anderson wrote in message news:%D8tc.116868$536.21977098@attbi_s03... I don't know why, but I never anticipated injuring myself so severely. Last Friday I was riding too aggressively, hammering away when I pegged the inside pedal on a tight curve (I was pedaling - du-uh) and crashed hard. I broke my left collar bone (broke the last inch or so right off.) And wouldn't you know, just a few days earlier I had purchased my plane ticket to Frankfurt (depart July 5 - return July 27). Now I don't know if I'll be able to make that trip. They way I feel today (5 days later), arm in a sling and still feeling very very very tender and sensitive, it seems unlikely. I've heard it could take anything from 4 weeks to 4 months to heal. And even if I do heal enough to ride (July 5 is still 5 ˝ weeks a way), I don't know if I would be ready to sleep on the ground in my tent. The Emergency Room doc said 4 - 6 weeks. Some online searches have indicated it could be months. The doctor said that there was nothing that should be done for the break (other than immobilize my arm in a sling). The collar bone is the most "mendable" bone in the body, and the two pieces of bone will find their way back together and mend on their own. It seems odd, but all research I've done indicated that is so. Does anyone here have any advice or experience to relate? Should I hold out hope for a cycling camping trip in July? (My Lufthansa ticket *is* restricted, but they said I can get a full refund with a medical certificate.) Any therapy I should consider? Amazing how much can change in a fraction of a second. Wish I had a do-over. (I am seeing an orthopedic doctor on Friday, so hopefully he can tell me more.) |
#9
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Broken Collar Bone
Watching someone take a body slam in a movie or TV show makes me cringe inside out - - - owwwwww! I know what you mean. I sprained an ACL a couple of years ago skiing and now it's fine - except that it hurts when I'm watching a football game and someone twists their knee.... Anyway, can't give you specific advice for the collerbone, but I found for my knee that it helped to have a good sports-medicine orthopedist (mine had previous experience with professional baseball and football teams). If you need physical therapy, find a PT that is into sports-medicine. Hope you heal fast and can get back on the bike soon. Janet |
#10
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Broken Collar Bone
Chuck,
Ask your doc if calcium supplements will help. Probably couldn't hurt. From what I've read, there is NO benefit from calcium supplements being made from oyster shell, egg shell or even emotional shell. Tom Dillon Lakewood, CO Z to S for email. |
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