My Broken Collar Bone - update 4
So week 6 of the OS ends with a bang for me. I was out on group ride with about 30 peeps from my Tri Club, did I mention this is my first week as president, and inexplicably I crashed myself.
We made a simple left turn onto a big street (two lanes in each direction with a wide median). I was in front and looked up to the see the city limit sign right in front of me. I had a couple strong guys on each side of me and thought "let me see if i can surprise them by jumping on the gas and stealing the sprint points". These are points purely in my mind. To my knowledge, nobody but me knows we are racing.
I jump out of the saddle to nail it at the same instant I go from having my hands on the bars near the stem to grabbing for the hoods. Timing was terrible. Suddenly, i am jumping out of the saddle while at the same time not holding on to the bars. The front wheel jumps to the right just as my right hand dives for and misses the right hood.
I go sailing over the bars leading with my left shouler and head. Shoulder hits first and I hear "CRUNCH". Then helmet goes "WACK". First thought, while sliding on asphalt, was "thank god for this helmet". Which is now crack open and road rashed on the whole left side. The bike lands on top of me and I come to a stop on my left side in a heap. I roll on to my back and I know in and instant that my collar bone is broken. I can feel the broken ends moving.
At that same instant, I KNOW that I am a complete goober. I crashed myself! Thank god the peloton scatters and no one else is involved. Had that happened, i would have been devestated. As it was, I was only mortified. Embarrassed. Broken. And, bummed. The second thought is what the f@ck will this mean to my out season.
Third thought, and this is all happenng at lightspeed, is that I must be be a really shitty bike handler. I can make decent power, but i have poor skills. How else can you explain my 2012? This year was one crash breaking a carbon Colnago frame, and second crash laying down my P3 while racing Triathlon in the rain and now this. I can't drive...
Here is the story in pictures. Lucky for me my TriClub is full of shutter bugs....
Wonder what to do next while trying not to puke. Adrenaline rush, I guess.
Back of the ambulance. You can just see the top tube of the bike.
Morphine is awesome. The didn't need any. Only evidence is a tiny little scratch on the left brake lever and some scuffed bar tape.
And, the damage...
So now what? I see the ortho tomorrow and am trying really hard to avoid surgery. My old man is a 30 year ER doc and says just sling it for a few weeks and I should be good. I should know more medically tomorrow, but am looking for any insights from the vets. I am starting to learn that broken collar bones are like a rite of passage in cycling.
Any advice on pain management, recovery, what to expect with regard to training? My "A" is IMCDA in June, but I also have IM Cal 70.3 (late March) and Wildflower (early May) coming up.
Goober, out!
Comments
Hope you heal fast.
As far as what to expect, I have no idea.
Of all my friends the last 3 years who fractured a collar bone- 5. ALL ended up having it repaired after the ER doc /ortho trauma doc said it was not necessary. You are a very active man. You want that sucker healed and stable.
Sorry it happened. Prayers for healing.
Oh geez, so sorry to hear about that dude!! Glad to see you're okay though. I'm soooo paranoid about crashing one day and breaking that. Unfortunate that it's become a rite of passage...
I think it takes at least 4 weeks until you can start doing stuff again, or at least that's what I've heard? That might cut short your OS, but seeing that it's nearing the holidays, training is going to get messy anyway. Bummer to hear that you might be out of doing Oceanside 70.3 though, I was looking forward to seeing you there for my first HIM.
Keep us posted on how you're doing. Also, funny how our tri club has a habit of busting out the camera phones everytime someone gets put on a stretcher...
I think going forward you will probably need to get into the mind set that IMCDA is your number 1 priority and IM California is only gonna happen if it can fit your new schedule. If your recovery goes well and racing Cali will help you with CDA, then do it but otherwise be prepared to let it go. But it doesn't mean that's a certainty and you can not have a good race there, ask Michel Le Duff who broke his collarbone 3 months I think before Vineman and ended up with a big PR after choosing for surgery.
And yeah it is starting to look like you have a talent for crashing without anyone else being involved. Be careful, people might start confusing you for Haroon or Hank. ;-)
Maybe next season get some rollers and try some crit racing, those will improve your bike handling skills pretty quickly.
I hope you heal up quick.
Bill had some extra complications, I think his healing time doubled when the titanium plate broke (can't exactly remember if that occured by itself or due to a second crash).
Dino - i am so sorry to hear about your crash! I have no experience with this so cant offer any help, but I just wanted you my best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Bummer. Really sorry to hear this. My wife crashed on her bike a few years ago and broke her collar bone also. She didn't have surgery and it never healed. Has what the doctor calls a "non union". It doesn't bother her too much, she still rides and plays soccer and tennis. I'm a bit worried about it when we start skiing. I'm hoping she doesn't end up testing it out.
From what I understand, there's very low blood flow near that bone and it can be tough to have it heal. If you don't have the surgery, you'll really need to ensure that you don't move it around or it probably won't heal.
Speedy recovery!
Agree with Carrie 100%. I broke mine and 2 ribs in a crit in April of this year. Was not offered surgery and would say I wasn't "back" till Labor Day. I still had a gap in the bone I could feel with my finger at that point, but they said it was stable and wouldn't move unless I crashed again.
4 guys I race with broke clavicles this year (including myself). 2 had surgery and 2 didn't. Guys who got surgery had less pain postoperative and were back racing in about 6-8 weeks. If they offer it take it.
Tips:
-I tried to stay off the Oxy, accept at night to help me sleep.
-lots of knots, pain and cramping in my upper back and neck. Accupuncture worked wonders. Naproxin at prescription strength during the day.
-wear the sling or figure 8 whenever you aren't sleeping. The more you can rest and not use your arm in the first 4 weeks the better. I didn't do myself any favors (on the spin bike 5 days post crash) and I'm sure that contributed to my longer healing time.
As soon as you're eligible for PT take it and stick with it.
I've got a bone growth stimulator you can use if you want it. Not sure if it really helps, but it cant't hurt. Private message me if you want it.
Joe
Each person's prognosis and recovery is different. Hang in there and try not to push it too much. Once you can go in the water, do a lot of water running in the deep end.
Jeez....bummer. So sorry. Hope you heal up fast. I'm sure you will get your own medical advice, but that fracture is not displaced much and should heal without surgery as long as you are careful about not moving your arm too much. My advice is as long as you dont depend on sport for your livelihood, be patient, heal up, and you'll be back at it in a few weeks.
So sorry to hear about the accident, Dino.
This is one domain where I, thankfully, know nothing - but it looks like there are many who can offer advice.
I can offer best wishes for a speedy recovery; keep us posted on your progress.
Dino,
Sorry to hear about the crash and heal fast. I'm funny how those thoughts go through your hear in an instant.
Gordon
Dino,
Aw Man. Suck. Sorry about the crash and break. I've got no advice on the surgery option, but just wanted to wish you a rapid recovery!
Bummer man. You'll be back bigger, faster, stronger... And glad to know your spirits are in the right spot.
Would I be a bad person if I said that I was glad to hear your beautiful bike is okay
I ate it the other week too, I crashed because I was admiring a vintage Porsche and didn't pay attention to the massive center-line crack in the concrete. But alas, my only injury was to my pride and my jersey (along with the requisite road rash and some bruises).
Bummer man, heal up.
Read this in its entirety:
http://members.endurancenation.us/T...fault.aspx
This is the story of 2012 for me. Short version, bike crash, collar bone in five pieces. One ortho told me not to get surgery. Next doc put in a pin. Pin broke. Second surgery for plate/screws. Just got the 100% "all clear" last week.
Given all the drama and angst, I still say surgery. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Plate/screws (NO pins).
May I say, you looked fairly with-it sitting on the curb there shortly after a big painful crash. I couldn't tell at first who the gurney was waiting for!!! The morphine picture, though -- that's priceless.
My opinion, and it is worth what you paid for it, is surgery and rehab. A stich in time saves nine, as it were. Get it healed up right, do the PT, don't look back. I'm no doctor, but I do have lingering issues with a shoulder injury I never took care of properly. Wouldda, couldda, shouldda....
Good luck on the recovery. Tough way to enter the holiday season.
For an active person, my read is that the medical evidence is leaning toward surgery.