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shoulder separation injury

pipsqueakpipsqueak Posts: 72
edited July 2008 in Training, fitness and health
Hello, has anyone suffered from the title, - my collar bone has separated from the shoulder joint joint after a crash. The ligaments and tendons are ripped / stretched etc, resulting in the colllar bone sticking up. this "protrusion " is settling down though.

Im just wondering how long this will keep me off the bike for? and any tips on stretching etc. This occurred mid week just gone and ive just weened myself off painkillers.

Thanks for any advice.

Posts

  • genkigenki Posts: 305
    Have you seen a specialist about it, or had it x-rayed. As you probably know by now there are different grades of separation depending on how many and how badly the ligaments are torn or broken. If the collar bone is protuding it sounds like a grade III. I did the same thing last June, was off riding for a month (but also had a fractured elbow), and then was back on the bike taking it carefully at first. Most of the pain went away after a couple of months. When you can sleep on the injured side you'll know it's better.

    About 10% of Grade III's don't stabilise properly (for all III's the broken ligaments never mend and the protusion is permanent) and remain painful enough to need surgery. There are several ways the collar bone can be re-attached to the shoulder blade and it depends on what your local shoulder specialist prefers. I had a Surgilig strap inserted. I was off the bike for two very painful months after that (but had it done in the winter and continued to train on the turbo hands-free). Now it's much better, it certainly doesn't affect my cycling and I don't notice it much. The acid test will be if I fall off on that shoulder again, but the longer it lasts the stronger it should get as scar tissue builds up around the strap.

    Good luck.
  • lwilkslwilks Posts: 6
    I did this 12 years ago, you should seek medical advice. If you are in the "10% of Grade III's" as above you will suffer over a prolonged period.

    I had surgery 2 years ago and had my A/C joint removed as my protrusion was causing a loss of stability to my whole shoulder joint.

    Original injury had me off the bike for 3 months (I had a fractured shoulder blade and a crushed vertebra as well though) and for 3 moths when I had the A/C joint removed.

    My (non-medically trained) opinion is that early treatment gives the best long term outcome.

    Good luck.
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