Getting back after an injury...

if you want to do it then you will, I've had a bad injury but I now ride more than ever since that

I've only broken my collar bone once - when i fell off a road bike.
I have been riding an MTB for the last 8 years with the need to visit the local A&E.
(I've had some bumps and bruises, but only because I was trying something new, or wasn't concentrating)

I feel safer on the trails. At least you have a choice about how fast you want to go and how you want to approach something that is a little more technical.

You have no control over traffic on a road. And you can't avoid every obstacle either.

Just go back and take it easy. I'm currently nursing a painful cracked rib after a crash about two weeks ago and I can't wait to get back on. I've sneaked in a couple of short, gentle but painful rides already, much to the dismay of my other half. I don't think it's going to slow me down at all, I'll just be more cautious on the particular move that put me off.

I smashed seven colours of crap out of myself many years ago - broken ribs, broken wrist, disc bulge cuts to my face, heavy bruising to knee and hip - I was laid up for a couple of months getting over all that and replacing my bike. I had been thoroughly enjoying a new hobby prior to the crash - had been riding for maybe 4 months and was definitely keen to get back on it.

I started small, towpaths and so on to see if my back could take it as much as anything, went to the local woods after a little while and found that riding was better for my back than sitting on the sofa, went to the Alps the same year. First trip.

I am not sure how old you are but I was 33 at the time and perhaps just about young enough to get over it easily enough although I was in no way fit (causing the disc bulge as I had no core worth speaking of). I know I ride with a fear of injury which doesnt so much manifest itself at speed it is more in the slow tech stuff that I start to imagine myself lying in twisted agony on a load of pointy rocks. I still ride them because that is part of the sport I love.

Getting a road bike sure isn't an option for me.

Strengthen the muscles around your shoulder, maybe think of a skills course if you want to build some confidence and go ride!

Speak to a medical professional and get their advice. When I injured my shoulder I followed the excerises to recovery religiously four times a day every day. I then checked I could start mountain / road biking again which I was advised was fine as long as I took it easy to begin with. Now I ride as normal but take it a little easier riding technical stuff when mountain biking.

No one on here knows anyone's medical history

Cheers yeah I think I started pushing it a bit to quick, I've been religious with the physio and got full motion back and no pain, bit of weakness still but not much, so figured I was good to go - I checked with the gp and he said fine so just carried on as normal, but I reckon didn't quite have the power to manhandle the bike and in retrospect I should have left it a while before tackling technical single track hence sliding out and coming off again. Think I'll take a step back and build back slower.