Dude, don't seel yourself short. You can take it. It's not like you can opt out of the pain. The pain will reduce over time, but in all honesty, ribs, be thinking 10-12 weeks

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

Amen on the bed part. I had a similar crash as the OP (broken collarbone, seven ribs, broken scapula). The shit of the deal was it was impossible to lie comfortably in any position for at least four weeks after the accident. Getting up and down was absolutely excruciating. I had to engage my core to sort of form a plank, have my wife grab my hand and pull me up w/ as little ab flex as possible. Otherwise it felt like I was being run through with a spear. Finally I just adjusted to the recliner so I slept in that for a total of nine weeks. It was just less painful than trying to find a comfortable position to sleep.

Good luck with the recovery. It's a very nasty set of injuries.

Yup, us active people tend to find injuries.

Me? I broke bone number 38 this past weekend. It was my first non-sporting injury in years. I slipped on a wet wooden step in my backyard and ended up breaking my right index finger. The doc wanted to splint it to the next finger but I declined because I couldn't wear cycle gloves or brake or shift gears on my daily cycle commute to work :-)

My cycling broken bones include skull, pelvis, wrist and ribs. My skiing broken bones include feet, neck, back (twice), thumb, patella, clavicle and my will to live.

I don't recall going more than about 4 years without breaking something. People say I'm accident prone but I prefer to think of it as activity prone :-)

Bones heal. Soft tissue injuries never heal 100% however.

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

 38, thats more then I have broken, 16 years road racing motorcycles take a toll on the body. My last bad crash I broke at least 10 ribs (Dr. could not determine the exact number), collar bone, and bruised my lung, not to mention a severe concussion. I was 45 years young at the time and it took forever to recover from that accident. Like others have said the pain will slowly get better and in a few weeks you will be able to lie down in bed. I don't think I was fully recovered for over a year, of course being 45 did not make matters any easier. To get back where you were before the accident will take time, but there is no reason you cannot come back stronger then ever, if nothing else it will make you mentally stronger. Good luck.

Not sure about concussions, but I've been knocked unconscious 12 times so far. Last time was about 5 years ago thanks to the front 1/4 panel of a car that pulled out in front of me.

I used to wake up on ski hills fairly regularly.

I'm pretty sure I used to be smarter than this. :-(

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

Yeah, thankfully I never lost consciousness and basically remember every single thing that happened. So no concussion thank goodness, or if it was it was very milf

Milf ? ;-)

Freudian Slip if ever I saw one. Nice one dude! I wonder what you google search most often?

Mild maybe? Should we take this to the Lavender Room maybe?

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

I have done the clavicle but not the ribs. Came home with a couple different levels of oxy-derivatives, had the same digestive symptoms you reference and went to advil asap. I did have surgery for the clavicle which was the biggest and most immediate pain reduction.

Geez... now don't you feel stupid for not accepting my invitation to ride instead of racing? Just kidding! I hope you heal up quickly. Hang in there, you'll get through it.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Chris, sorry for the troubles you are dealing with! Hope you heal fast! Which race was this?

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

Breath of Life (punctured a lung at a race called Breath of Life, ironic)

Had my ortho appt yesterday, first question was "why didn't the hospital fix that??" "Fix what?" Turns out there was a sizeable displacement that the ortho thinks needs to be plated, the hospital said not necessary. I am going with the ortho as ita one if the leaging sports centers va a cpint teaching hospital.. How is the surgery, recovery time, pain, rehab, etc.? World was turned a bit upside down as I was totally expecting to hear just let it heal and 6-8 weeks you're good to go. Now its "season over" in July

Eta pls excuse the 3 am drugged typing lol

LOL, yeah I knda do. Hope you had a good ride

Mine was plated , got the green light to get back in the pool six weeks after surgery to start light drills. The surgery itself wasn't bad, my PT started right away with simple range of motion exercises (don't neglect them!). What ultimately worked best for me as far as PT was a combination of swimming and yoga; my crash happened at the end of my season so I was able to resume racing without issues the following spring.

Good luck!

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

I had mine "plated" - 2 or 3 weeks after I left the hospital.
The surgery itself doesn't take long.
Going in, the plate is no picnic, let me tell you. If they offer the nerve block, take it.
The first 2-3 nights will be the worst. Sleep in a recliner if you can.
By the end of the week you could try your bed, but you won't be able to roll onto that side.
As the weeks roll by, it'll become less intrusive and less painful. You won't be able to lift your arm above your head, so don't try.
By the time it's ready to come out, you'll be happy !
The surgery to take it out is fast and easy. Mostly pain free too.
2 weeks after that surgery, start PT.
You may have residual nerve pain around the area of the incision, but it won't be bad at all.
It's the first few days that are the worst.
You will be good to go 3 months from now. Late season 1/2 Mary ?

everybody's different. Broke mine first week of last Oct ('14). Told somebody the other day - it (and the broken ribs) were the most painful of all the broken bones I've had; and, I've had plenty (raced motocross for 7 years). But, then I raised my arm and almost forgot which side I broke. I feel that good. Swimming better than ever.

In fact, on Thanksgiving (6 weeks post crash), I hauled a bull elk 2 miles (on a sled, ~500lbs, in two trips) out of the mountains. Not the smartest thing I've done, but, it was OK.

The first three weeks I was thinking, like you. "I can't take it any longer."

Feel better and heal well.

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I saw this on a white board in a window box at my daughters middle school...
List of what life owes you:
1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

Thanks, I've been sleeping in the recliner for a week already (wife
rented it so it was here when I got home from the hospital ) The pain has been pretty bad, whats two or three more days LOL....

WerenT you also the one that crashed on thinners too? This was my first crash on them. All was fine and i even hit my head prettty good but as you know adds a level of complication.

Thanks aouch for the info. I have an October oly that I'll just volunteer for. Oceanside '16 Is the next triathlon. But you mention a 1/2, running is my weakness (not too worried about swimming it'll come back) but a December half might be a doable goal. Thanks for the idea

Chris

Chris - just saw this. Holy shit! Very sorry to hear. Hope you make a full recovery and come out motivated to rip it up at Oceanside next year!

7 weeks in my shoulder is really sore and stiff and has reduced mobility. PT helped some but I can still only raise the arm about 140 degrees assisted. Unassisted arm can barely lift its own weight. It only lifts 90 degrees. I got a hook plate on my clavicle so that could be why. Or I dinged the AC joint or tendons. Too early to tell.

Doing PT with 4 broken ribs SUCKS. Just as ribs calm down I aggravate them again.

Surgeon gave me okay to run heh so I ran 40 minutes yesterday. Don't tell him.

Too dangerous to ride. I'd be riding one handed. The bad side would just be lightly holding the handlebars. I can't even rely on the bad side while getting on and off the trainer. Had to figure out how to do that with one arm. Also when I do apply force to it it really hurts.

That is really tough, as I had that a few years ago 7 weeks before an IM. The best advice I got was to sleep in a recliner with pillows to support areas, as you will not be comfortable in a bed. Be patient....6 weeks at least. I know when I went to weightlifter months later I could still tell the spot. Time is your ally, and it will be good as new eventually.

Yes, I crashed while on blood thinners.
The lung puncture led to a chest tube in the hospital - zero fun.

My helmet probably saved my life.
During the ensuing cat scans they found a tumor in my brain.

I had a PE a few months before and they had me on warfarin.
I don't take thinners now. I do take a low dose aspirin every night.
My whole Tri season for 2014 was trashed.
All of races thus far have been deferred. Not from the PE or the crash, I had the brain tumor removed in December. That kinda held up my training a few months.
But I am scheduled to race this September !
In fact, I'd be doing a race this Sunday, but my wife needs the car by 10 am

Also on thinners and also had a small chest tube for a small pneumothorax. I asked the er doc if the tube had anything to do with thinners and he said no, that was standard, at least in my case.

I’m at day 19, collarbone, sternum, 7 ribs, punctured lung, bruised heart. 4 days in trauma ward, just denied by insurance, that hurt the most. Every breath hurts. Off the meds after a week , they don’t do anything, and I enjoy a pint and a poo instead.
Impossible to sleep, got a recliner coming, cost as much as a 105 Tri rig, so we’ll see how that goes. Surprised how quickly I came back 18 months ago, with a pelvic fracture/hip replacement.
Every time I do this to myself, I find starting at zero gives me a chance to nail the technique, and to clear the Netflix cue. Hell, these book things are awesome, too.
But, if you’re on this page, you’re fit. We endure. I no longer get depressed. I’d planned 20 sprints this year, I’ll save a buck for co pays. I would say the biggest hurdle is mental. The ability to re assess, and to have more in your life than job , and sport.
How did you recover?

Wow so
Sorry to hear your troubles

How did you break your ribs?


How did you break your pelvis?

How old are you?

Oh wow sorry to hear that. I broke some ribs and collapsed a lung last summer. Yours was way worse though! I did not have the broken collarbone or bruised heart. I rented my recliner from one of those shady rental places so at least I didn't have to buy one! Lying down was impossible. I got back into activity using the elliptical first, but I don't think that is what you are asking here! What really helped me was, I made a list of 10 things I could not do, and would cross those off one at a time when I could do them. Stupid things like lying down in a bed, walking down the steps one foot after the other, and walking far enough that I could cover a full mile. Once those things were crossed off I made a new list. It seemed to help mentally!