Recovery after collision with fractured collarbone

Triathlon Forum
1

2 weeks ago january 16th, I was hit by a car, the car driving 60-70km/h, I was standing stil on a road bike… the car was taking the corner on the inside (wrong side of the road) en hit me with high speed.

I’m lucky to be here with only “minor” damage:
-broken collarbone, which needed surgery otherwise It wouldn’t heal) (metal plated on january 24th)
-completely broken cheekbone (metal plated on january 21th)
-air in the right pleural cavity with 2 little holes in the lung (which was recovered in one day
-several bruises

-I did serveral walks last day, longest was a 60min at normal speed.
-yesterday I started with my tacx, 20min ride, power zone 1 but a hearthrate that fits treshold… 25-30 beats too high (ok, it was indoor and hot)
I can use my injuried arm to hold 25% of the weight on the handle bars.
I have a compex to aid me in recovery or maintaining strength

  • after yesterday I only use light painkillers (paracetemol, 4 times a day 1000mg max)
    -food is back on track: high in proteines
    -muscle lost is almost none (If I look in the mirror)

-next monday my physiotherapist is checking my legs en back.

the plan is ((after some research)

wk1 rest
wk2 rest/walk
wk3 (next week), start cyling on tacx
wk4
wk5 : add running carefully with use of slung to stabilize the arm
wk6: try cycling on the road, carefully, only if I can use my arm normally on the tacx that week
wk7 back in the pool: leg drills, single arm drills on the good arm, and some very light movement on te injuried arm
wk8, getting the injuried arm back in use on the swim

Any tips or experience on this?

I’m 30 years old ,very well trained (weekly: 1-2 hours of strength, 2-4 hours of swimming, 3-6 hours of cycling, 3-5 hours of running) and doing sprint, short and mid distance races,hopefully I start my season on april 13th with a Powerman (15k run, 60kbike, 7,5k run)

2

You will be fine. I broke my collar bone severely. Was almost sticking out of my neck. Surgery as well with plate. I was on the trainer 3 days later. You have a few more injuries but your young. Be smart, be safe, and it will all work out for you. Just be patient.

3

Thanks!

Did a 1 houre tacx session today (friday/saturday both 20 minutes, sunday 40 minutes), big improvementt, no pain in the shoulder… but…

How long does it take to get the hearthrate back to normal?

At 200 watts (lower Zone1) I normally did 140bpm… now i do 164-167bpm, almost at treshold (171bpm), legs are fine, it feels lisk 200watts, and I;m not short on breat… only a high hearthrate…

Had surgery on january 21 (cheekbone/jaw) and 24th (collarbone), both on full anaesthetic, with antibiotics during the surgery, stopped with morfine on 25th.

4

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=3850961;
.

5

Thanks! a lot to read! :smiley:

Next thursday I have an appointment with the local doctor, to check out my lungs (right lung was slightly perforrated in the crash, but was looking ok at the xrays a couple of days later) and to find an explanation of the hearthrate. Next monday I have the regular 2,5week checkup with both surgeons…

6

Do you have any concussion, did the doctor check the symptoms for post concussion syndrome?

7

I broke mine (in three parts) that day after Christmas at a CX race. Had surgery on 12/31, plate installed.

Back on the trainer within 1 week. Within 3 weeks was doing long runs.

I can probably ride on the road now, but haven’t received the go ahead from my doc yet.

Swimming is most certainly out of the question right now. I cannot place much pressure on my clavicle/shoulder and mobility is still an issue.

Hopefully within a few more weeks I can hit the pool.

Good luck with your recovery!

8

My experience. Broke five ribs and clavicle in two places August 24th, had surgery on September 2nd. Started riding trainer post op day two and began running on elliptical trainer after four weeks post op. surgeon gave me ok to attempt to swim and run and ride outside after 6 weeks. Two week build and taper and I completed ironman Florida on November 2nd in 10:28. Two months after surgery I was not anywhere near 100% but I simply wanted to finish it so I’d be closer to having my 12 races and three years of finishes in order to punch my ticket for Kona.
I think your plan seems reasonable if and only if you recover and have beginnings of bone union as per radio graphic evidence and your surgeon gives you the ok to start using your upper body without risking a nonunion. You really, really don’t want to risk that.
I was 47 yo and my usually conservative ortho friend amazingly gave me permission to attempt to train and race. If he had said no way, I was mentally prepared to abandon my quest. Wouldn’t have liked it but would have complied so as to avoid risking my future in the sport.
Hoping for the best. You were super unlucky to be hit on side of road stationary. Yikes. Good luck!
Jeff

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Do you have any concussion, did the doctor check the symptoms for post concussion syndrome?

I’ve got the full package… I didn.t pass out during or after the crash, the moved me fixed to a backboard (?), into the ambulance, straight to the IC.
on the IC they did manual checks, both CT scans and X-rays of the neck, and back…
On the CT scan of the neck…they saw signs of the fracture on my cheek, so additional CT scans and a brainscan…

was able to walk several hours post crash without balance issues, no headpain, no vision problems or memory problems.

10

My experience. Broke five ribs and clavicle in two places August 24th, had surgery on September 2nd. Started riding trainer post op day two and began running on elliptical trainer after four weeks post op. surgeon gave me ok to attempt to swim and run and ride outside after 6 weeks. Two week build and taper and I completed ironman Florida on November 2nd in 10:28. Two months after surgery I was not anywhere near 100% but I simply wanted to finish it so I’d be closer to having my 12 races and three years of finishes in order to punch my ticket for Kona.
I think your plan seems reasonable if and only if you recover and have beginnings of bone union as per radio graphic evidence and your surgeon gives you the ok to start using your upper body without risking a nonunion. You really, really don’t want to risk that.
I was 47 yo and my usually conservative ortho friend amazingly gave me permission to attempt to train and race. If he had said no way, I was mentally prepared to abandon my quest. Wouldn’t have liked it but would have complied so as to avoid risking my future in the sport.
Hoping for the best. You were super unlucky to be hit on side of road stationary. Yikes. Good luck!
Jeff

I listen to my body ( no pain killers), my physiotherapist who knows me very well and my surgeon.

Next monday I have a chat with both surgeons (the one of the cheekbone, and the one of my collarbone)

for the collarbone surgeon (a trauma surgeon) I have a lot of essentiel questions
-new xray of the right collar bone of course (hopefully it’s on the right track)
-xray of the righ elbow (there is bone growing on top, and can’t touch the bone, very painfull… so something is slightly wrong there)
-xray of the right lung (to check if it’s fine now)
-is there damage on other structures around the collarbone (the pain I have is not in the bone, but in the deltoideus muscle)

And a very important question…when I can start running again :wink: I miss that the most, (also indications when I can start lifting heavy weights etc). I want to get back on track soon, but not without risking damage to the shoulder…)

And yes…I always though that my next crash was a crash @ 30mph during training, not while standing still will a road bike on my way to work (almost there, only 20 yards to go)…next time, I also wear a helmet while cycling to work… (not that it had made any difference)

I saw the bike yesterday: handelbars are bent, both ergopowers destroid, carbon fork is destroyed, my seat is broken in 2 pieces…

11

I broke mine (in three parts) that day after Christmas at a CX race. Had surgery on 12/31, plate installed.

Back on the trainer within 1 week. Within 3 weeks was doing long runs.

I can probably ride on the road now, but haven’t received the go ahead from my doc yet.

Swimming is most certainly out of the question right now. I cannot place much pressure on my clavicle/shoulder and mobility is still an issue.

Hopefully within a few more weeks I can hit the pool.

Good luck with your recovery!

Lucky with the plate, I could use my arm the day after a bit, with les pain, now, 1,5 week post surgery I can extend my arm 90 decreas sideways an tot the front also 90 decrees (if the musscles are warmed up) Also have the full rotation in it…for the next step I have to wait on my first check next monday, If I get the go to start full revalidation.
Also can sit normally on a road bike, and use my arm on light things

Good luck to you too!

12

Sounds like you are on top of things. Hoping you heal quickly and no complications!

13

My doc was upset with me B/C I went back so soon. I had a plate…it was not going to just come apart on its own. Its not the riding that’s a problem, its the falling that you need to make sure DOES NOT HAPPEN!

I broke mine (in three parts) that day after Christmas at a CX race. Had surgery on 12/31, plate installed.

Back on the trainer within 1 week. Within 3 weeks was doing long runs.

I can probably ride on the road now, but haven’t received the go ahead from my doc yet.

Swimming is most certainly out of the question right now. I cannot place much pressure on my clavicle/shoulder and mobility is still an issue.

Hopefully within a few more weeks I can hit the pool.

Good luck with your recovery!

14

Oh and one more thing…having a PT is great but most improvements will be from your efforts. Lots of range of motion ( ROM) will be on you. This will be very important to your swim. obviously full ROM of the shoulders will mean no effect to your swimming ability

15

Your lucky not to have at least a mild brain trauma being hit that hard. Wish I could say the same.

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Yes, I’m very lucky having no serieus damage or headtrauma’s…especially because I landed hard on the concrete with my head…

The ROM excersises I’m allready doing the day after surgery. with good results, I’m not allowed to get my arm above the shoulder…that have to wait until after the new xrays.

17

8 new xrays today, but nobody looked at it yet (lungs, good collarbone and the upper ribs)

the bad news is…the doctor who wanted those xrays listened to my lungs… right one is still not working normal, so possible I have to check it out next monday, that could explain the increased heartrate…the heart needs to work harder to transport enough oxygen to the muscles.