Have been riding fairly seriously since I was 13 with a few breaks for the usual, but I am currently typing this with my right arm in a sling after getting it wrong at Swinley on Sunday!
I'd done 2 hours plus of fast paced xc with a bit of freeride stuff thrown in and called in on the jump gulley again en route back to The Look Out. A friend and I were dropping in, half way along the left hand side, just before the middle jump when on my third run through, I went in far quicker than usual, took off at the wrong angle and too quickly and in trying to wrench the bike round in the air, came out of my right hand spd and landed high up the bank moments before piling shoulder first into the tree (which has always seemed such a long way away!). I came to a very immediate halt and after having a sit down for 5 minutes, gingerly rode back to the car park and home.
Was pretty sure nothing was broken but woke up today in a lot of pain so went and sat in A&E for a few hours to find out I have separated my collar bone from my shoulder (AC dislocation he called it). Seems as if a bit of physio should sort it out over a few weeks but have been told I shouldn't ride for at least 3-4 weeks which is bloody annoying.
Don't imagine it will have dented my confidence or will slow me down at all but guess I'll find out when I'm back on the bike.
Anyone else done this injury before? Doc reckoned it was quite common for cyclists and rugby players!
I was doing what this guy is doing but overshot the jump massively and hit the rather large tree about 15 foot after the take off.
Commiserations, shoulders are complicated things so I hope it heals well.
I'm still getting over my 2nd broken collar bone in 2 years, both same day (July 3), and about 100yds apart (on the way back from the pub on a nice bit of twisty singletrack). Some lessons come harder than others.
As for Swinley, we were up there a couple of weeks ago (same day as Singletrack ride), one of our guys landed front down over that same jump and put his teeth through upper and lower lips and ended up in hospital with stitches, than a bit later another mate did a front flip (unplanned) elsewhere in the woods and broke a bone in his shoulder.
Its like a warzone out there!
Yes you are not the first to damage a shoulder in jump gully
Well 4 days later and zero sign of improvement and now my ankle and knee have swollen up! Obviously not as young as I used to be!
Did exactly this at cwmcarn downhill about a month ago, took 3 weeks to have movement and 70% strength back.
My recommendations are, strong painkillers initially for the swelling. They'll also help with the sleeping. The tube sling was light years more comfortable than triangular sling. I was slingless after a week but any prolonged unsupported period caused it to ache like crazy. Also a DVD box set was good as a boredom defeater.
Don't be tempted to ride, I went out for a local poodle on the roads and the shock from little bumps went from uncomfortable to excruciating, despite feeling fine in normal use.
Speedy recovery, 5 weeks on I rode Lee quarry with no issues other than slight tiredness on that arm
Phew, reading the title I thought this was going to be a tale of woe about a broken carbon seatpost. I tried to resist reading the thread for a while, but curiosity got the better of me.
Thanks for the advice Lummox. TBH the pain isn't an issue most of the time and i am sleeping fine although very stiff first thing. Too busy at work to slow down too much but find typing for any prolonged period gives me cramps in my shoulder and arm muscles as I must be holding it in a funny way.
Hopefully once the ankle goes down I can get on the spin bikes at the gym to keep my fitness up. Did you have any physio? They've referred me to the fractures clinic next week to see a physiotherapist, presumably to get some exercises to do.
Have once snapped some carbon bars when overshooting a tabletop which could have been nasty, but never a seatpost.... Ouch, now that really would bugger things up!!
Have had that injury twice in the last 12 months, no biggie it heals pretty fast minor one was OK to ride in two weeks grade 3 took a little longer around a month and then a couple more to feel alright.
I did lots of rows and weight rows to strenghten it and both feel fine now.
I did this shoulder barging a rock in October and mine still isn't right despite following physio instructions. Although I did a bit more damage that they didn't initially notice which has complicated things.
See the physio, follow what they say and pay attention to what your shoulder feels like before rushing back too soon. I'm sure you'll be back to normal in no time.
My doctor on Friday told me I should stay off the bike for 6 to 7 weeks while my back ligaments heal. This is after losing my bike on a semi-unplanned jump, and landing on my back about 6 metres down the trail.
I went out on Sunday and found the new rocky bits on the Monkey trail a bit (well, a lot) too painful and singlespeeding back up kitbag hill was hurting it too.
I've taken it easy this week, but feel fine now and am planning a bit of a ride later today. If I finish putting the new pistons in the brakes in time. So don't take what the doc says too seriously. You know your body better than they do.
PS - My mate Pete who witnessed the jump says I disproved a myth. The myth that people my age (57) don't bounce. I did.
I've got the same injury, left AC shoulder separation after being mowed down by a car on my commute home. I felt something snap when I hit the ground and thought I'd bust my collarbone. Turns out I have a Type 2 separation with a ligament and tendon having been snapped. This happened about 5 weeks ago. I was back on my bike after 3 weeks and I have full movement now. The pain is mainly uncomfortable but it does hurt when I lift some things at arms length. Also, there is a bump on my shoulder where the end of the separated collarbone pops up. I'm probably at 75% strength on my left arm now and I wouldn't want to ride quickly through the trees or grab some air.
Having had kinesiology and acupuncture since the accident, which has helped with movement and pain, I have taken the advice of the orthopaedic surgeon and will have an operation to rejoin the shoulder in a couple of weeks' time. This decision was helped by my knowing a couple other guys who had the same injury and put up with the discomfort for up to a year before deciding that they probably should have had surgery sooner rather than later.
Hope this helps 🙂 And please accept my healing vibes.
Quite reassuring it hear it is pretty common and pretty quick to heal generally. Am hoping mine turns out to be a Type 1 separation as I don't have any visible lump and the movement seems to be OK.
Got a trip to Les Arcs planned for July so as long as it's 100% before then I'll be happy!
No referral for me, bone doc said there was no need for surgery, I was signed off for 3 weeks due to my work being physical and no chance of respite.
Absolutely agree with the statement you know your body best, that includes listening to it if it's telling you something.
Cool. I hope it's not as serious as you might have feared. If you can get one, I can thoroughly recommend a cortisone injection into the joint. It really helps with the pain and any swelling and it lasts a week or two, which might be enough to get you through the most painful bits as you heal naturally 🙂
Looks like it's well on the mend - not had a sling on for a few days now and feel much better. Very strange how the bruising appeared and changes as time passes and my ankle got much more swollen for a while.
Hope to get out on the bike again this week so am hoping that'll be it for another 20years! Can't believe how frustrating it has been.
I suffered a Type 2 sublaxation (I.e. visible lump but collarbone did not penetrate the skin) in 2006. I was advised by a Physio friend to move it as much as possible, as soon as possible, up until the point that it became too painful. The logic being that it would keep the ligaments/muscles working and retain strength in the joint.
I also found a hot pack improved blood flow and sped up the healing process.
Was back riding within a month I.e. Marin, CYB and whilst sore the joint felt strong and stable.
Still have the lump, but was advised by the specialist that i saw that an operation to "close the gap" can cause more problems than it solves.
I did a grade III back in July skiing. Didnt have an op and to be honest its fine 95% of the time. Cant do press ups any more and it aches after long days on the bike (or carrying lots of stuff). Apart from that no problems at all. However....I have chosen to have an op in the summer as was going to the gym a bit before the injury
Thankfully no visible lump for me and the x-ray looked fine so am hoping for a 100% recovery.