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  1. #1
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    broken collar bones - when to return to skis

    A little over two weeks ago I broke my collar bone. It was a complete break and left it at an angle 151 degrees, displaced 9mm. So, no surgery, just a gaping bump.

    On day 23 since the break I plan to be up in the snow. I was planning on just taking out some snow shoes onto groomer track. Maybe some skinning on the track.

    Now the forecast is for fresh snow and I am tempted to either do a short mellow low angle tour or to ski inbounds just a few hours.

    How do I know when my shoulder is ready? I have been on 3-4 mile hikes recently with no pain. I have fair movement in the shoulder, for instance, I can floss and fold clothes. I can ski w/o falling as long as I take it mellow - but will the 'ski action' be bad for the healing bone?

    My doctor told me probably 8 weeks. He does not ski. When pressed, he said it would take that long before I could fall on it again. He could not give me a time frame for skiing w/o falling.

    I also plan to be up again on day 33. Sure hope I m ready for some groomers by then... or powder.

  2. #2
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    Okay, so I did not go get freshies this week.

    I had my 4 week doctor appointment yesterday. He told me to stay off of skis for another 8-10 weeks. I asked him if I was healing okay, and he told me I was healing better than average.

    I asked him about all the things I have read, from collar bones usually healing in 4-6 weeks, as well of testimonials of others getting back on skis much faster.

    He told me skiing was dangerous, like football or rugby. I argued that getting hit every minutes was different than skiing. He did not agree. He also told me cross country skiing was just as dangerous. And snoe shoeing.

    Advice here. I feel great. I rarely have pain in my arm, and have a great deal of mobility back. I can carry 3# back pack with no pain, so on and so forth. And my doc said use pain as a guide - unless I feel pain at the point of the break, then I am okay.

    I think I have a doc that is afraid of skiing. I plan to go in a week. Plan to take it easy, ski with my wife, mostly ski groomers and low angled snow. Am I crazy or does this make sense?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    810
    ^^^^^^^^^^^1000000%%% in the same boat right now. I broke my left on 1/4/09 and I'm heading up on some narrow groomer skis (Rossi Z-11's) this w/e. I just want to make turns. No trees, jumps, moguls...etc...etc.

    I have 100% range of motion back (been self PT'ing it) and the doctor was very happy with my progress. Like you I'm skiing with family this w/e. It does take a full 12 weeks from what I hear and that make sense.

    Those people that are back on skis fast aren't healed OR don't have a break (more likely a fracture). You don't want to be revisiting the doc in a week with a rebreak and the doc saying you need screws.

    Head over to MTBR.com......there is a forum dedicated to injuries........bikers get a lot of collar bone breaks and there is very good info on there.

    good luck

  4. #4
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    My advice is - don't fall.

  5. #5
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    Oct 2007
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    If you want it to heal on it's own be very very careful with it. If you want to ski get a plate on there.

    I broke mine skiing. The doc said leave it to heal even though it was very displaced. Getting solid union depends on how badly your fracture is displaced, taking good care of it, no hits to it and your age. Solid union probably takes 9 months.

    A couple of months after the injury I watched my bros get a week of untracked Austrian Alpine pow pow whilst I went snow shoeing. It was a nightmare to watch them get the goods, I should have skied.... Because I didn't get union on mine and I could have skied, I had a plate put in 9 months ago. Skied lots this season, no problems. Get a plate, get some gnarrly scars, chicks dig scars!

    If you don't want surgery I suggest that you don't ski yet.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    do you feel up to doing any push ups yet? if so and can do 3 sets of 10-should be good to go. if not hold off till 4 weeks.

  7. #7
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    So I am almost at 5 weeks. Have not done push ups yet, but have been doing some weight bearing on it - getting into bar chairs, moving across a bed, etc. Could I do push ups? Think so, but not itching to try. Also - we are talking bone strength - so why would the number of push I can do make a difference?

    Sure yeah - don't fall. Falling would be bad -duh.

    I am more wondering how gentle groomer skiing would effect the union. I want to go out and just make a few turns down low angle slopes. I do not plan to fall, and rarely do fall even when skiing aggresively.

    9 months??? Who told you that? Yeah, I know it can take a long time to get to full strength, but people start playning football after 4 months; so I have read.

    My doctor just won't talk about it. He says - use pain as a guide. Which is pretty meaningless.

    I have a union right now. And almost full movement/extension in my arm. I can put weight on my arm with no pain. Yes, it is not fully healed, and I can't afford additional trauma. But can I ski the bunny slopes. Maybe even a few blue squares?

    Any other testimonials out there?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    810
    Ok man, skied this past weekend and I'm going to go again this weekend. I will say this......half way down my first run I let it loose. I felt great, the trail was open and I decided to hammer.......part of that was b/c I've been out for 6 weeks, the other is b/c I'm dumb.

    I'm 1 week ahead of you and like you I have no pain in the least and full ROM. I haven't done a push up but def could. I've carried groceries bags, skies, boots and I can buckle my boots fine. If you think you're not gonna rail on the groomers then you are lying to yourself or have amazing mental strength.

    I was railing a turn on my SX12's and the skis came out from under me, I was low to the snow but basically hit my hip on the snow, there was some fear but I was fine. Slapping a tree or taking a big tumble is the fear but fear not the groomers.

  9. #9
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    Skied the last hour of the day today. 5 runs, starting with low angle groomers, and working my way up. Felt pretty good. Actually skied pretty slowly and only put up on edge in lower angle stuff. I behaved pretty good.

    Damn the snow is nice. So wish I was going off piste. Did a few turns off piste, and it felt okay - but thought better of it.

    Might do a light tour tomorrow or some more groomers. So nice to be back out.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Not a collarbone break, but a humerus break on the left shoulder level done at Alpine in Mid December. Like you, my doc does not understand ski fever. I started groomers at 4 weeks and powder at 6 weeks. I have avoided flat light situations and major steeps that could induce a front roll. I tend to keep my speed up on groomers to keep most people behind me. I look for my line carefully and go when the crowd thins.
    Fuck those fucking motherfuckers!

    http://www.unofficialalpine.com

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by gone2alpine View Post
    Not a collarbone break, but a humerus break on the left shoulder level done at Alpine in Mid December. Like you, my doc does not understand ski fever. I started groomers at 4 weeks and powder at 6 weeks. I have avoided flat light situations and major steeps that could induce a front roll. I tend to keep my speed up on groomers to keep most people behind me. I look for my line carefully and go when the crowd thins.
    That pretty much was my game plan this past Saturday. After a few slower runs on Friday, I realized going fast was not a problem, and it kept gapers from slamming it to me. The scariest part right now is when some one goes flying by and they do not look like they know how to ski. It is also easy to wait until the crowd clears - just taking it easy. It was a blast being out there.

    I was 90% on groomers, but did hit some lower angled packed powder. As long as the snow was consistent, it was super fun. If it got choppy, I would head back to the groomers. It also helped skiing with my wife - but it was hard to watch her blast through boot deep wind pack, while I carved a few on the groomer nearby.

    I am thinking of heading up mid week for a little bit of powder - I will be at 5 1/2 weeks. I can not wait until 8 weeks - I am expecting it to start getting real fun.

  12. #12
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    gone2alpine or jmars - have either of you fallen yet? Wondering, as I am feeling like I could take a small/minor fall. Not that I want to - just curious.

    I took the past 3 days of. Going to head out tomorrow. Hope to try some powder on Thursday.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    ^^^^ Yes I have BUT they have all been "easy" falls. The groomer falls I've taken have been the type of fall that drops you down on your hip b/c I'm high on edge and the ski gives out (more like I give out). Nothing harsh but thats also b/c I'm on the groomers. This past w/e I skied trees all afternoon, I felt fine but later on in the evening I was a bit sore , nothing bad but I knew that was the most I moved my neck, arms and the rest of my upper body. I got hung up in the trees a few time b/c I put the brakes on where I normally wouldn't but I had to. Mentally I'm 90% back but not sure if 100% will be there till next season.

    Bottomline is that you can't fall big, epecially in a front or backwards twisting fall.

  14. #14
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    ^^^I agree with the 90% thing. I may be hanging at 85% right now. I got out in some loose packed and fresh powder the past two days. Felt pretty good.

    I had turn that sent a jolt of pain to my shoulder, but it was gone pretty quick. I am pretty sure it was the muscle. My shoulder area muscles have been a little sore in the afternoon/evening - but nothing at the break site. According to my doctor, that is the only spot I need to be concerned with.

    I agree about the falling forward/backward. I am avoiding hucks of any sort for some time just because of that. And narrow trees.

    I had one 'sit down' fall in wind buff. The hardest part was figuring out how to get up, with one semi gimpy arm and the loose powder under the crust.

  15. #15
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    ^^^^ Just get out there and enjoy it. The worst that can happen is that it gets a few knocks and doesn't heal on it's own, (it might not unite anyway), in which case you can get a plate put on there. No big deal!

  16. #16
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    Jan 2008
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    ^^^^^^^^^^^The worst advice you can give. You don't want to have to get surgery, it costs more $$$ and time......thats time away from skiing or other things you enjoy.

    As far as getting up I'm surprise your having an "gimpy" arm issue. I'm strong, I can do a push up without an issue. I'd get some of those multi colored strength bands and start working on it. Some of the "pain" you felt could be scare tissue breaking up.

  17. #17
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    Yeah, the getting up issue was more of a - not wanting to stress my arm - issue. I am sure I could have put all my weight on my arm, but was reluctant.

    Anyway, now at week 7, and I have been getting stronger each day. I even (against my own advise) have done a few 5' drops in powder, and some narrow trees - but hey, it was tit deep, so... Been doing a lot of shoveling as well.

    Scar tissue tearing sounds like what it may have been. Feeling good and plan to get back out next week and try a day of touring. I feel strong enough to dig, and that is the measure I needed for the BC.

    Also not feeling the 'just do it' advise. At this point, it looks like my season is back on, and I really do not want to re-break or go into surgery. I get x-rays on Tuesday to confirm the union and so on.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    810
    nice, sounds like you've got the right idea

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