Crashed!

[Deleted User 287]

My helmet has a few scratches and gouges, the worst on the visor, just to the side of my left eye.

Times like these when you really appreciate full-face helmets.

[Zombie Master]

Glad you are OK. Do get checked out though, you don't want problems to crop up as a result of the accident.

And of course you have other rides, which at a time like this makes perfect sense.

And don't loose the lesson!

[SteveD]

So Tim, when you say "separated" do you mean the ac joint or the main shoulder jt? Subluxation is what we call it where the joint gets stretched but not dislocated. I've done that 3 times now myself. Two surgeries, which meant paid time off work and our traffic accident authority paid for it at the local private hospital. The only advantage of that was the food was better. The morphine was just the same as the other place though! Not enough.
Either way, getting some sleep is a problem as you may have already found out. Drugs man, and early range of movement exercises may decrease the stiffness. Good luck with the recovery.

[Deleted User 62]

I think the doctor called it separated, but it might have been subluxated. It's not dislocated. It's the area where the collar bone connects to the shoulder. All the muscles surrounding that area hurt. I haven't gotten much sleep the past two nights. I have to lie on my back to favor the shoulder, but for some reason that pulls on the ribs. Vicodin is what my doctor prescribed, and a page of movement exercises. He said the pain would subside in two weeks if it was muscle damage, or 6-8 weeks if the rib was broken or cracked... The bruises are developing nicely!

[Jeff in W.C.]

He said the pain would subside in two weeks if it was muscle damage, or 6-8 weeks if the rib was broken or cracked... The bruises are developing nicely!

I cracked or bruised a few ribs when I was a teenager, and it was a bitch to breathe. It felt like I had a bunch of bricks on my chest every time I took a breath. It took about 6-8 weeks to heal if I remember. Anyway, I hope you heal quickly.

[SteveD]

I haven't gotten much sleep the past two nights. I have to lie on my back to favor the shoulder, but for some reason that pulls on the ribs.

That's the acromioclavicular (ac) joint. I'd suggest setting up pillows behind your shoulder and under your arm so that the position of the shoulder and arm doesn't fall back. The aim is to keep it in a neutral to slightly forward position, added by the prescribed analgesia. In my personal experience, getting to sleep can be the hard bit, but hopefully once asleep, you'll stay asleep for an adequate rest.

That's fine if you sleep on your back, so good side down is the side lying alternative, once again with pillow supports for positioning. Experiment a little, as I'm sure you are.

[Deleted User 62]

I'll give it a try. Thanks Steve!

[lrz]

I figured the view was a bit distorted, sorta like "objects in mirror closer than they appear"; didn't catch the parked truck you mention. Visual cues can make all the difference to how we react when riding.

For example, last night ( country dark) as I was rounding a gentle curve @ 40 mph or so I noticed parking lights at a known intersection up ahead way out of plane with the road itself. Turns out somebody was parked on the shoulder at a 45 degree angle,just before the intersection. Really disoriented me for second.

That shoulder, the key is to wait until you are fully healed before resuming regular activities...

Thanks for sharing, always looking to learn more.