# Recovery Time after Broken Scapula?



## khardrunner14 (Aug 16, 2010)

Wrecked pretty hard yesterday morning and broke my scapula.
How long until I will be able to....
1) Ride on the trainer
2) Ride the road bike
3) Ride Gravel
4) Ride the trails

Just curious what your experience was. Obviously, discussions with the doc are happening as well.


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## jjglass535 (Jan 7, 2015)

khardrunner14 said:


> Wrecked pretty hard yesterday morning and broke my scapula.
> How long until I will be able to....
> 1) Ride on the trainer
> 2) Ride the road bike
> ...


Broke both of mine riding motocross and each time it was about 6 weeks off the bike. Guess it depends how bad the break is and how quickly your body heals.Wish you luck


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Your bones will heal but your scapula needs at least 6 weeks of rest or else the damaged bone(s) may heal in the incorrect position, which may cause more problems in the future. Depending on the nature of your fractured scapula, there could be gaps between the bones. To alleviate this potential problem, you may want to keep the arm in a sling for support. This reduces movement, while still allowing you to stay mobile. Check with your dr if riding a trainer is ok providing your not putting pressure on your healing shoulder. Wait until you are cleared medically to proceed to riding. (usually is dependent of xray to confirm that the bones knit together)

I shattered my scapula downhilling 3years ago.


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## Streetdoctor (Oct 14, 2011)

Broke mine real bad. No surgery but was off the mtb for almost 3 months. Early 30’s.


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## Forest Rider (Oct 29, 2018)

I broke mine a while back, dirt bike injury.

I honestly don't recall the recovery time but I wasn't a bicycle rider.
I do remember being off the dirt bike for a while though. The tough part with the scapula break was the pain when you'd shift the bone since you can't cast or sling it. One of the worst times was sneezing!

I can't imaging riding a bicycle very soon after that type of injury with the stresses we put on our upper body from descending and climbing. 

Trainer probably as soon as you can deal with the pain.

Best advice I can give after any injury, is don't worry about 'how soon can I.....' becasue that's when we reinjur ourselves as we 'think' we are healed yet we haven't.

Good luck. On the bright side, depending on the type of break, the bone will be thicker at the break after the growth.
My break would catch a rib from time to time until the sharp edge finally smoothed out. Ouch.


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## khardrunner14 (Aug 16, 2010)

I don't think the break is too bad considering it was not displaced. Cracked right through the thickest part but everything is lined up properly. I have some mobility back already which is nice, although if I move the wrong way WHOA! Sneezing sucks!

I got on the trainer this morning and it wasn't too bad. I suppose it will be a while until I can actually ride again :-(


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## Horseshoe (May 31, 2018)

Broke mine skateboarding three years ago at age 47. At the time I wasn't riding much but was competing in powerlifting. I did no lifting with that shoulder for 6 weeks, and took it easy for another two before working back into a regular routine. I would give it at least 4-6 then see how it feels on an easy spin on the road, and maaaaaaaybe try some easy dirt if it feels okay. at 8 weeks you should be good to go


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## Streetdoctor (Oct 14, 2011)

khardrunner14 said:


> I don't think the break is too bad considering it was not displaced. Cracked right through the thickest part but everything is lined up properly. I have some mobility back already which is nice, although if I move the wrong way WHOA! Sneezing sucks!
> 
> I got on the trainer this morning and it wasn't too bad. I suppose it will be a while until I can actually ride again :-(


Depending on your age having the joint freeze up from being in a sling so log can be a real pain. I'm in my 30's and would spend two days a week in the pool letting it float. This kept mobility but didn't cause pain. Highly recommended. I cracked mine all the way through at a diagonal but it didn't interfere with the glenoid luckily.


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## Forest Rider (Oct 29, 2018)

My doc didn't want me in a sling for the reason of having tendons and such become immobile. 

Really there was nothing I could do to 'protect' the fracture in terms of sling or anything really. Just had to allow the bone to heal.

Doc told me it was the 2nd hardest bone to break, behind the femur. 

I forgot I had broken mine until this thread, I did mine just after 9/11 riding a dirt bike race as a benefit for 9/11 survivors, etc.


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## khardrunner14 (Aug 16, 2010)

Im 36 and already not wearing the sling much. I want to maintain mobility as much as possible, although that is pretty limited here on day 3. I am a bit scared that I may have done rotator cuff or labrum damage as well... hopefully not.


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## Cuyuna (May 14, 2017)

khardrunner14 said:


> Im 36 and already not wearing the sling much. I want to maintain mobility as much as possible, although that is pretty limited here on day 3. I am a bit scared that I may have done rotator cuff or labrum damage as well... hopefully not.


I think it's weird that your orthopedist didn't give you any advice about using that arm/shoulder in the post-fracture period and propose a timeline for your recovery.


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## Forest Rider (Oct 29, 2018)

Why wasn't your labrum or rotator cuff checked out?


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## khardrunner14 (Aug 16, 2010)

Forest Rider said:


> Why wasn't your labrum or rotator cuff checked out?


It was too sore to move much 2-3 hrs after and they didn't schedule an MRI. They scheduled a followup about 2 weeks out. I'll talk to that doc then.

As for a return schedule... who knows. Docs I talk to are usually most interested in getting patients in and out. They don't really understand the concept of returning to exercise. He said 4 weeks I should be ok (whatever that means) and 6-8 for full recovery. No mention of PT. All things I will discuss with the doc on the 13th when I see him. This guy is a bit better and I have history with him from my other shoulder.


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## Forest Rider (Oct 29, 2018)

Depending on the nature of the break, probably no PT for the scapula.

Makes sense about not scheduling the MRI initially but hopefully sooner than later, In the mean time, I guess take the old advice of

Patient: when I move like this it hurts
Doctor: don't move like that

Just to prevent additional injury until you know if you are in fact causing additional injury.

I think my doc told me it would be 10 months of bone growth before bone was done growing. Not recovery, just when the bone would be done growing.
Like with any bone, 6-8 weeks usually makes it pretty strong. If you only suffered a bone break you'll be mobile very soon and those other pains will hopefully have disappeared by then.


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## khardrunner14 (Aug 16, 2010)

Yeah I am basically at little to no pain on the scapula at this point. I am getting range of motion back. The only real pain I get is in the rotator cuff area.


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## Forest Rider (Oct 29, 2018)

Sounds promising!


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