Shoulder injury recovery time

A 'robust' grade 2 bordering on a grade 3 when I did mine.
My physio said that it would be 12 weeks before it would be strong enough to crash onto again.
It was winter so I was happy enough to sit on the turbo for a couple of months.
I was riding after 8 weeks and the shoulder felt ok.

Ive a grade 2 on one shoulder and a grade 3 on the other (two seperate BMX crashes)

Was back on the road bike within a week ( riding on the hoods actually helped support it)

MTB and BMX were around 6 weeks later although i took it easy for the first couple of weeks back riding them

Hmm thanks all, so 4 weeks may be a little optimistic.

I've had shoulder ligament reconstruction and I used the resistance bands. They are really useful for just building up some strength and keeping it moving. I even have one tied to my office chair.

I would say 4 weeks is very optimistic. 12 would be nearer the mark

I had a shoulder reconstruction 18 months ago, i had ripped off my rotator cuff, dislocated joint backwards and broken the humerus. Daily stretches with bands and weekly physio. It's still very weak in certain positions

Did you end up with a lumpy bit sticking out on top of your shoulder?

I crashed a few years ago and sort of rugby tackled a tree, I ended up with a damaged shoulder but I was just told nothing was broken and didn't have any x-rays. My shoulder was sore for a long time and there was definitely a lump on top. I wonder if I had injured myself the same as you have. I can't remember exactly how long it took to heal but it was definitely quite a few weeks.

@dc1988 yep definite lump on top of left shoulder. Can feel it flapping around if I forget and move my left arm.

Best wishes for your recovery but being very honest, 4 weeks is optimistic. It’s been a few years since I did mine and remember using the static bike to retain some fitness before getting on the road bike after a couple of months. It was a good while before I rode my MTB.

Thanks all. Appointment with Orpho on Monday morning so will see what they say.

Onwards and upwards.

Good luck with the recovery, I did mine last June, still struggling with it now. I was back on the road bike within 10 days but it was 6 months before riding a mountain bike (not entirely related to the shoulder or initial injury, my appendix ruptured a couple of weeks later and I spent 5 weeks in hospital, shoulder kind of seized into the wrong position)

My advice, do the physio as recommended. My left shoulder is unstable at the moment, I pushed a little too hard too soon (or too heavy in the gym rather) I can ride MTB but it's painful for a few days after.

bahhhh now joined the dodgy shoulder club :-/

tweaked it in the gym a few months back, took it easy, thought id rest it totally for 2 weeks when we went abroad, but then 1st day away fell over (flipflop malfunction, no alcohol involved) and jarred it trying to cushion my landing.

fast forward a bit, dr referred me to physio and ultrasound, physio gave me some rubber band exercises, had the ultrasound a few days ago, dr rang me today and said its bad news, 'theres a lot going on in there' 🙁

complete tear of rotator cuff tendon, impingement somewhere in the socket, bicep tendon inflamed. he said ill have to do a full physio course, then back to him to refer to orthopaedic, probably an MRI and likely surgery.

its worse at night. daytimes its agony in certain positions, every time i raise my arm it clicks and grates now (i know, dont raise your arm then) but night times it just throbs and i cant get comfy in any position, and this is a couple of months down the line now!

i was only a fairweather biker at best so im not really missing that, but really pissed off that im out of the gym for a few (lot of) months. bloody flipflops 🤬

Did my shoulder, 2 weeks hence. crashed at sun peaks in Canada, on a bloody blue trail! Grade 3 ac separation. Bawls.
Did an xc MTB ride this morning. Can't lift the front of the bike no jumping/hopping. I can ride around and over stuff though.
Got an appointment with the fracture clinic soon, really hope I don't have to have surgery.

I was about 4 months with my AC, in hindsight I was extra careful so you could maybe take a month off that.

Straight clavicle break this summer on the same shoulder, I’ve had the old plate removed and a new one fitted and back on the bike in 5 weeks.

Biggest difference was my range of movement which took a while to come back after the AC separation due to the tendon damage…avoided that this time around as the break was the opposite end, had full range within a couple of weeks.

Good luck, it gets better 👍

Got an appointment with the fracture clinic soon, really hope I don’t have to have surgery.

Highly unlikely, when I did mine 5 years ago the nurse at A&E and the physio I was assigned said they don't do surgery anymore as it very rarely gives better results over strapping and physio.

Google strapping an AC separation and do it, I was back racing CX within 6 weeks, albeit strapped up and by 10 weeks it was fine, still hurts now if I sleep on it for too long but other than that not an issue.

Broken clavicle (in 2 places) mid July playing football (never had an injury through 25 years of mtb)....

Scan last week (4 week point), not obviously healing but not getting worse, waiting another 6 weeks to wait and see. Dr's very hesitant to operate... Losing out on all this lovely weather as I can't do anything strenuous with that arm....