Cycling is a wonderful way to enjoy the world around you and get some exercise, but if you bike long enough, there’s a good chance you’ll eventually fall off. Whether you hit a pothole or skid out on some wet pavement, you may find that you’re soon going head first over the handlebars. When this happens, we instinctively put our arms out to protect our more vital areas during the fall. This means that our arms and shoulders typically bear the brunt of the trauma.
Because of this, it’s easy to see why shoulder injuries can be quite common among cyclists, especially those who take on more adventurous trails. In today’s blog, we want to spotlight some of the more common shoulder injuries that can occur during a cycling accident, and we’ll cover some of the ways these injuries are usually treated.
Common Shoulder Injuries During Bike Accidents
When falling off a bicycle, it’s common to land directly on your shoulder or onto an outstretched arm, which will immediately force the arm upwards and stress the shoulder joint and its supportive structures. These two types of trauma can lead to the following injuries after a cycling accident:
- Collarbone Fractures – A collarbone fracture, also known as a clavicle fracture, is one of the most common injuries in an over-the-handlebar cycling accident. Your collarbone is a large but rather fragile bone that runs horizontally across the top of your chest, connecting your sternum to your shoulder blade. While a clavicle fracture typically heals without surgical intervention, the trauma from the fall can cause the fracture to become displaced, which will require a corrective procedure. Rest, activity avoidance and the eventual progression through a physical therapy program can help you overcome a collarbone fracture.
- Separated Shoulder – Another injury that can sideline cyclists after a crash is a shoulder separation. A shoulder separation occurs when trauma causes stretching or tearing in the ligaments that connect your collarbone and acromioclavicular joint. Trying to catch yourself with your arms can place an immense amount of stress on these ligaments, and excessive strain will overload them and cause injuries. Mild to moderate shoulder separations tend to respond well to rest, physical therapy and gentle stretching techniques, but large separations and major ligament damage may need to be artificially reinforced.
- Rotator Cuff Tears – Direct or indirect trauma to the shoulder can also lead to tearing of the rotator cuff, which are a group of tissues that provide stability and support to the shoulder joint. Rotator cuff injuries can be painful and significantly restrict normal arm movement, so targeted treatment is recommended. Similar to a shoulder separation, a rotator cuff tear can be treated with weeks of specific physical therapy exercises, but larger or complete tears will need to be addressed by a surgeon.
- Proximal Humeral Fractures – A final injury that we want to spotlight is the proximal humeral fracture, and they can develop as a result of a direct blow or a fall onto an outstretched arm. You can learn more about proximal humeral fractures here, but they involve a fracture to the upper portion of your humerus. Most proximal humeral fractures heal on their own without surgery, especially if there is minimal fracture displacement. In these instances, your doctor will oftentimes recommend a combination of immobilization and regular monitoring before progressing through weeks of physical therapy and range of motion exercises once enough healing has taken place. In many instances, patients are back to performing routine tasks with their arm after six weeks of care, but return to full activities can take up to 3-4 months. Larger or unstable fractures will need to be repositioned with the help of an operation.
If you need help diagnosing or treating a new or existing shoulder injury, regardless of whether or not it was tied to a cycling accident, let Dr. Holloway and his team assist. For more information, or to set up your first consultation, give Dr. Holloway’s office a call today at (865) 410-7887.
