Weight lifting with broken collar bone/torn shoulder ligaments

Nissan11

Nissan11

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Location
Marston, NC
I dont know if you guys remember, but months ago I started a weight lifting thread asking for advice. You guys were a ton of help and over the past several months I notice good gains in muscle size and strength, everything was going great!
Then, 2 weekends ago I crashed in a motocross race and broke my collar bone and tore my AC joint real bad. I had surgery yesterday which involved removing the broken piece of collar bone (the very end) and rebuilding my AC joint using titanium buttons, kevlar wire and a graft from a cadavor ligament.
Doc says I will be in a sling for 6 weeks and that I cant use that shoulder for anything strenuous for 6 months minimum. This is absolutely killing me because i was lifting 4 days a week and jogging 6 days a week.

I definitely dont want to use my bad shoulder for anything that might damage it further. My question is, should I do some lifting with my good side? Ive read a couple articles that say if you lift with your good arm, some muscle will develop on the hurt arm, is that right? My plan is after 6 weeks to do some light/moderate lifting with my upper body on the good side, legs and cardio.
Is there anything I should do to help keep from losing muscle on my injured side? Should I start back on my protein suppliment even though Im not lifting right now?
 
Yes, the muscle you have already gained still needs protein...just not as much as before. Ask your doctor or therapist about the exersize. I doubt you will be able to do much upper body without being in pain. Why risk it? Buy a stationary bike or elliptical and try not to destroy your shoulder again.
 
If there is any chance I will damage the injured shoulder then Im not going to lift. I do NOT want to start the recovery process overvagain.
 
as you already know, the collar bone is painful. don't do anything to risk re-injuring it. i broke mine playing football in high school, i didn't listen to the doctors and 6 weeks later i had to have it re-broken and set again. if you think the first time was painful, the second was twice as bad.
 
I would follow the docs advice.
 
rebuilt joints and ligament grafts.

you need to let things heal.

You will lose some of your gains but after a short 6 months break it will come back faster than it took to build it.
 
if your set on keeping muscles in shape...there is electro stimulation. I think Manfred Hoeberl used this technique after he tore his bicep (worlds largest @ 26")
 
No experience with weight lifting but i tore muscle in my back throwing 200lb boxes of products when i worked at food city dist in VA, well i decided to go ahead an start working before i healed and didnt go to the 1yr therapy i needed I also tried using other arm instead of the side i tore which lead to me injuring my neck straining to lift more than one side is use to, needless to say it haunts me now cause it will flare up and start burning and put me on the ground real quick. my advice HEAL,THERAPY, then get back into the shape you wanna be in!! Its worth it to take the extra measures to have your body at 100% IMO...
 
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