Broken clavicle (collar bone)!

Well, I’ve managed to bust myself up.

I broke my left clavicle (collar bone) at the Folsom Criterium in the Masters 35+ 1/2/3 race. Start of the last lap of my second race. Some idiot clips the bars of the guy next to him, sending the guy down, directly in front of me. Curb and fence on the left and pack on the right. I was able to just avoid him but had to run over his bike. Ejected at 28mph.

I flew through the air for what felt like seconds and then hit and rolled. As I came to a stop I tucked and glanced back, expecting to be creamed by riders coming up behind. Luckily they were able to avoid.

Then I lay back and started going through the status check. Hmmm, legs, arms, shoulder… ouch, something not right up there. I reach over and feel my left shoulder and feel a bump. Uh oh, that’s not good. Just then a official comes over and asks “are you ok? Do you need help?”. I reply that “I think I’ll need help”. “Do you need an ambulance?” he asks. “Um, yes, maybe…”. He glances back down the course, “Can you walk?”. “Yes, in a second”. “Well, that would be good because the race is going to finish in a moment and it would be good to get you out of the course”. Good idea!

So, I get a hand up and walk over to the grass and lay down again. Yup, it was beginning to hurt. I never even noticed the finish of the race. As I lay there I ask if my bike is OK. Already crunched the frame once this year. Strangely enough, bike survived with only a few scratches.

After some chatting and info gathering with one of the race staff, we decide to skip an ambulance and get someone to drive me the short distance to the hospital. But first I wanted to dump my bike and gear in my truck. At the truck I decide to strip off the jersey. The guy helping me is telling me to leave it on since they will just cut it off and it’s ruined anyways and it will save me the pain. Pain? Destroying another jersey, that’s pain! As I’m peeling it off he’s looking at me like I’m crazy. Well, I get the jersey off and what looks like a lot of blood on the jersey is actually a Mocha Mocha Clif Shot that exploded on impact. Unloaded of gear and now carrying my clothes, we head over to the registration booth to enlist Will to taxi me. He’s very cool and gets me to the hospital.

I won’t go into the emergency room details but it was about 4 hours and during that time: filled out forms, waited, quick look by doctor, waited, x-rays, waited, tetnus booster shot, waited, scrapes cleaned and bandaged, waited, pee in cup, waited, final look-see, given shoulder restraint, fill exit forms, pay co-pay, done!

Broken Clavicle
Left Side Distal Clavicle Fracture

The good news is that the collar bone has a clean break, isn’t poking up, and should heal well. I went a few days later and saw Dr. Massimo Testa to have him do an examination. He’s a great doctor and understands cyclist’s needs. Along with the examination he put together a 3 week training program. I’ll be able to maintain my fitness!

A broken collar bone usually mends itself in about 6 weeks. I’ve been lucky and not had much pain. I’m wearing a figure-eight brace and a sling for the arm. The suffering now is not being able to ride and race during some great weather. Oh, and training on a stationary bike inside is torture. Good thing for DVDs.

Be careful out there.

Cheers!

p.s. I highly recommend Dr. Testa and also Dr. Eric Heiden (previously over at U.C. Davis Sports Medicine). If you are in Northern California and have a sport related injury, call them!

More “Broken Collar Bone” Articles

Don’t miss reading the information and comments in the other collar bone entries:

Broken Clavicle No More
What To Expect From A Broken Clavicle (collar bone)
Chad’s Broken Collar Bone Report

DISCLAIMER: The following content is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Diagnosis and treatment of all health conditions should only be performed by your doctor or other licensed health care professional. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site.

423 responses

Todd

June 19, 2008

thanks ross. i’ve reduced the aleve down to 3-4/day, so i will switch to tylenol. i plan to be off pain killers by sunday, and i will look into the bromelain. i tried to work on tuesday, but i was way too uncomfortable. i don’t know how anyone can wear the figure 8. after a couple of hours, my back and neck feel worse than my shoulder. it seems like lying down all day watching movies is the best therapy. all that is missing is a swimsuit model on standby to feed me yogurt:)

Ross

June 16, 2008

aleve is an anti-inflamatory, they slow bone healing, you want to take tylenol. I took bromelain for a while. it is a pineapple extract, if you take it on an empty stomach it works as a pain reliever.

Todd

June 15, 2008

i just want to thank richard from france. his advice about reducing acidity in food is going to be my key to recovery. i just broke my cb today while going about 50 mph on my bike. some guy who was driving behind me was like “duuude, you were flyin’, are you ok.” i knew i wasn’t since my shoulder has a half inch tent, but said i was anyway. thank you to the bell helmet company for keeping my noggin intact. i have no insurance, so i’m going to rely on aleve, a sling, and prayer to the healing gods. if the bones continue to shift after four weeks, i’ll consider going to see an ortho. wish me luck!!!

Jay

June 9, 2008

Anyone who has had a bone graft from the hip tell how long until the pain goes away in the hip? I’m about 10 days out of surgery and the collar bone is doing well, but the hip still hurts. Please post! Thanks

wayne chappell

June 8, 2008

hi there on the 7 may 2008 me and a mate were out on cycle ride we had been out on the road for less than 20 minutes we were passing a junction when the driver of a blue convertable came accoss the junction takin me out i was in hospital for 10 days with a badly broken ankle,broken ribs,clapsed lung,but most painfull was a broken clavicle once i had got home it was then when it hit home how life was with right ankle and right shoulder out of action and stuck in wheel chair but thanks to my wife and friends i ham getting back to some sort of reality and cant wait to get back on my cycle if i dare 6weeks have passed the pain is starting to get bareable going for xrays next week fingers crossed cant wait to get back on feet and out of this wheelchair any one else had the same sort injury.

alan

June 6, 2008

On 4-26, I sent an entry concerning a non-union clavicle and the EBI bone stimulator unit. I wore the unit for 68 days. Today I had an X-ray, and the results were positive. I have a connection. It is not pretty, still in pain. I had my doubts but it worked, this was better than having an operation. I wear the figure 8 brace when active. Does anyone know if a custom brace or vest can be made for support? I am back!

Good to hear you are recovering. There are some other custom braces out there. This one has been mentioned before Shoulders Back. But I haven’t had any experience with using any of them. With the amount of complaints people have with the generic figure-8 brace I would imagine some company has come up with a better option. If you find one please leave a link.

Hans

Clive

June 6, 2008

I had a double fracture of the clavicle in Nov 2007, after a couple of weeks deabting withe the consultants they agreed the best action as to put a plate in as it seemed unlikely to achieve a good fusion. The plate went in mide dec 07 and all seemed well. But after a few weeks it was clear that the main fracture wasnt healing. Today after 6 months an x ray shows that the fracture is still there with no sign of fusion. The Consultants were quick to recommend a bone graft from the hip. Oh joy…more time back in hospital and a further 6 weeks in a sling after. Anyone been through this? Any alternatives? Why wouldnt it mend?

Jay

June 6, 2008

Ross, I’ve never heard anything about the deltoid muscle. That sounds odd. I would probably go see another surgeon and get an opinion if it’s bothering you. I’m about to get a second opinion on the large mass that has grown on my collar bone in the week since I had the plate installed. It still hurts a ton and the bone graft from my hip has been a nightmare honestly. Can’t wait for time to pass at this point, just hoping to get back to some form of normal.

Ross

June 5, 2008

i saw a post on here were a guy had his plate taken out and he broke the collarbone again hitting a tennis ball. the bone is weak for at least 6 weeks where the screw holes were at.

June 5, 2008

My son had surgery a little over a year ago and had a clavicle plate put in. The surgery went well and he recovered quickly. He has really good range of motion BUT you can really see the plate through his skin and he now wants it out. He had an appointment today with the Surgeon and will get it removed in two weeks. My son was told it will not distrub the bone at all. Has anyone experienced any complications after from having the plate removed? How long is the recovery period?

June 5, 2008

Ross

June 5, 2008

i’m 3 weeks out on my surgery. my cb does stick out more now due to the plate. i have a lot of numbness all around my cb and shoulder too. doc says most of that will go away but maybe not all.
Didn’t have a bone graft.
Did they detach your deltoid like mine? My doc claims it was the only way he could get the bones to line up, he said the muscle had torn in the accident and then had doubled up and was stuck to itself by the time i had surgery.

Jay

June 4, 2008

Question for anyone who has had surgery: I’m about one week out with a plate and screws, still pretty painful near my clavicle. I have a big bump now that runs the length of the plate, a very solid feeling bump. Has anyone else who has had surgery with plate and screws experienced this? I also had a bone graft from the hip, and while the hip hasn’t hurt too bad, I have pretty bad numbness and burning from the bottom of my hip to the middle of my upper leg. Anyone else experience this? Any comments would be greatly appreciated on either the large bump and how long it lasts and the tingling in my leg from the hip graft!!! Thanks much, Jay

Ross

June 2, 2008

did your doc say anything about the deltoid muscle like mine did? I am pretty bummed out about it right now.

Joe Miller

June 1, 2008

Hello-
I broke my clavicle a few days ago (5/28/08) performing an unintentional front flip while riding fixed during a standing hill climb when my right pedal accidently disengaged. I was going pretty fast and landed square on my shoulder. I had the surgery (large plate, 8 screws and 2 pins) and immediately the pain subsided. I stumbled upon this site looking for information regarding retraining and when. So, it has only been 2 days since surgery and I don’t have much to add yet…

Ross

May 26, 2008

hi,
great site!
i broke mine 3 weeks ago and had the surgery about 1 week ago. doc told me it was a good candidate for surgery but it would most likely heal on it’s own. i went ahead and got it as i thought it would get me back to riding/racing dirt bikes sooner.
after surgery he tells me he had to detach my deltoid muscle in order to fit the plat properly. i guess this is not the norm, but now he says my muscle will need to heal for 6 months before i should ride.
anyone else have surgery and been told something similar? i’m pretty bummed now, 6 months seems like a lifetime to be off the bike for me.

jessica

May 26, 2008

Well it has been 2 months and non-union with my classic break in the clavicle. I now have to wait 3 more weeks for surgery where they take a hip graft and plate it to my collar bone. Climbing is out for me for the next 3 months. I suggest to anybody that breaks there clavicle and it doesnt seem to be healing after a couple of weeks…make the rendez vous with the surgeon for a consultation. The only reason I am waiting now is that it takes so long to make a date for the consultation and then the surgery. You can always cancel if it looks like the bone is on the mend. Will keep you updated with recovery for those who want to know. This site put my mind at rest knowing i wasn’t the only one out there with some bone issues.

Gloria Urbina

May 21, 2008

I broke my collarbone in a car accident 3/18 and finally had surgery on 5/13 TWO whole months later! My surgery consisted of donated ligaments to replace mine and tie the bone back into place. I have a bit of pain and hardly have any movement im on a sling type thing that goes across my chest and doesnt allow much movement. how do i releive the pain besides the meds? and other than ice paks?? Also, what should i be aware of in regardsd to complications and how long should i expect of healing time? Also, i am not yet able to sleep on my back and have to propped by pillows to sit up. this is horrible………… arm has been on a sling daily for 2 months! How do i keep from crampimg up???? and not hurting myself?

Richard

May 15, 2008

Hello Jessica, I dont know how old you are, but read my post above yours, may be it will give you some tips. I’m 43, and after 7 weeks, like you it was not healed at all, it took 5-6 months to heal, but it did finally… you have to be patient, I know what your going through. I missed the whole snowboard season also, and to make things even worst we never had so much snow up here in southern Quebec…well…I watched videos, the whole 5 seasons of “six feet under” …. good luck !

jessica

May 14, 2008

Well it has been 7 weeks since my accident and there is still non-union in the two ends. my doc says 99 percent of people heal naturally and I am unlucky. I don’t understand because I am really really healthy and sportive!!! It makes me so sad when I saw my friends collar bone heal after 5 weeks and he was bloody drinking everyday. So I guess in the ‘Caveman’ times I would of been eaten by the others.
Anyway today my surgeon told me he wants to take a bone graft from my hip and plate it with my collar bone. I am so upset that I can’t climb this summer my life is so boring without my snowboarding or climbing. Its going to be my first surgery and belive me I am sooooo scared.
I just hope its true what they tell me that I will be fully recovered after 3 months and will be able to snowboard off cliffs again and climb to the top of mountains. It seems that everybody’s body reacts to surgery different. My friend broke his back and a bunch of other bones and was skiing 8 months after, the doc was Shocked. I had a classic collar break and could be looking at the same time of recovery….crazy. I am just wondering if the bone is growing no ‘call’ hows a piece of my hip going to fix that?

Richard

April 29, 2008

How I manage to heal my broken clavicle that didn’t want to heal…
( I’m french, so sorry if sometimes my english is weird )
I broke my right clavicle when someone opened his car door while I was riding my bicycle on a busy street. The doctor told me that since the two pieces of bone were in contact with each other I wouldn’t need an operation. I had to wear the sling, and everything, I was very careful and even slept on a lazy boy for a few weeks ( I dont know how I managed to do that…pain killers probably helped a lot ) because I wasn’t able to lie down on a bed without feeling my bones moving… scary ! So after 3 months my doctor started talking about non-union and having an operation, when I asked him why it was not healing he said that he didn’t know, and that I was part of the unlucky 5% that didn’t heal by itself. Oh, and I also had a capsulite on my right shoulder, so I was very depress to hear that, but most of all I was surprise how the doctor seemed not interested in knowing why there was so less calcium on the fracture site…I WANTED TO KNOW ! so I went to see a naturopath, she looked at my diet, I had pretty much the same for many years, and we found out that it was waaay too acid ! orange juice every morning, tomato sauce many times a week, a lots of dessert (almost every meal ) and when you have too much acid on your system, the only way your body can sponge it, is with calcium you have in your body… so all my calcium was use to absorb all the acidity, and that’s why there was not much calcium on my broken collarbone. Dalam ! I changed my diet, and 3 months later I had a ct scan of my clavicle and the doctor said “well, it’s 80% healed, and you won’t need an operation ! “…. It was a wonderful day ! oh, and apart from the diet, I also saw an homeopath who prescribed me Symphytum 200k for my bone, and Arnica 10m for my shoulder, I also took a calcium, magnesium and vitamin D supplement ( all liquid, because it’s more easily absorbed). I hope this will help someone who has an non-union also… before going to an operation, you should investigate more, because sometimes doctors are not realy interested in knowing why it’s not healing, they just want to send you to the operation table…but for me, the less you get cut in your life, the best it is…

alan

April 26, 2008

i broke my collar bone in late december, non union, am using ebi bone stimulator. still in pain and on medication, cannot lift. has anyone used the ebi unit and had positive results? am concerned that operation will be required.

Others here have left comments about using the bone stimulator and having positive results. I’ve only heard positive to neutral comments and none negative about the device. I would think that since there isn’t anything negative it’s worth the effort.

Hans

Jessica

April 21, 2008

Hi
I broke my collar bone (classic break} Doc said should heal no problem with my figure 8 sling. It has been 1 month and the x ray looks the same as it did 3 weeks. Now the doctor is saying maybe I should consider surgery. I can move my arm a lot more than I could before, The bump tenting my skin is not as sharp so I was hoping that it was healing naturally but a bit longer than most. My life is climbing, snowboarding and surfing so having surgery is not really what I want. Has anybody else had this happen?

Thanks for any help or peace of mind

Jessica

Sounds like what a lot of people go through. Reading through past comments here you will find stories just like yours. Since you are so active it might be worthwhile to consider surgery. Just realize that you will be recovering from that for a bit of time also. So make sure you get more than one doctor’s opinion about your injury and surgery recommendations.

Hans

Carl

March 27, 2008

I broke my collarbone 2 weeks ago playing soccer.
The doc said it’s healing up well but i have a jaggered bone edge poking the skin where the bone splintered.
He mentioned a bone shaving operation if it keeps bothering me… i just hope a callus rounds the edge off, it’s very uncomfortable

Rebecca Hess

March 27, 2008

I have a mid-shaft displaced right (dominant) clavicle fracture since January 7, 2008. Bones are still not healed. There may be more conservative treatment that can be done yet, but I also may be looking at surgery (plate and screws) if I want to get it fixed. I am worried about a brachial plexus injury and impairment of function in my right hand from the surgery. Anyone have any comments on that? Also, has anyone elected to just live with a symptomatic non-union? Thank you.

scott

March 10, 2008

Hey all,
Great site. Broke my left clavicle on Feb 21, while skiing, overlapping, medium break and some tenting. Go back today (3/10) for my 2nd Xray. I hope there is healing going on. I work as a fire fighter, but my main concern is triathlons. I have been able to ride, starting 3 days after, and run, starting 1 week. Now over 2 weeks out most of the pain is gone and I can hold my handlebars w/ both hands and running up to an hour is not too bad. My triathlon buddy who is an ER Doc. said 4 weeks for swimming. There is a ton of info about clavicle breaks and sports, but very litle about swimming after a break. Anyone have experience or can offer a timeline for when to resume swimming?
I am able to lift my arm straight up over my head, but can not bring it into a stream line positon yet. Still concerned about the strain the clavicle will endure when I swim.
Scott

jon

March 2, 2008

yeah im 15 and i broke my collar bone when i was 14 mine was sticking up.. when i broke it it didnt hurt at all it just burned then after a while i started to go into shock because i didnt know what happened for three months i had to wear a brace to keep my shoulder back it was the worst thing i have ever had to do

Dave Albright

February 18, 2008

I fell in a snowboarding accident 3 days ago and discovered this site while self-diagnosing on the internet last night. I’m not sure what the extent of my injury is. There’s a “knob” sticking up from my shoulder, that doesn’t match the other side, but it’s not ridiculously big. I’ve got a lot of range of motion and not a tremendous amount of discomfort. I don’t think it’s just swelling, since it isn’t soft. From all the messages above, I’m wondering if there’s any point in me going to the doc. I’m keeping it immobilized for the most part by using pain as my guide (i.e., I’m trying not to do anything to make it worse). Is there some reason to have a doc tell me to do what I’m already doing?

Also, does the lump EVER go away? Or at least recede a little bit?

Could anything other than a break still create lump?

The only way to know if you broke the bone is to see a doctor and have an x-ray. The “knob” might just be swelling. Or it’s the broken end of the bone sticking up.

The lump formed by a broken collar bone will sometimes recede over time. I still have a small lump and it has been a few years.

With a basic broken collar bone it seems like visiting a doctor just ends up being a waste if you already know how to deal with the injury. But, it’s always better to have a qualified person examine your injury and give a proper diagnosis.

Hans

Robin Lukens

February 18, 2008

I broke my left Clavicle 6 months ago, in a motorcycle wreck. It was a pretty good break (2 places), and significantly displaced, yet to my surprise, my doc ASSURRED me that it would heal just fine on its own. Well….here I am, 6 months later, scheduled for surgery on March 7. There has been no sign of the bone healing or “Bridging” as the MRI results read. The MRI also revealed a decent sized gap between the 2 pieces of the bone. My big decision now is where to get the bone for the bone graft that will be required. The doc gave me 2 options. Bone from the bone bank, or bone taken from my hip. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The biggest drawback I can see to using bone from my own hip, is the pain! Does anyone have any thoughts or input about which is better? How painful will the hip be afterwards???

I have not undergone a bone graft. But here are the things I have heard about the process:

1. Your body may reject the material from a bone bank since it’s not from your own body.
2. The procedure to extract the bone material (marrow mush not hard bone) from your hip isn’t that extreme and recovery and pain is minimal.

There’s also a third option which involves using a small amount of your own blood mixed together with hydroxyapatite. This “bone meatball” is then placed in the area of the break to help stimulate the growth. You might ask your doctor about that option.

Hans

Y.A.Brownson

January 16, 2008

It’s me again,
3 months after my accident (broke mine in late sept of ’07), I had another xray done showing some fuzzy bone growth around the break area. It is true that xray improvement lags behind actual improvements, because physically at this point I am already back to my regular gym and real life activities with little or no discomforts.
I do believe I can blame my delay of healing to the fact that I wasn’t allowing my clavicle to be as immobilized as it should have been.
Oh well.. live and learn, eitherway, I am just hoping in 2 months from now the doctor will say that my bone has finally grown back. if not, I am very fortunate to have all my arm movement as well as my pre-injury days…
good luck to all,

Richard

December 10, 2007

Hi everyone. Thanks for all the great info. I broke my right clavicle 2 days ago. Before I read these posts I rarely had my arm in the sling, but now it’s going to stay there religiously!
I’m just curious if you guys sleep or shower with your arm immobilized?
I don’t have any trouble sleeping on my back but I’m curious as to whether it’s healthy to do so within the first few weeks?
Thanks again for all your help and I wish you all the best of luck.
God bless!

Y.A. Brownson

December 5, 2007

Liam, thanks for the well wishes. I do hope the same for you.
fortunatelly you’re much younger than I am and I am sure you’ll heal at a faster rate than me. My advice for you is to listen to your doctor, rest and keep your clavicle immobilized as much as possible. Also to do all the exercises once the doctor clear you. Hang in there and drink your milk.
I do believe I wont have to make up my mind about surgery until next month, i am hoping by then my bones are fused back enough(whether union/non union)to allow me to do all my activities w/ the same intesity prior to breaking it.
once again good luck to all, keep up the positive attitude toward healing

liam nelson (14)

December 5, 2007

hi hope u get well soon but the funy thing is that i broke my collar bone on the same side playin rugby. U got any tips to help. how long do u think it would take to heal

Y.A.Brownson

November 28, 2007

I posted 2 weeks ago above.
This morning had my 2 month dr. visit.
New xrays show the bones still not fusing.
I started doing light weight lifting and told the doctor that my shoulder would throb and get unusually sore afterwards and I can still feel the bones moving indipendently.
I think I didn’t keep myself immobilized in the first month after the break and now I am paying for it. Looks like surgery is more and more a reality for me.
I can live with the condition now, but I don’t think i’ll be able to resume my daily activities as I once before. Hence I would elect to get my condition fixed via surgery.
So now, I’m just waiting for the doctor to consult w/ his partners about my situation. In addition, i have another appt for a 2nd opinion w/ a different specialist early next month.
i can’t wait to be done w/ this…
thanks to all who have shared on this page

susan

November 22, 2007

Midori,
I heard that depending on where on the collarbone the break is, it is possible for the doctor to actually remove the extreme end of the clavicle, when it is a distal fracture. The doctor said she would have to measure carefully and look at the cat scans, but it is a lot easier to implement than the plate and screws, especially at that location. Has anyone heard of this approach?
I am now at 11 weeks, doing the bone stim, and going back in 2 weeks for another xray. I am hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

Midori

November 20, 2007

It has been 3 months since I broke my clavicle and the doctor has declared it a non-union. This despite the fact that I approached my healing like a job, wearing the sling 24/7, taking calcium supplements, etc.
My advice to anyone with a distal clavicle fracture is to insist on surgery (especially if the fracture is significantly displaced). Doc has advised that surgery now will involve bone grafts, recovery will take 3 to 4 months and my injured shoulder will end up narrower and lower than the non-injured shoulder. I asked the doc if a pin could be used instead, but was told that the pin is only effective on fractures of the mid clavicle. So only treatment offered is the plate and screw, which my doctor said will likely protrude through my skin.

Mark

November 15, 2007

Great site Hans. Wish I had found it sooner. Broke the right clavicle in 1993 I believe, over the handle bars on the mountain bike trying to do a little trick I had already done twice. Three is a charm you know. Complete break, figure 8 sling (hated it) bone moved a lot now have good sized knot that the orthopod said sure he could remove it…with a hammer and chisel. Fast forward to 2003 on the road bike, me and a buddy on what was supposed to be an easy day. He was in front I was tucked in behind when he pointed at the shoulder of the road and you guessed it, I looked and then went down. It took every bit of 1/2 of a nanosecond. I jumped up and said, well ya’ll know what I said. My freakin left shoulder this time. And yes my friends it hurts more and takes longer to heal the older you get. This time the break was hairline and not jagged. With percocet, minimal movement, and time, both bikes and me are back on the road and in the woods. Not racing anymore and a little more careful, but tickled-to-death just to be able to ride at all. As Team Cruel and Unusual always says: “Maybe this time the whole damn course won’t be uphill”. Do whatever it takes to keep the break from moving!! My right shoulder dropped and the shoulderblade protrudes out the back just enough to make sitting any length of time uncomfortable!! It also affects how a certain rib connects to the spine. I’ve learned how to “put it back” when it comes loose but have as yet not figured out how to prevent it from happening. peace&love

Linda Kamaila

November 14, 2007

Hi everyone. Reading all your broken collarbone stories really makes my heart go out to you – my husband just broke his and I can tell it is a painful and very inconvenient injury. I am amazed at the casual attitude of the typical ER doctor or even the typical orthopod. I’ve read every post on Hans’s excellent boards. Myself, I’m a pretty experienced masseuse and have been into naturopathy for years. When I read about all the muscle pain (and other pain) that you experience, even when the bone is healing, I just want to give everyone a little shoulder rub. We started massage on the very first day, on the opposite side of the body, which is of course very stressed by what happened to the other side! On Day 5, I was able to do effleurage (light massage) all around the break and put arnica oil on. Whether or not you’re a believer in massage (it stimulates nerves and blood flow to the skin at the very least), the skin itself needs stimulation and the pleasurable sensations help block some of the pain. My husband’s muscles were clearly close to spasm, obviously, as they tried to cope with the break, but he couldn’t feel them much, or only felt the whole shoulder hurting. He was more concerned about that sharp pains and so on. But, the muscles need some relief. We sat him backwards in a chair with his sling on, and massaged the back muscles and the pecs, also his upper arms (and armpits, with oil, to avoid the chafing). He feels much better in his resting position after massage, and he’s better able to do his little arm exercises (he’s getting the figure 8 today, we hope he’ll have more range of motion).
Anyway, try every modality you can! If you’re usually tough and not so into bodywork, maybe you can find a friend who will at least stroke the skin on that side of the body. The nerves in that region are not happy with the break, and I truly believe stimulating them at the surface (and the muscles) aids in the body’s calculations about healing. In week one, you’re waiting for what is essentially a big blood clot to form and solidify. By week two, fibrous materials starts to build in the clot, if things are going well. It really is based on fiber (fibrin) and the platelets will be too slick to build it quickly if you don’t have fiber in your diet. So in addition to your calcium (and a good source of protein), take your boron, try adding silicon and get some Vitamin D/sunshine – and fiber. Did you know that your body senses the levels of your calcium and sends out little cells to break down your bones if your levels aren’t high enough?
On the surgery side, we’ve been told there’s a great clavicle doctor at UCLA, but we’re hoping we don’t have to avail ourselves of him.

susan

November 13, 2007

Hi again. I went for the second opinion, and the doctor said the location of the break, the distal clavicle is very hard to heal and also hard to operate surgically since there is not much to attach it to and the plate has to go underneath the shoulder joint and then 8 weeks later, removed surgically from the position. Plus I would have to have the bone graft. Here’s my question. If anyone out there had a distal break and had surgery, what technique was used? Any one used a screw? Was anyone’s break so far over to the shoulder that the remaining part of the clavicle was actually removed and not reattached? Also, any great doctors out there in USA who you would recommend for surgery on distal clavicle?

Y.A.Brownson

November 12, 2007

Hi all,
28 yr old male here joined the BC club 6 weeks ago.
Thanks Han for providing us broken collarbone sufferers with this page.
here’s my story.
I broke my left clavicle while playing in a soccer game, got tackled hard from behind and landed on the left shoulder viciously. Needless to say, went to the emergency room a couple hrs after the incident for xrays and check up.
was sent home w/ a sling to wear.
the xray showed the broken bone in 2 pieces and overlapping, see my picture here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/17290950@N07/1989684460/
the first night I went to sleep ok, feeling a bit uncomfortable. btw, i almost passed out during the xray session in ER, that was probably the worst I felt during this whole ordeal.
the first week went by ok, felt burning sensation around the shoulder an arm of the broken side when I moved wrong. I think this was due to the jagged pieces irritating the muscle or meat around the broken area.
much of the same for the second and third week. had great arm movement already by the 10th day.
went back for a 2nd xray after 3 weeks and showing no bone fusing yet, only bone growth extending out of the broken ends (rounding out). No more burning sensation, only feeling of tightness in the morning when I woke up.
was able to go on a 15 day excursion to indonesia w/ my broken collarbone. which at this time I was able to leave the sling at home and let my left arm dangle free. No pain or discomfort.
had another xray done at 4-5weeks mark and still showing no signs of bone fusing together, just more rounding out of the broken bones.
I am now at six weeks mark and has been able to do pushups with feeling of pressure but no pain, the only thing cause me discomfort is doing dips. I have tried to do other light weight lifting, but has decided against it to let the bone rest some more. I have been jogging and resume to playing soccer again (very carefully). I have to say, I feel no pain but I can feel that my left clavicle are still in two pieces .
I can still feel them not fusing and floating around during certain movement with my left shoulder. when I probe with my fingers, I do feel a gelatenous/muscle like strands building in the area where the two bones are overlapped. I am hoping this is the fibrous bridging every article i’ve read is talking about.
at this point, it’s not the pain that’s killing me, but the thought of my bones of not fusing together (more of an emotional pain vs. physical pain). I think i’ve read every single article on the internet regarding broken clavicles.
somedays I feel really encouraged and somedays I feel realy bummed out. its tough to keep a positive outlook when you havent experience this and see it play out to the end before.
I don’t want surgery, but i do want my bones to fuse back up so it can be strong enough to do the stuff I use to do.
perhaps I am not being immobile enough to let the bones heal properly, but like most of you I am way too active to just sit still for the past 6 weeks or so. i am not sure if this no pain thing is helping my healing process.
I just wanted to share my story and perhaps someone went through the same thing I did and they can share their outcome.
ps. my gf is really tired of me keep talking about my collarbone, so I thought to share my concerns with those who is or have gone through the same thing.

COJ

November 11, 2007

My doctor says that a figure 8 brace will just cause more problems because the strap goes right over the break there fir he said they are a bad thing to were.

There are several types of figure-8 braces that allow for adjusting where the strap rests. It’s possible that the geometry of your break might hinder the use of a figure-8 brace. Or simply, the brace that your doctor has would not work. If your doctor feels it would not help your particular case and has made that decision honestly and without bias, then it’s good advice to follow.

Hans

susan

November 7, 2007

I broke my left clavicle 9 weeks ago bicycling, and as of now, the doctor is calling it a delayed union. I have been reading your site and realized how i did not get good advice from my doctor. He told me to take it easy, but i’m a busy 50 year old with lots of stuff going on, so i continued to do food shopping and driving and etc. The sling was pretty flimsy and no one suggested a figure 8. I am so bummed thinking about the ski trip to park city utah this february which looks increasingly dim. Tomorrow I am going to get a second opinion. The original doctor recommended a bone stim machine, so i was wondering if anyone had any positive experience with it and how long it took to start the healing? Also, has anyone with a delayed union at 9 weeks ended up fully recovered without surgery? What are the odds? I have some pain at the site, but mostly I have pain down my shoulder blades and my neck because of cervical arthritis. Last question, has anyone successfully used acupuncture to promote healing, or chinese herbs? Thanks so much for any feedback you can give me.

Susan

Second opinions are always good to have. Your first doctor’s recommendation is common. It seems broken collar bones just aren’t that interesting to docs.

There’s been a few reports that using a bone stimulator has helped. But it’s not a guarantee and insurance doesn’t always cover it.

There are many factors that can delay healing. Sadly, age is one of them. The teenagers that comment are usually healing in weeks. Where the rest of us, as we age, take longer. Grrr. But healing can occur over time. Although it’s just not possible to say when and if you will heal.

I can’t see why acupuncture wouldn’t be helpful to you. I don’t know if it would help the bones heal. But it can make you feel better by reducing tension and pain.

Increased calcium intake is something I hear consistently recommended. I haven’t heard anyone mention Chinese herbs. Maybe there’s a combination that can help. If you find one report back.

Hans

Leslie

October 17, 2007

OK, one last comment before I sign off.
This past weekend, I went on my first bike ride since my crash.
Yes, I was a bit nervous. I think the bike is fine since I was a good bike owner and took all the trauma to my shoulder. (I’m going to try to bring the bike in today to double check but it seemed to ride ok. The handlebar was bent inward a bit)
My first ride was with a good friend and I rode in front. 20 miles and no pain. The next day, I rode with a group of 5 others – all cyclists I’ve rode with before and totally trust. I got in various positions in a very loose pace line. Again, a bit nervous as the light this time of year is so tricky and there was fair amount of debris on the roads. Again, 20+ miles and no pain.
So – hang in everyone – but only with your non injured arm!
Leslie

Barry Friedman

October 14, 2007

One other note – if for some reason this EXCELLENT blog isn’t enough reading and you find yourself in search of even moe clavicle insight, I kept a very detailed account of my process (From Wreckage to Recovery) in a blog at: http://www.anniebarryzed.com/accident .
Barry

Barry Friedman

October 14, 2007

Following up with my post from April 14, 2007.
———-
I got the pin out on 10/12/07 and it feels just great. See the pictures right here. http://tinyurl.com/2dsys9
The surgery was a piece of cake. I got to the hospital around 8:15 AM and did all the pre-op stuff. Met the anesthesiologist who was going to put me out. Wheeled into the room and felt the second she added the good stuff into the mix because for about a minute, life is just pure magic. Man, if they could bottle that feeling and make it available at will, I can’t imagine we’d ever have another day of war.
The she showed me the stuff she was going to add in that was going to put me to sleep. I felt it going in and I thanked everyone and wished them good luck.
I started to panic a bit because I was still conscious and I was hoping they wouldn’t start the surgery while I was still awake. I told them my concerns, and then they kindly told me it was all over.
Good drugs!
So, as you can see by the pictures (http://tinyurl.com/2dsys9), it is very much out. I feel really good. The entry spot is a bit sore and I expect it will be for a couple of days. It’s been 2 days since the surgery and my wife removed the bandages today. I have about 5 stitches holding the incision closed.
So now it’s over.
What started as a great bike ride on 2/18/07 ended officially on 10/12/07 with the removal of the Rockwood Pin.
As a side note, I am so damn happy that my surgeon was able to use the pin. I have seen more x-rays of the plate/screw thing and it is just so cumbersome. I don’t know if it is always possible to use the pin, but I am a huge fan.
Happy healing everyone. Sorry we all had to meet this way 🙂
Barry

Leslie

October 6, 2007

Haven’t checked in for a while. God bless you for this site. It gave me hope, helpful advice, and encouragement (as well as entertainment) for that miserable first 2 weeks.
I am now at 5 weeks so here are my comments. Hope it helps someone else.
– Do your pendulum swings as instructed. That’s the circles you make just using gravity. I don’t think I lost ANY range of motion!
– If it’s a beastly hot summer – as some of you have indicated – baby powder under the arm, cold washclothing in between showers and cut vent holes in the sling. (Isn’t the design horrible!!)
– DON’T TAKE Ibubprofen or any NSAIDs. This is a relatively new finding. Apparently, it inhibits bone healing. This is tough one b/c I think we need the anti inflammatory as well as the pain killer. ICE is a God send. It really numbs the area and calms down the inflammation. I still use occasionally.
– Yes, increase Calcium and vitamin D (a tip I got from this website)
– Loved the suggestion about putting the shirt on the “bad” arm first, poking your head through the collar part and then inserting the good arm. Very very helpful!
– I was permitted to get on an exercise bike right away at the first visit (1 week later). I have a spin bike in my basement and can spin very well w/ one arm. I fact, I was pressed into teaching spin at 3 weeks! Still w/ one arm.
– Keep the exercise up – walking, spinning, stationary biking – it helps prevent weight gain and gives you back some of those precious endorphins that you are missing!
– After 3 weeks, I felt leaps of healing every morning. Some mornings, I still wake up w/ it aching. It does, however feel so wonderful to sleep on the side of the injury!
– On days that I “overdo” it – i.e. maybe lift things I shouldn’t, I get a pinching pain when I move the arm a certain way. In these cases, ice does the trick.
– My Doc did not have me wear the Figure 8 brace so I can’t comment on that.
Bottom line, I have missed the most gorgeous Sept in history! But, I see the Doc Wednesday and am hoping for that “get out of jail” card. All my friends are asking me when I can “come out to play”. I heard that the bump you get (from the bone callus) is permanent. Not too bad. When it gets more prominant, I apply ice. Usually, the soft tissue is inflammed.
Good luck, everyone!!!
Leslie

Midori

October 1, 2007

Hans, thanks for the input, but there is no overlap (quite the opposite: my bone snapped at about a 45 degree angle and has not changed significantly)…I am wondering if anyone experienced narrowing when there is no overlap?

Do you know if narrowing of the shoulder is temporary? For example, does wearing the sling for 5 weeks cause the deltoid muscle to tighten, and would this in turn lead to the shoulder narrowing? If this has happened to others, then would the shoulder return to normal width when the deltoid is rehabilitated?
Or am I just grasping at straws here?

All good questions that I don’t have answers for. They would be great to run past a doctor or physical therapist that specializes in athletes.

Hans

Midori

September 30, 2007

Joe, glad to hear that you are healed. Is your limited shoulder rotation/flexibility normal and meant to return to 100% with rehab? Or is it due to a malunion? You might want to try swimming to strengthen muscle and improve flexibility…the water buoyancy should let you strengthen without stressing it like pushups/weights. Freestyle would help improve range of motion. My doc recommended starting off with breast stroke, though he hasn’t cleared me to begin doing it yet.

If you find that you continue to have pain after doing all you can with rehab, don’t despair. My doc says you can have surgery, but I would exhaust all non-surgical avenues first, as surgery at this stage would be more invasive than if you’d gotten it immediately after the accident(eg grafts from hip to help stimulate bone growth in the clavicle, etc).

QUESTION: did you heal with one shoulder narrower than the other?

Mine hasn’t healed yet, and my left shoulder is now about half an inch narrower than my right shoulder. I’m worried how this might affect my swimming. To be honest, at this point, I’m regretting that I did not have surgery, but trying to keep hopeful.

This can occur for a few reasons. For example, when the ends of the bone overlap or the angle of the bone changes. I don’t know if the change in your geometry will affect your swimming. A physical therapist or ortho doc that specializes in sports would be someone to consult.

Hans

Joe

September 29, 2007

Thanks for the information Midori. I had a final X-ray which showed my clavicle was healed as far as bone formation. I had a single break in my right clavicle near the middle on roughly a 45 degree angle. My first X-ray showed the ends overlapped about halfway. Unfortunately, by the time the ends “stuck” they had shifted to where they barely overlapped. I think if they had shifted a bit more it would have been called a displaced fracture?
In hindsight, I wish I had gotten a 2nd opinion from another ortho. I think general ortho’s are very conservative, although they might be correct. My doctor was concerned about infection, nerve damage, and complications from hardware. I don’t think the average doctor is up on the new Basamania/Duke pin procedures. Maybe that technology will be commonplace in 10 years. Or maybe it has been oversold.
I also wish I had received a figure-8 brace to try. The cheap sling I was given was useless for me. It kept rotating and allowing my forearm to droop. I had more luck putting my thumb in between the buttons on my shirt to take weight off the shoulder area.
I’m fortunate in that I can do all the activities I did before the accident. On the other hand, I can still feel tightness in my shoulder if I do pushups. Strangely enough, I played tennis a couple times and can serve as hard as I want without any after effects. I can also get a slight knuckle cracking type of sound if I rotate my right shoulder in a full arc (like a fast pitch softball motion). My range of motion is fine for any normal activity but I can notice a difference between my arms. I can put my uninjured left arm behind my back and reach up and touch the back of my head with my index finger if I tilt my head back. My right side won’t even come close.
At my last visit the doctor said it might take up to a year for the new bone to fully harden. There seems to be a slight difference between healing and hardening. I’m over 40 so I’m sure I healed slower than a 20 something would. The pushup/bench press type of motion seems to put the most stress on a newly healed clavicle. Hopefully it will feel more comfortable as time goes on. I can do pull downs (lat machine) or pull back with heavy weights as well as I could before.
Sorry about the long post. This is a good site.

Midori

September 27, 2007

For those who have healed, did you get 100% shoulder rotation back? (Sorry for posting again, but am worried by some posts re: recovery.)

More “Broken Collar Bone” Articles

423 responses

Leave a Reply Cancel reply