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What to Expect From a Broken Clavicle

The following is a funny story sent to me by a rider that broke her collar bone while cycling. She found my site when searching for more information on training and recovery from the break.

Along with the story she mentions “I know it would’ve helped me alot if this information had been available when I was lost in the land of one arm. I have attached my ridiculously long account”. She then adds that I may post the story if I wish.

Well, I think it’s well worth posting. So here it is.

Enjoy.

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.

What to Expect From a Broken Clavicle

By Laura Erker

On March 23rd I had the exciting experience of breaking my left clavicle while riding my bike. I thought I’d put together a synopsis of what to expect so that anyone else can read and see what’s in store. If you’re reading this and you have broken you clavicle then get someone to run out to the store and get you some really good calcium. You should take 2000mg of calcium with 6mg of Boron a day! While they’re at it, have them pick you about four books to read and ten movies to go through. Further, a really funny account of the first five days with a broken clavicle can be found on line http://www.kurlancheek.com/clavicle.htm. Also, relax, it’s gonna be a while.

So, what happened? Good question, everyone has their own version of who is to blame and how it all went down. From my vantage point I only know that I was cruising along in a group, riding into a crosswind. Someone had the bright idea to put it in the gutter and everyone started fighting for wheels. Then, I heard some tires hit and “…zzt zzzt zzt crack crack crack”. The bike in front of me came to a screeching halt and as I hit my brakes I went into a skid that had my back wheel hit the back tire in front of me. Next thing I knew I was picking myself up off the ground and getting back on my bike. But, as I rode away I realized that something was very wrong. Not only was my left shoulder ON FIRE with pain but I could feel/hear a clicking there that could only be a broken bone. Deciding that I was not stupid enough to try to ride the remaining 25 miles with a broken bone I attempted to bring myself to a stop and threw my bike in the dirt glad to be rid of that infernal pain machine. The pain was so intense now that fainting was the only possibility. But, I had to wait to lose all consciousness until I could hail down an ambulance, cab, person! I could see a group of cars a mile away down the road at the site of the crash, where I should have stayed. Well, hindsight is always 20/20. I hailed the ambulance like a cab and crawled in just in time to faint. I was then transferred to another ambulance and so began my new adventure into a one-armed existence.

The emergency room was exciting and the staff was very generous. All in all, a three hour affair in the door and out. It ends up I broke the distal third of my collar bone. However, getting a hold of someone to pick me up became a new challenge. I didn’t have my cell phone with me and not knowing any phone numbers I had to go on the internet to get the number of my team director, Chris Evertsen. Chris or an official was able to relate to my husband where I was located and he headed off to get me. After sitting in the emergency entrance for hours, seeing my husband come through the door of the emergency room was one of the happiest moments of my life!

Week 1 (This is movie week)

One quickly learns that it is a two-armed world out there and this will not make your broken clavicled life any easier. But, on with life.

Killing the pain. First, let’s discuss the power of alchohol. Through the ages this fine substance has been used to dull the pain of many a fallen soldier. Seeing myself as such, I broke into the whiskey with wild abandon. Choosing Jack Daniels’ as my personal “fav’ I set out to imbibe. If you dose this correctly you won’t have to pick up your prescription vicadin. Careful to drink a glass of water for each alcoholic drink so you avoid hangovers.

Dressing, this becomes a new adventure. You must keep your hurt shoulder extremely still. This means that the arm attached to it is completely useless. If you are a woman then forget the bra. If you must have a bra get someone you “trust’ to put your most comfortable one on and realize you will be wearing this item for at least two or three days. Unable to work out how to get a t-shirt on I tried my shirts that button up. You soon come to realize that buttons are not an option. Ok, back to regular shirts. I could get large t-shirts on by feeding the sleeve of the bad arm over my useless hand up to my armpit and then carefully pulling it over my head and then putting my functional arm in the other arm hole. Getting the t-shirt off again is usually a two-person project. Forget tying shoelaces or wearing tight pants, they become the enemy.

Sleeping. Most certainly, one must avoid, at all costs, rolling onto the affected shoulder during the first week. This will wake you up in just as much pain as the day you crashed. I found that propping pillows all along the length of my body helped to reduce unwarranted movement. I slept a lot, there wasn’t much else to do. But, this doesn’t really matter, as dressing, eating, and drinking will take about 5 times longer than usual, so I filled my day accordingly.

Book read: Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Movies watched: a lot!
Alcohol consumption: can’t accurately remember :’)

Week 2

Now I was really starting to feel better, less pain in the shoulder and I could use my hand a bit. But my shoulder turned a pallid green. The bruising is disgusting and continued to creep down my torso for another week. But, since I only owned three t-shirts that I could manage to pull over my arm and head I just continued with the same state of affairs. It was about now that I realized I only had one thing to do to entertain myself!go to work. So, off I went arm in sling. I had only two things on my “to do” list each day. These items were usually something that would normally take me about an hour. Not now, I could spend all day working on simple problems. I had to get people to open the freezers for me and handle mice etc! But I got to talk with everyone at work quite a bit :’). I’d be able to work about 6 hours maximum a day before I completely cracked. This is when I learned to value of ibuprofen! One little pill can take a cranky/pained Laura and turn her into a working machine for about 2 more hours, lovely.

Comraderie. It was now that I learned that walking around in a sling attracts a lot of attention. People have to comment. They can’t help it.

“Fall off a bar stool?”
“Boy, broken collar bone, that’s the worst!”

I quickly pointed out that being on fire would probably be worse, but ok it’s nice to know people care.

I also learned that other injured people are most certainly your friend. You have to ask them what they did, and if they have a good left arm then you always ask if you could borrow it, or something corny like this. But, it’s fun.

I also started to get on the bike at the gym around this time. According to one man, I was great inspiration working out with my sling on. Well, I’d surely give up my inspiration status to use my left arm again, buddy! I went home suddenly after some of these visits to the gym because I would try to do too much and BLAM, pain again. Don’t do sit ups.

Doctor visit. It was mid-week that I was able to go and see a doctor. I sat there for about an hour just to get a referral to an orthopedist. Once I got in to see the nurse she looked straight at me (let me remind the reader that I was wearing my left arm in a sling and was covered with a big green bruise that covered my arm and torso)!

“So, what is your problem, today?”
“I have a broken clavicle and need to be referred to an orthopedist”
“Which arm is broken?”
(again, I remind the reader that my left arm was is a sling)
“My left arm”
“Okay, and what are you doing for it?”
I point to the sling, flabbergasted.
“When did it happen?”
“One week ago” I replied.
Surprised, “And you haven’t been in to see a doctor yet?”
“Well, no, I was just starting to feel like I could venture out of my “healing cocoon’.”
“Alright, let’s get you an appointment. Right, so the soonest our orthopedist can see you will be April 22nd.”
“That’s in three weeks! I have a broken bone. Isn’t there something sooner?”
“There isn’t really anything we can do for that, do you have any ibuprofen?”

Eventually I got x-rayed and was told to come back in three weeks.

Book Read: Second Foundation, Isaac Asimov

Week 3

I felt the same as Week 2 but was able to get on the trainer with my sling. I got a workout regimen from Hans Kellner on line. Very nice guy, who broke his clavicle a while back, you can go to !

Hans Kellner Dot Com :: Broken Clavicle No More

The training regimen consists of workouts broken up by Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3. Wow, I thought, this guy was training at week 1. Well, straight onto the trainer then, let’s get to work. Ends up, “Week 1” should be approached more as “the first week he began training after the break”. Holding my entire upper body up on my bike trainer with just my right arm was another challenge I hadn’t anticipated. I pushed through it. Also, it seems it only took Hans three weeks to recover, that’s only as long as his workout regimen was. Excellent, I’ll only be on the trainer for one week! This is great. Again, it ends up the three week training regimen can be repeated ad infinitum until you heal, just a little heads up.

Pit of Despair. This probably only applies to women. I could not shave the injured arm’s pit! This was horrible and I began to refer to this area of my body as the “pit of despair”. This is when you realize the ultimate greatness of the Mach 3 razor. You can literally shave without lifting your arm! Well lift it as much as you can. Good luck girls!

Book read: Swimming Across by Andrew Grove

Week 4

Having contracted some kind of horrible cold (which I affectionately call “the snot blanket”) I was unable to sleep at night or workout. I fell into a depressive mood. Out of desperation I rode my bike on the road for one hour and ended up hurting it again. This is when I completely cracked under the strain of heading out into the world each and every day facing new painful challenges. I was tired of it. I wanted just one day where I didn’t have to struggle to get my clothes on or sleep! I felt that no one could possibly understand the pain I was going through. It was during this time that a friend and coworker died in a tragic car accident. Suddenly I found myself very appreciative of my situation. I was alive, fairly healthy and had people that loved me.

Back to riding, I found that I couldn’t reach the handlebars with my bad arm until the end of Week 4, this may be because I had a distal break, but I don’t know. I just kept focusing on my appointment with the doctor and the x-ray machine. He would certainly tell me that I was completely healed and I could resume my life again. Alas, it was not to be, the x-ray looked the same as the day I broke my arm. Well, I headed back home to cry, pulled myself together, bought a year’s supply of calcium and vowed not to drink any alcohol until I was better and healed! I hear alcohol can reduce your healing abilities. Also, when you break a bone you should take 2000mg of calcium a day with 6mg of Boron.

This was the week that I talked with Dr. Allan Richberg, also a cyclist. He informed me that seeing no healing after four weeks was normal for a 30 year old. This greatly lifted my spirits! He talked with me for a good 30 minutes on what to expect from my injury. He informed me that if you ride in the early healing stages of a broken clavicle you will most probably put a rib into your lung if you crash. This was alarming, why didn’t my doctor tell me this. Thanks Allan!

Book read: Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Doug Adams

Week 5

My arm started to feel a lot better now. I could lift it over my head! Also, I could start driving my car with two hands. This was great! I started really riding the trainer a lot and was able to just get my left hand up to the bars comfortably and put a little weight on it. I did seven hours on the trainer this week, good for me. Whoever thought I’d be riding my trainer so much in So Cal with it sunny and 80F outside!

Book read: Finished Hitch Hiker’s Guide

Week 6

I risked a ride on the road, against the doctor’s orders and found that my arm was ok. Whew!

Book read: Sequel to Hitch Hiker’s guide “Restaurant at the End of the Universe” by Doug Adams

Week 7

Now I am back to riding 3 times a week and really enjoying it. My body sure is tired though.

Book read: Finished Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Doug Adams

Week 8

I have an appointment with the doctor to get x-rayed again. Keep your fingers crossed. I am really looking forward to racing and just glued my ksyriums with the help of the best husband in the world, Jacob Erker.

Book read: Started Ringworld by Larry Niven

More “Broken Collar Bone” Articles

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

May 20, 2004

Cycling, Racing

Clavicle, Collarbone, Cycling, Health

759 responses

jenn kaylen

August 7, 2006

im all healed up folks! back to hockey and all other sprorts for me!
thanx for all the support youve given me!!! i will highly reccomend this site to any other people i know who break their collarbone!!

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Lee

August 6, 2006

Hello. i came across this website and its been some helpful. I was in an accident on july 11th and the doc’s put me in a sling. 3 days later i saw another doc for a follow up and he said come back in a week. I saw another doc’s, she listen, nodded her said, like the doctor before and gave me more prescriptions. two weeks later on Aug 2nd, i saw another doctor, i got x-ray’s done and the bone is still broken. She also said i should have been wearing the figure-8 brace. I am now wearing it, im waiting for an appointment to see a bone doctor. the break has sharp ends and is kinda broken at an angle. i feel a bump, i was wondering if in another 2 weeks my bones will join together. i have movement now and feel alot better than week 1-2 1/2. i stopped wearing my sling last week, cuz it felt better without it, the aches and muscle cramps stopped. i read different stories on different types of collar bone injuries, i wasnt sure what kind of break mine was and if was normal, the doc’s im see dont really give a straight answer. thanks..lee

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Hans

July 28, 2006

Philip – Ouch, those two words “wet” and “criterium” make my hair stand up. Crits are bad enough with dry conditions.
Sorry to tell you but it’s impossible to say whether you will form a union or not. There are so many variations of the injury. And then there are factors such as your age, how you manage your recovery, and list goes on. I do recommend a second opinion. With this type of injury there’s wide range of recommendations from doctors. Some will recommend wearing a sling and nothing else. Others will want to operate. Be sure to have a thorough list of questions ready when you meet with your doctor. Ask why the doctor recommends a sling vs surgery. Also, explain your expectations for recovery, that you are an active person and need full use of the shoulder. Finding a doctor that has treated athletes and understands their needs it very helpful.

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Philip Jones

July 28, 2006

I suffered a comminuted displacement of my clavicle six weeks ago following a crash in a wet criterium. My latest x-ray shows no signs of bone growth or union. The end of the break is also really sharp where I was expecting a callus to be forming. My consultant wants to see me again in 6 weeks for another x-ray. I was wondering what the chances are of me getting union on the fracture? I do have private medical insurance so is it worth me getting a second opinion?

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Barbara Langston

July 25, 2006

What a great group of enlightened collarbone-trashers! I originally broke my right collarbone (and three ribs) by falling off my horse — had to walk out with my arm hanging limp for 3 miles. An ambulance took me to a large suburban hospital. The bones were crossed over by about 5 cm (learned later that’s too much) but the MD said they would heal like that and did not set the break.
It’s now three years later. For more than a year I haven’t been able to sleep on eihter side, my shoulder is acting strangely and I am unable to swim without turning in a circle to the right. I found an orthopedist who told me the bones were completely separated, no healing had taken place, one was about to puncture my right lung and my shoulder joint showed strain. Plus, in the past three years quite a bit of the bone had been reabsorbed, with too little bone to set without a bone graft. I had my surgery 10 days ago; besides a stainless steel plate and 7 large screws I had bone taken from my hip (iliac crest) and the golf ball sized graft should get this job done once and for all. But I’m in a sling for about 3 months so the graft can take hold and I have a very sore hip. Kayaking – I love ocean kayaking – is out of the question for 4 months. Because I take prednisone and another immune altering drug for a chronic disease it will take longer to heal.
The upside is I have super pain tolerance and can ignore it most of the time.
I offer sympathy to those who had other breaks – a sling and a cane (temporary) is all I can handle.

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Mark M

July 11, 2006

Hi – well, I’m laying here watching the Tour with a package of frozen squash on my left shoulder and typing with only one hand – Yep, I guess I’ve joined the club, broke my clavicle yesterday.
here’s how it went: just 1/2 mile before the end of a beautiful 45 mile ride on a beautiful day I was flying down my final hill and around a curve to the right . Going about 32 mph I hit gravel – I was caught off guard as I usually expect sand in that corner, there were no cars in the left lane so I swung wide to the left fairly well leaned over – but it seems that I hit some gravel in the left lane – I felt the rear end going out so I corrected – but – I guess my speed was too much… remember
Joseba Beloki’s horrific crash a few years ago? That’s what it seemed like as my bike flip-flopped left to right – -that’s about all I remember… next thing I was standing in the road as a super-kind local in a pickup pulled up behind me. Right away I knew, my left collarbone was broken, it ached and I could clearly feel one part overlapping the other – Damn! I’ve never broken a bone before… Now I know what those poor souls sitting on the curb during the Tour felt… I could not even conceive of getting back on and riding.
So the good samaritan drove me and my bike down to a park at the end of the road and a cop and ambulance he had already dialed were there within a minute – off to the ER – my account there would sound just like everybody else’s – 5 hours later I was discharged with a bag full of spare dressings and a perscription for Percoset…
in my case, the road rash is a bit worse, a great gash and scrape up my nose and my forehead, scraped knees, elbow, shoulder and a bruised hip.
and yes, of course, the first question is; did you have a helmet on? – if I didn’t, I’d probably be at my own funeral today. I hit my head pretty hard and smashed my helmet – so hard that my head is bruised and cut under the impact point. The helmet looks like it had gravel shot at it out of gun, and the styro inside is cracked completely (I can’t wait to send it back to Giro with a thank-you note) – as well I opened up a scar that I had on my head from my last bike accident – when I was 7 years old! helmets didn’t exist then (I’m 46 now)
I’ve got an appt with an orthapedist in 2 days, but it doesn’t sound like there’ll be much to learn that you all haven’t helped out with already. And I agree, the worst part is that I’m off the bike for weeks during the best riding weather here in southeast Mass.
Thanks all, for a great page and the tip on Calcium.

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Hans

July 8, 2006

Dave – Yes, it’s amazing immediately after an injury how well our adrenaline masks pain and injuries :’)
The good thing about your xray was that it showed the bones touching. That’s a lot better than seeing the bones drifting apart. The closer the ends of the bones the better chance for them to fuse back together. And, yes, the fibrous material doesn’t show on the xray.
You are very lucky that you get to use a bone stimulator. There are good reports from the use of the device. Sadly, it’s hard to get covered by insurance so doctors don’t prescribe it.
I would recommend being careful that you don’t push it when do your exercises. It’s easy to get to a point where things feel great but internally your collar bone is still healing. No reason to set yourself back now. If you aren’t using a stationary bike I would recommend that for recovery. Low impact and you can get a great workout.
———————————————————
Jenn – As I mentioned to Dave above, a stationary bike is a great low impact workout. Or the elliptical trainer is also good.
As for the popping, that might be the soft tissue. For example, a ligament or muscle popping around the collarbone. Mine popped with different movements for a long time. But it gradually went away. Oh, light massage helps to loosen/relax the muscles and tissue around the injury. That really helped during recovery.

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Jenn Kaylen

July 8, 2006

Yeah… I need some exersizes too. Starting to feel like I could run for miles and never get tired at this point. Its almost week three and i don’t need my sling or immobilizer anymore, but it sill hurts and sometimes will pop [into place and out of place] if I move it a certain way, especaily upwards. Is this normal?

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Dave

July 7, 2006

Same story as Jenn – Checked into the boards one month ago while playing hockey and broke my distal right clavicle. Strange thing was, when I was testing my arm immediately after the injury I had full range of motion and at the ER the doc said the arm was fine based on strength/ROM tests. The pain, deformity of shoulder, and “crunch” that I heard when hit prompted an xray, which showed the break.
I have gradually been regaining pain-free use of the right arm. Stopped wearing the brace between weeks 2-3, once it was pain-free and felt stable. Went back for a checkup with my sports med doc today. He gave me range of motion (ROM) tests and strength tests and said that both arms are equally strong. Unlimited ROM on the right (broken) side. Based on this exam, he said I could go back to upper body weight training and sports (yeah!).
Just to be sure, he also gave me an xray. According to the xray, there is limited healing (the bones are slightly offset vertically, but still touching, no change from initial xray). I know that fibrous material doesn’t show up well on xrays, so perhaps this is why the bone is stable yet looks similar to a fresh break?
I’m supposed to get treatment with a bone stimulator starting next week. I have been taking multi-vitamins as well as calcium and vitamin D supplements. I do stationary bike workouts and lower body weight training to maintain fitness.
Any advice as far as other stuff I should be doing? The doc said that I can do whatever I want as far as rehab goes as long as it isn’t painful or heavy weights. Anyone have some favorite rehab exercises?

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Jeff

July 7, 2006

Wow- too many similar stories. I’m 47 yo and broke my collarbone (CB) and shoulder blade (SB) a week ago today while riding my time trial bike in preparation for Nationals. Anyway, the CB was broken in the middle with a complete separation. The Dr. tells me the middle breaks heal more easily than end breaks and usually don’t require surgery. The pain was incredible. 4 mg of Dilaudid (synthetic morphine but more powerful !) barely controlled the pain the first day. 2nd day was painful but I even went to a swim meet by taking 2 mg of Dilaudid. 3rd day I was back at work at my desk job although I do have to be on tv several times per day which was a bit tough to move around without showing too much pain. It is amazing the difference in treatments depending on the Dr. Mine told me I could do whatever I wanted as long as I could stand the pain. He even said I could get back on the bike immediately although he cautioned against falling so I think I will stick to the trainer for a while. I was going to say sleeping is the worst but sneezing is the worst followed closely by sleeping. I am in a figure of 8 brace all the time but only use a sling at night to prevent unintentional movement. I have been on just ibuprofen since day 3 and other than the occasional sharp pain when the bones grate together (I can still hear them clicking) the pain is generally quite manageable. Actually, other than those sharp pains, the CB doesn’t hurt much at all anymore while the SB has more of a dull to moderate ache more frequently. You should of course follow your Dr’s orders, but I can tell you, with just the “8” brace and no sling I can function much more easily than before. I generally move the injured arm just from the elbow down but that gives me 1 and a half arms versus just 1, which is SOOOO much easier. I even got myself dressed today including shirt and tie !. I sure hope my bones fuse together eventually because after reading some of your stories I don’t want to go through surgery. I also wonder if my movement is hindering my healing but I have to trust my Dr. I think I will start on the trainer tomorrow !

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Mary

July 6, 2006

Jon,
Thank you for responding. The surgery was 03/22/06 and by 04/10/06 I felt great and my Dr. allowed me to return to work as long as I did therapy 3 times a week. The scar was healing nicely (cut from neck to shoulder) and range of motion was good. I am left-handed, so that made a difference for me. Dr. told me to do what I could tolerate and if it hurt, don’t do it. Everything was going along fine….then I got into another accident on 05/20/06 (not driving this time either) anyway, my first concern was the clavicle…X-rays showed that their was no damage to the clavicle at all. This was good news, as my right wrist was shattered and now has matching plates and screws. Went to the Dr. that did surgery to have clavicle checked out and prepare for the wrist surgery. He said that the clavicle was fine and at the time, there was very little protrusion and no pain. About 1 1/2 weeks ago, the scar became very sore and even clothing touching it makes it feel as though it is on fire and it is very red now. Then it started protruding more. I never felt the screws until then. It feels as though I have my shoulder scrunched up in a shrugging position all the time. I have seen other entries besides yours that mention having the plate removed at a later date. Do you know if this is a common practice? My Dr. said that mine will stay in permanently, that is why I am concerned. Before the surgery he said that if my body rejected the plate, they would remove it and take a bone from my lower leg to replace it. I have had 6 surgeries in the past 10 months and I am not eager to undergo another one. I hope you fully recover quickly and with no complications.

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jon

July 5, 2006

Mary:
Im sorry to hear that. I too had surgery with plate and screws done in May 2006. I am feeling pretty good and I have only been recovering for 7 weeks. Do you recall anything you may have done that caused it to protrude? As for you feeling the plate and screws, I am told that this is common. I can feel the edge of my plate and it is quite visible. My Doc didn’t seemed concerned about it and it really doesn’t bother me. If everything heals up nicely I can have the plate removed in 18 months. My next question is were you told to resume normal activities by the doc before you noticed the protrusion? Also how long was your recovery time? I hope everything works out for you. If you feel something is wrong, do whatever you can to get an earlier doctors appointment. Two months away is totally unacceptable. Good luck and take care

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Mary

July 5, 2006

Hello all! Broke my left clavicle in a motorcycle accident in August of 2005. Finally had surgery in March of 2006. Plates and screws. All went well until about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Now everything is protuding and you can see the screws through the skin and feel the plates. I seem to have lost some range of motion again also. Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Called Dr., but first available appt. isn’t until Sept. 25th. It just makes me nervous, and doesn’t look that great either.

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Michele Berg

July 5, 2006

3 weeks ago yesterday I broke my right clavicle while sword-fighting. I play in a group of medieval re-enactors (we use rattan swords, a kind of bamboo, not real steel). I’m a very petite lady and although this hasn’t been a problem for me in several years of fighting, the weight of a 250 pound man accidentally stepping directly on my clavicle proved to be too much for the bone. Freak accident, honestly; my shield normally protects my shoulders when I get knocked down but in the press of 20 bodies all running and crashing together with swinging sticks, I just couldn’t manage to cover myself properly.
Being right-handed has made this fracture all the more frustrating; I’m a programmer and the dificulty typing like this has me on disability leave from work. I’ve found that the pain and my range of motion get better each week; this has helped with the funk of forced immobility. The first week was the worst; please DO NOT push your break during the first week of healing! I did and the break went from a simple aligned fracture to a severely displaced compound fracture. I heard a sickening pop and watched my shoulder sink about an inch down the side of my chest as the bone finished breaking, followed by extreme pain. Not recommeded.
Second precaution: beware of children. My sweet four-year-old son was playing near mommy, who was resting on a cushion in the living room. Although he’d been giving me very careful hugs, he didn’t understand that our normal playful wrestling was on hold, and I got an atomic knee drop to the broken shoulder. Sigh. Maybe I shouldn’t play so rough? I’m hoping that I’m still on the 4-8 week schedule for being able to use my arm again.
My biggest frustration has been the lack of information given to me by my doctor. He keeps reassuring me that it will be fine, but has no specifics for how long to wear the sling, what (if any) movement I’m allowed with the injured arm, etc. I’m mentally ready to get back to real life, but am afraid I’ll delay healing if I do too much. I’m 32 so I know healing will be slower, but after three weeks, I can’t get my arm to the level of my ear, much less over my head. Has anyone gotten more specific advice about this?
Michele

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Hans

July 2, 2006

Yasmin – Good to hear that things are working out better for you. Having a positive outlook on life is a strong characteristic.
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Jenn – I wish there was a surefire plan to heal broken bones faster. The trouble is the best advice is what we normally hear. Rest, rest, rest. Oh, one way to make the sling less hot is to soak it in water then wring it out. The moisture helps keep your arm cooler and the constant soaking keeps it from smelling! 🙂
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Tristen – There’s still a lot you can do while recovering. Yup, it’s a bummer that you can’t do all the activities you normally do. But use that to your advantage and try other activities that you haven’t done and/or have been wanting to do. I was lucky in that I knew I had to stay in shape and be ready to leave for Europe a month after I broke mine. That made me focus on working out on a trainer (vs. riding) and doing what I could to heal. It worked and I was able to leave for Europe with my bike and ride the entire time.

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Jenn kaylen

July 1, 2006

God Tristen, I totally get what youre saying. This whole thing is so damn boring and I’m so sick of it. I’m healing fast but its been a week and I can get my arm 3/4 of the way over my head, but I don’t have full range yet. I’ve read about a million books and watched so much T.V. [ I NEVER watch T.V! I’m usually out enjoying the summer!] I’ve really not needed any meds, vicadin the first nite and thats about it. I hurt it again yesterday when I decided to go swimming, that was dumb. But you gotta enjoy the summer somehow… yea and that dang sling is so hotttttt…. i can go around with out wearing it but im not sure thats a good idea!!! UGHHHHHHHHHH
Jenn

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Tristen Bonacci

June 29, 2006

holy smokes…too many people with injuries. i just busted mine riding…down a hill…a hill that i always ride…too fast this time. what is my problem? i wasn’t even showing off. i was riding by myself. luckily, 2 very nice people named chris and tiffany stopped to pick me and my bike up(which, you’ll be happy to know – sustained no injuries…which is just as well, because it costs a lot more than my co-pay.) i am typing with one hand. it is summer, so i don’t have to teach, which is good due to the showering/dressing problem. but i do lifeguard for the summer, so i can’t go back to work with a broken collar bone. luckily, my boss is allowing me to teach swimming lessons from out of the water. so i get sweaty and gross where the sling hangs down and i have to walk the mile to work and back which exhausts me because of the break. but – at least i can do something, because this is making me a big grump as i can’t compete in any triathlons all summer and my summer is shot. i’d drink like laura suggested, but i get migraines…in fact, the percoset gives me a headache…it’s just so not fair…i even had a friend come over with some medicinal herb, but it made me cough…doesn’t really work, if you ask me. so – i’m in the same boat as everyone else…miserable because it kills my independence and being able to get out and do things. i’m missing a forth of july hiking trip because of this and man, does that tick me off. you just feel so damn bored, helpless, and hopeless. i can’t even drive. wahhh. but i was able, through trial and error, to get the razor under my arm to shave…thank god…know what you mean by ther pit of despair…and i’m reading “blue jean buddhas” – like maybe a book on meditation will help my depression? arg.

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Jenn Kaylen

June 28, 2006

Hi
I just broke my collarbone a week ago, playing hockey. I was going pretty fast and managed to fall right by the boards and… there she goes. There goes my whole fricking summer. I can’t play hockey for another 6 weeks… or run play soccer/swim anything for another 2 weeks (or at least thats what the doctor says.) But they dont know what us athletes have to go through. Its not the pain that hurts the most. Its the fact that you CANT PLAY. I’m slowly sinking into a depressing world of boredom after just a week. I have a long boring summer ahead of me. Anybody got any surefire plan on how to heal broken bones faster?
— A depressed hockey player

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Yasmin Labban

June 26, 2006

Hi all,
It’s the girl that got mugged back in April. Its been about 2months and boy have they been long. I didn’t end up getting any surgery, as the 2nd doctor id seen suggested id be better off without a huge scar on my lil feminine shoulder, he said if id been a guy he would’ve probably plated it. But to be honest after the whole ordeal appearances don’t real register as much. I used to model and was very picky about how I looked, after all I had to be otherwise I wouldn’t get the job. It was a part time thing as I was graduating uni, well point is things I guess just happen and you have to take the punches even though your life can feel so drastically different. I remember saying “I want my life back!” maybe a zillion times. It’s so frustrating, probably even more so coming from someone that isn’t in any way a robust athlete that’s zooming down ski slopes or slick rock mountain tracks..Although ive always been fascinated by all sorts of adrenaline junkie sports. I just enjoyed my life more in the slow, safe lane..Working out occasionally, playing tennis and swimming. Anyheww..Not to bore all u breakees, just want to say amidst my depression I didn’t think life would go on, but it does. And if u just sit around mopping about wishful thinking of the uneventful break!then it’s a waste. I have an over lapping break, I feel the contour of a small bump there. Don’t give a damn about how it feels I just wish I didn’t get so many lower neck aches on my right side, especially when I try to sleep at night. Anyone getting those? I hope it gets less achy down the line, otherwise ill have to be a pill popping bitter girl. I wish id been doing something I loved when I broke the nasty clavicle, like most of u riders’n stuff…at least u have a story to tell!I try to avoid even remembering the incident. I still have a lot of hate issues to work on, not every man on those small motorbikes is a prick! Although believe me, I had to pull myself from the urge of driving over any random biker as I first started getting back to driving around. Ill get over it, but the world aint so rosy colored as I once thought..Unfortunately La La Land where people don’t get hurt all de time doesn’t exist. Anyway, hope u all heal quick whatever ur situation was!the pain is hell. Try not to be so morbid and depressed like I was and sometimes still am..It tends to drive people away ; ) Thanks to those who had something to say about my desperate posted plea, it was very comforting to read that someone out there feels my pain.
Njoy & try to force some positive vibes in..xx Yasmin

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Hans

June 20, 2006

kat – Yes, Alex is correct that your age is going to help a lot towards healing. The first two weeks are the hardest. Also that’s the most important time to keep your shoulder immobile so the broken ends fuse without being disrupted. I would also recommend you get checked out by a doctor that specializes in sports medicine. Someone that understands your needs as an athlete. Some doctors just generalize healing towards the average person, which sadly is the sedantary person these days. Be sure your doctor fully understands your needs and expectations for recovery.

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alex

June 17, 2006

kat, at 20 you have a very high chance of getting a union. I’m 17 and broke mine and it healed within 5 weeks, and at 20 it should not be much different, just drink a lot of milk, but take some metamucil too you don’t want to get constipated 😉
Good luck with the healing

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kat

June 14, 2006

well, this seems to be the right place to be since 5 days ago I broke my right clavicle right in half and now i want to jump in front of a bus. I was playing in a big rugby tournament and now my one goal is just to get back out on the pitch again. of course, at 5 days i am not optimistic about that although i am being reassured that all this pain and lack of motion is ok. you guys have me terrifed that three months into this when i am expecting to be healed that my doctor will announce a non-union and i will be back at square one. right now i am 2o years old,and an extremely active, in training captain of my college’s rugby team. will this ever be strong enough for me to go back to the game i love?

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james kern

June 8, 2006

to Yasmin Labban; i felt compelled to reply to your story. dont fret, i hope that after two months that you are well on your way to a full recovery. i broke my hip almost two years ago at 38 years old, i was amazed that my body has such a capacity to overcome such a terrible injury. i worried a lot at first that my very active lifestyle was over and that i was going to have to abandon all the things that meant so much to me especially my career as a master log home builder. but alas my fear was unfounded: within 4-5 months i was back to work and play at about 75% at first and then 99% within a year. i was a pro level motocross racer before the hip smack in 2004 and i can say that just prior to my clavicle breaking may24/06 i had returned to that same level of racing. it takes time and the right attitude. rent a copy of the movie What The Bleep Do We Know, it will explain the mind/body/spirit connection with valid science,….you are a protein machine governed by your thoughts and emotions. so chin-up and take care you will rebound with a new sense of appreciation for life. dont play too rough with your children, you are bigger than they are!

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james kern

June 7, 2006

well are’nt we all in a pickle! broke my right clav may 24th motocross racing. silly boy you are 40 they all say…. as you cant take a swipe at them! thanks Hans for this site….i am bored out of my head and it is only part way into week#3. i got a hard luck story too that is the side show to my circus but i have a wonderfull mum and dad so i wont bore any one with it. from all the posts i read here one thing is obvious to me…..that i was right to insist on surgery from the word go! a friend had almost an identical clav-frac 18months ago….same story at the hands of the medical system ie.-it should heal on its own in 6-8 weeks, wear this torture device and take these narcs, come back and see me. ta-da(9weeks later)oh!…it is’nt fusing now we can consider sugical fixation…i dont understand this. humans have been snappin’ collar bones ever since we could trip over pebbles from grape juice gone bad…..and the consensus is…..bumps, grinding, loss of motion and ….well you get the picture. i need my body to work properly to make a living so i was adamant that despite doctors having a great deal more training than i do in medical procedure i knew my best chance for recovery was some good old fashioned hardware. i send my best wishes to all of you tranqed out bone breakers,righties now lefties and lefties that are now normal like most of us!….heal well take care not to rush too fast to be back on wheels, wings, and whatchyamacallits! the world is gonna miss you more if you dont. p.s. sorry i am candian i know surgery is gonna probably cost the arm you wish to fix if you live dangerously….in the states.

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steven Perelman

June 3, 2006

Thanks Hans!
As I sit here, heavily “Narcated” (that’s what I call the state of intoxication brought on by Norco…generic for Hydrocodone), I can only wonder whether all of my fear and anxiety was a complete waste of time. The surgery itself was painless and uneventful. I started out Thursday morning with an IV at 8:00am and at 11:00am they put me “under.” I awoke two hours later to three nurses who were monitoring my vital signs and preparing my release papers. I was out of the hospital by 3:00pm. My Ortho made two incisions one about three inches long directly above the “Lump” and a smaller one in the back of my shoulder where the Rod was inserted and where it will be pulled out in a few months. He said that because I had waited four months to do the procedure that he had a difficult time cleaning out some of the debris and scar tissue and that it took a little extra effort to get it separated and aligned properly. Just to be safe he through in a little artificial bone grafting material to kick start the healing process. All in all, he said the surgery was very successful and now that I am back on my meds, I shouldn’t have as much pain…although the first six hours awake were worst than the initial injury four months ago….I was crying….Literally!!!!! I am feeling much better today and basically it’s back to the same constipated state (anybody on Norco knows what that means) I found myself in three month ago with one HUGE difference, the lump is gone and my shoulder does not look like it belongs to someone else. I am already moving my arm (not much, but a little) and it seems like I have an improved range of motion, which is one of the main reasons I wanted the surgery. Before, I had felt a kinking in my neck where the clavicle had moved and I was nervous that I might have bigger problems down the road if I ignored it. I am told the Rod will stay in for about three months or until the bolt starts rubbing my skin raw and then I will go back in to have it removed. The best case scenario is that the bone heals before the bolt becomes intolerable and has to come out. The Rod technique at this point seems like it was better option for me, than was the plate and pins, where I would have had to have gone through the procedure twice, once to install and once to remove. Plus, the Rod system leaves smaller scars and although I hear girls find scars kind of sexy I did not want to look like Frankenstein. Anyhow, I highly recommend just fixing a break right away..don’t wait like I did and waste a perfectly good ski season just to have the bones disappoint you anyhow.
Good Luck!
Steven

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Hans

June 1, 2006

Steven – Hope all has gone well with the surgery. Give us an update on how it went.
———————————
CT – Having the broken collar bone lump is something to brag about if you are a cyclist! :’) I’ve been in groups of cyclists when the talk of broken collar bones arises. At that point shoulders are exposed, bumps displayed, stories exchanged. Of course, there’s always one-uping by those with more than one or two lumps.
But, back to your question. If your break has already fused then adding a plate will do nothing for it. You would need to have surgery and have it re-broken (ouch!), straightened and then plated. I don’t know about shaving the bone or lump. I haven’t heard of that before and it doesn’t sound like fun. Note that the size of the lump should decrease over time. Mine is almost gone now.
For now try focusing on how lucky you are to have a collar bone that has fused back together. And that you haven’t had to have surgery, a plate with screws installed, recovery, and a nice big scar from the surgery. Instead of worrying about the look of it, show it off and brag about it. Nothing wrong adding a little flavor and drama to the story about how you crashed.

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CT

June 1, 2006

I broke my left collarbone in 2 places back in February 10 while taking a leisurely stroll on my bicycle. It was quite embarrassing now that I think about it. Anyway, I’ve lucked out so far and there seems to be a good solid union after almost 4 months. Problem is the union is fairly ugly IMO and feels horrible. I’m constantly rubbing it and get that feeling of fustration every time I feel the bump. My hole left shoulder and collarbone still seem to get fatigued easliy a short time after I’ve been walking around places like the mall and Wal-Mart. I have a doc appt in 2 weeks and I’m wondering what kind of surgical options I could consider. I don’t know how feasible it would be now to get the titanium plate screwed on. I was wondering if anyone has heard of possibly smoothing out the bone artroscopically (sp). I would just like to know all of my options before I proceed living the rest of my life with some sort of deformity or pain. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks guys and gals.

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steven

May 31, 2006

WoW! I just found this site looking for information about clavicle breaks. I am having mine repaired tomorrow after what has been a VEEERRRYYYY long three months. My Orthopaedic Surgeon is going to put a rod down the middle of the Non-Union (what they call bones that have decided not to reunite). I was skiing on February 18th and broke my clavicle, five ribs clean through, collapsed my lung and really hurt my feelings and the rest of my ski season. I am 40 and have been in the Action Sports industry for ten years and work and participate in all types of not-so-safe activities like skiing, snowboarding and wakeboarding. I have broken many, many bones some several times each and this is by far the worst pain and most difficult to recovery from. I still ache every time I sneeze and forget about sex for awhile I can barely tie my shoe. The Ortho tells me that the rod inserted inside the bone is the best way to bring them back together for a happy reunion and I am counting on it. He claims that recovery time should be about six to eight weeks although that’s what he said back in February? So who knows? My point to telling my story is that is is clear to me from the last fifty comments (and I appreciate every one of them) that eventually this will get better and that there are a lot of you out there who have been down the same road (maybe even crashed on the same road) and that you came out stronger for it on the other side. So here is raising my glass to you all and to the poster that precedes mine (Yasmin). Keep your chin up and don’t worry just give it some time. I’ll be thinking about you all tomorrow morning…wish me luck?
Steven

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Hans

May 30, 2006

Everyone – Just back from vacation and see there are many new entries. Sorry to see that since it means more people suffering.
Richard – Sorry, I also had to chuckle at your accident. Sounds like something you would see on a funny home video show.
Alex – Hard to know if the gap will fully close. Each person’s injury is unique and there are many factors involved. Even if it doesn’t you might also form a fibrous connection. This will help to stabilize the break.
Good luck to all recovering.

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alex

May 29, 2006

Don’t know how people can just sit there and not doing anything, best of luck with your healing mate.
I started exercises today, just wit a 5kg dumbell, the arm is extremly weak, hopefully not too long before it gets to full strength, it feels great being able to move my arm around a lot more.

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Richard H

May 28, 2006

I have no idea why your under arm hair grows more than your other armpit. In answer to your question Alex, yes there where witnesses, one was a coach driver, parked up, just sat watching me making a fool of myself all that afternoon. And not helpful at all, when I did break my collarbone. Didn’t even come over to see if I was alright. Good job I had my mobile to call for help.

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alex

May 27, 2006

hahaha Richard, let me get this straight, you were being pulled along by a kite on your ass? Was anyone witness to this, seems it would’ve been pretty funny to watch, apart from the broken collarbone part! 😉
My collarbone – I still have this gap at the top of the bone.. refer to my post just above 🙁 My underarm hair has grown 2 times more than the otherside, why does it do that??

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Richard H

May 26, 2006

I broke my collarbone on the 22nd May, flying my new 4m power kite. Anyway took the kite over to a local field on its maiden flight. Wind was around 8Mph, later got up to around 17Mph. My first go, didn’t amount to anything good, later I was being pulled very hard, on my backside, ploughing the field with my face. Finally it pulled me so hard that when I hit the ground I heard my collarbone break. So a trip off to a local hospital, where they confirmed that I did break my collarbone (This being the second time on the same bone, (28 years ago was the last time)). The collarbone broke on top of my shoulder, whereas before it was in the middle.I had more pain then, on the first time.I was only given a sling and pain killers this time. I don’t have much pain throughout the day, just in the morning it hurts a bit. Next week I have to start a new job that I have been waiting for well over a month. I really need this job, so I’m willing to work with pain if I have too. I have to see someone next week in the fracture clinic as well, but if I’m working then that wont happen. Also, I cannot wait to get my kite back up in the air again, but I will wait for six to eight weeks before I fly it again, because the pull / power will do more damage if I fly it before then.

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alex

May 25, 2006

I’m a month in tomorrow from the break and I have great movement, but there is still that gap, if you will take a look at my xray a few posts up… it has healed somewhat more than what that xray shows as I got new ones, but will the gap fully close up?

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ELLEN

May 18, 2006

I AM 46 YRS OLD AND BROKE MY COLLERBONE OVER 8 WEEKS AGO IN A CAR ACCIDENT, ITS ONLY BEEN THE LAST 3 WEEKS THAT I AM ABLE TO MOVE MY ARM OR EVEN USE IT AT ALL. EACH DAY IT GETS A LITTLE BETTER BUT I AM GOING TO A CHIROPRACTOR AND DOING MASSAGE THERAPY (OUCH) 2X A WEEK.I HAD HEADACHES AND MY SHOULDERBLADE HURT LIKE HELL, I AM TOLD THAT THIS IS THE MUSCLES REACTING TO THE BREAK.THE PAIN MOVES FROM MY SHOULDER (OUTSIDE) DOWN MY ARM AND BACK TO THE SHOULDERBLADE, DEPENDING ON THE DAY. I AM TAKING IBUPROFIN 800MG 2X A DAY. I AM NOT BACK TO WORK BUT IF I HAD A DESK JOB I WOULD BE BY NOW. IM GONNA GO LOOK FOR A DESK JOB BECAUSE I CANT TAKE NOT WORKING ANY LONGER!MY DR SAYS AT MY AGE IT COULD TAKE 16 WEEKS BEFORE I CAN DO WHAT I USED TO DO BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

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shianne

May 16, 2006

i broke my collarbone on november 24th, 2005
its now may 16, 2006..it isnt healed
i think i might have to get sergery

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Yasmin Labban

May 13, 2006

Hey,
Where can i post my xray so i can get ur opinion on it? Also, does anyone know of a forum where orthopedic doctors can give their opinion?

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Domenico Palazio

May 12, 2006

Another one…
And I take it that the fact most people did not come back after, say 2 months, is because that is the average time for the clavicle to heal.
I broke mine about a month ago falling from a fine horse (the bastard) and actually the scare and the fear made things look much uglier than they actually are.
As a recovering Alcoholic I was aware about not taking any morphine or heavy duty pain killers. The ones I was able to take I did for the first 4 weeks, as I said, I was still in shock from what had happened.None after that! It wasn’t supposed to be a rodeo but that is what I got and when I realized I had fallen I found myself unable to breathe for almost 45 seconds and this I believe contributed to my schock.
Feeling “handicaped” also contributed to that feeling of what being powerless is all about…
To me, the falling had also to do with my grandiosity “trips” riding a fine horse in style and there is a lesson there…
I have the 8 thing in my back but I do some cheating and also my very last X-ray showed bone-approximation but not the actual ossification as the cartilagum or jelly formation initiated by nature does not reflect in the X-ray. A Scan would be more appropiated if you need to know if God has abbandoned you or not…
Cheer up, coming out of such a fall with only a broken collar bone due to my very own stupidity is God’s way to be one more time very very patient with me.
Relax, get a good book a few films and grow from the experience.
All the best!
Ck my Blog, get a kick!

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Domenico Palazio

May 12, 2006

Another one…
And I take it that the fact most people did not come back after, say 2 months, is because that is the average time for the clavicle to heal.
I broke mine about a month ago falling from a fine horse (the bastard) and actually the scare and the fear made things look much uglier than they actually are.
As a recovering Alcoholic I was aware about not taking any morphine or heavy duty pain killers. The ones I was able to take I did for the first 4 weeks, as I said, I was still in shock from what had happened.None after that! It wasn’t supposed to be a rodeo but that is what I got and when I realized I had fallen I found myself unable to breathe for almost 45 seconds and this I believe contributed to my schock.
Feeling “handicaped” also contributed to that feeling of what being powerless is all about…
To me, the falling had also to do with my grandiosity “trips” riding a fine horse in style and there is a lesson there…
I have the 8 thing in my back but I do some cheating and also my very last X-ray showed bone-approximation but not the actual ossification as the cartilagum or jelly formation initiated by nature does not reflect in the X-ray. A Scan would be more appropiated if you need to know if God has abbandoned you or not…
Cheer up, coming out of such a fall with only a broken collar bone due to my very own stupidity is God’s way to be one more time very very patient with me.
Relax, get a good book a few films and grow from the experience.
All the best!
Ck my Blog, get a kick!

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Yasmin Labban

May 11, 2006

did anyone have to do a CT scan to make sure veins r ok after a broken collar bone?

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Cam

May 10, 2006

Hi,
I broke my collarbone back in January. The doctor told me to give up smoking, wear a figure 8, get a bone stimulator, do physical therapy and keep coming back each month for Xrays. I followed his advice. When I went to see him last week he said my bone had healed with a fibrous union – not by bone. He said to do more physio, try and get full movement back in my arm then wait a few months and evaluate whether it’s bothering me or not. At that point, he said, I should evaluate whether I wanted surgery or not. He is against surgery unless the collarbone is causing a lot of problems.
Right now, I still have a lot of shoulder and back pain. I’m hoping more physio might help. As I guess sub-consciously I’m still protecting my shoulder a lot. I also just took off the figure 8 after all wearing it for three months straight.
I asked him if there’s a chance there would be a bone union in the future and he said he doubted it. Has anyone ever heard of someone having a fibrous union – then later developing a bone union?
Also, is there any complications associated with a “fibrous union” person getting the operation at a later date if they want to?
Any advice, or thoughts from other fibrous union folks would be much appreciated.
Cam

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alex

May 10, 2006

DAY 12 UPDATE
I am feeling better now, and have some mobement, you will see in provided pic the sharp bit, it is the most annoying and can’t wait till it rounds off because it presses against skin when I move my arm. I have an ortho appt tommorow plus new XRAYS
PICTURE
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6db29b3127cce88ba4c4a00c000000016109QbsmLNs1Q

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jasmin

May 9, 2006

hi
broke my collar bone 4 weeks ago. my right arm where the break is still turns redder than the left, is that a reason for concern? or would the color get better with time as i move it more? i have about 0.5 cm displacement between the bones with a vertical fragment. could my bones get closer with time? like in the next xray i take in cpl of weeks.

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Mark

May 8, 2006

Yasmin,
I’m 35, broke my left clavicle two weeks ago (soccer, first broken bone for me too) and have been on both sides of the surgery versus clavicular split (ie, ‘figure 8’ brace) divide. i started with an orthopedic surgeon recommended by the hospital, who put me in the splint. because many things about this doctor led me to doubt his skills & knowledge i sought a second opinion. this docor was far better informed on the issues involved (and worked at a better hospital) and basically said the following regarding the splint versus surgery.
1. in most cases surgery is not necessary to restore full functionality of the shoulder.
2. cosmetic issues are important to some people (my left shoulder, for example, would have been permanently lower and shorter than my right)
3. in my case the fracture (central third break, displaced, angulated, 4 pieces) occurred in such a way that the end of the bone was just below the skin and would become aggravated every time i wore a backpack.
4. the latest medical research (last 5 years) is begining to suggest that there are long term benefits of surgery, which had not previously been thought to be the case
5. recent research also shows that, for those who don’t have surgery, the splint does not do better than a sling in terms of likelihood of healing, long term prognosis etc.
he summed up my case by saying i was right on the border bt surgery or not. this was now 6 days after the accident, during which time my sleep was miserable every night with the splint on. i was pretty eager to have the surgery based on several factors. first, i wanted my body to feel structurally normal again. besides the pain i felt somehow ‘off’ and unbalanced. second, i didnt like worrying that every movemnent i made would hurt and potentially impede my healing process. the surgery option would at least stabilize the thing and prevent every small movement from sending the shattered ends of the bone moving through my flesh.
so i had the surgery (contoured plate, 7 screws) the next day & all went smoothly. i took pain killers (percoset) for only two days after the surgey and then stopped. speaking of painkillers, vicodin (from doctor #1) made me extremely nauseous, which is apparently common, and was much less effective (for easing pain and allowing me to sleep soundly) than percoset. btw, i asked for percoset specifically with the second doctor (who was also going to give me vicodin) and it made a big difference to how i dealt with the pain, which, as others have mentioned, is a critical part of the recovery process.
anyway, that was a week ago and I’m now feeling pretty much normal, except for the inconvenience of not using the arm much, and the tired back muscles from wearing the sling. so, in my case, after trying to heal for a week under both methods, i feel the surgery is much better. I’ve seen two sets of xrays and the thing looks really good. the curve is back in the bone and except for the hardware it looks to me the way it ought to look. the biggest downside of the process is anesthesia and post-op painkillers, which take a long time to clear your system – it was about 18 hours before i stopped having hallucinations (i think from a very heavy dose of post-op morphine), though these weren’t unpleasant. Though i went home twelve hours after the surgery, sitting up made me nauseous until about 15 hours later.
anyway, that’s my story – my sense is that if you feel you have a relatively serious break, a skilled doctor, and a good hospital then the surgery is probably worth considering and, minimally, is something you don’t need to fear.
mark

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Angela Cosby

May 6, 2006

Dear Yasmin, thought you needed a reply. I know how you feel, the pain is awful and you do wish you had broken something that could just have been put in plaster. I broke my collar bone on 2nd of October 2005. I have just been discharged from the clinic after seven months. I had a non union and now have a plate and pins in my shoulder. It now feels great and I have full movement back and am told that the plate can stay in for the rest of my life. I cried when the doctor said it was all over because I could remember back to the stage you are at and it seemed ages ago and never ending and I was so relieved to be back to normal- you will mend, hopefully without an op but if you need one dont worry it was my first one at nearly 50 and I was scared to death, but from the day after the op I started to feel better and was really happy I’d gone through with it. So keep positive thoughts. I hope I wont be returning to this site ever again! But over the last few months it has been a great help thanks to everyone Angela

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Yasmin Labban

May 3, 2006

Hi,
Im Yasmin 25 yrsold. Broke my right collarbone about 3 weeks ago on April 11th. I was walking near by and a man on a motorbike tried to pull my bag from me while speeding pass me. I was on my phone and didnt even notice him until i hit the ground so hard. At first i felt the pain my head because i slamed the concrete so hard. Then i noticed my collarbone sticking out under my skin. Somehow i walked to a very nearby hospital where they xrayed me.The pain was so intense and still is. I really thought i was going to die, still have those dark thoughts. my hand was so swollen and i could feel the blood gushing inside my shoulder and down my arm. i kept asking the people in the ER if i was going to die, i wanted to phone the people i loved especially my mom. they put me in a sling and sent me home. my bone is broken in half down the middle and there is a smaller piece between them. because of the impact the back of my shoulder was so arched. the next day i went to a doc in the same hospital, not sure how goo he is though. he strapped me in a figure 8 that he himself made, he said it was better than the one i bought. i think it was too tight, i kept it the way he did it for a week but then after my 2nd xray, i noticed the gap between the bones was huge.i was so frustrated, i changed doctors and he lostened the figure 8 and told me to take off the sling, my right arm is still diff in color after 3 weeks. its like a pale reddish purple. i cant seem to get used to this bone poking out, is it ok? i really dont want surgery even if i need it. Could a broken collarbone be in anyway life threatening if its misalligned with a poking bump.I heard there are vessels under the collarbone, so if my bone seems to be lower than the normal one, is it damaging my vesseles. im really so worried. i hate doctors but am doing the weekly xrays. i have one tomorrow. I just dont want to die….please someone help me…maybe im too much of a drama queen…im just scared, never broke a bone in my life..wish i broke a hand or leg instead..i cry myself to sleep everyday..its been 3 weeks. anyone with some thoughts…this forum is very helpful. will i be able to have kids someday and play with them roughly, i feel this accident aged me so much…all im looking forward to is making it through another day. im so depressed.

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Hannah

May 1, 2006

Hi guys
10 days into recovery ,(motorcycle accident) clavicle pain subsiding, thinking im on the mend when WHAM BAM excruciating burning pain from armpit down bicept, lasting from a few seconds to minutes. Feels like an electric iron being held against the skin. An emergency doctor explained it was probably due to the clotting and tissue swelling putting pressure on a nerve. Was refered to orthopedic dr this morning who dismissed this theory by saying there were no nerves in this area and was just part of the healing process.
Has anybody else experienced this or any thoughts on the matter. It is seriously unbearable.

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alex

April 30, 2006

Hey guys,
I broke my collarbone yesterday in 2 places, the doc said it should just recover on its own, the pain hasn’t been that bad, only at the beggining at the hospital, im only 17 hoping for a quick recovery unlike you old farts :p anyway i have barely moved my arm because you can just feel the bone moving and it hurts 🙁 going for a checkup next week

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Ian

April 25, 2006

Thanks to all for describing their experiences.
I broke my left CB about 8 months ago after taking a tumble on my bike. My fall was seemingly minor and I wasn’t immediatly sure that I was even REALLY hurt. I rode on in pain and soon ended up seeking a ride to the ER where I was enlightened and advised that I should get some Tylenol/Advil, a sling and come back in a week. I had a simple, commercial sling with velcro that I could cinch tight when desired and it worked well for me. I was comfortable enough after a week to be dismissed from any further medical care.
The next four days of couch-time helped and I went back to work in a sling after a week off. I dumped the sling for good in about 6 weeks and have been without major pain since.
I was advised that I should be 100% in 6 months (…because I’m 39) but could resume whatever activity didn’t cause discomfort along the way. I usually cycle daily through the winter on studded tires, etc and did a bit of that when it wasn’t too icy and since March I’ve been riding off-road regularly.
I’ve got a sharp bump which doesn’t work well with my packs and I still get the occasional ache from the ‘site’ of the break. The geometry of my shoulder is different enough that I occasionally noticed some weird mobility constraints. Good thing I don’t golf I guess. Over time this continues to improve however. I have tested my shoulder a few times when lifting and playing strenuous outdoor sports enough to be confident that I’m healed though I still sometimes wake and move to avoid sleeping on my left side.
Good luck to everyone during their recovery.

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Mario

April 16, 2006

Hello, I broke my collar bone on March 6, 2006 while skiing. It was the day that I was going to attend a ball in celebration
of my unit’s return from a one year deployment (I’m in the Army).
This is what took place. I was going down the hill too fast for my skiing abilities and I took a nasty fall. For the record, there was no alcohol involved in this incident (at least not yet). The reason I pushed my luck was because I was trying not to be out perfomed by my 6 and 8 year old kids. They are good skiing but probably got that from their mother.
I’m not sure if any of you actually heard your collar bone break but I did; it’a nasty sound. At the time I wasn’t sure of what I had broken so I just lay motionless affraid of being paralyzed. Well, after a few seconds, I managed to sit up and discovered that there was nothing wrong with my neck or spine
but discovered that there was something wrong with my collar bone because it was deformed. I also realized that there was
something wrong with my ribs because breathing was extremely painful. The pain was so great that I just didn’t want to move.
After a couple of minutes I was taken to an emergency room where I sat for a good hour before I was X rayed and an additional hour went by before a doctor took a look at them.
Well, it turned out that I had fractured my right collar bone, bruised two ribs and hyper extended my left thumb.
I was given two options at the hospital: 1. Take some serious painkillers through an IV and spend the night under observation
or 2. take some pills and go back to the hotel. I chose the second option and got a “free” figure eight sling from them.
I also discovered that the generic pills that they gave me worked well only when taken in conjuction with a Heineken 😉
Anyway, later on that night, I convinced my wife of getting me into a suit and attend the ball. I only did it because the
ball meant so much to her. She had spend a lot of money on a formal dress, shoes, nails, etc. Heck, we even paid a close
friend of ours to travel with us (all expenses paid) and watch our kids while we went to the ball. As you can imagine, I was
in pain during the ball but the alcohol made it more bearable.
The first week after the accident was unbearable but by the second week the pain decreased considerably and it dind’t
bother me as long as I didn’t move my injured arm.
Well, it’s been around 40 days since it happened and the clavicle hasn’t fused together yet and I’m starting to worry about it. I was told initially by an orthopedic surgeon that the injury would take about 8 weeks to heal completely but then
(2 weeks ago) I was told that it would take approximately 12 additional weeks to heal. Not what I wanted to hear really but I guess things do happen for a reason. Good luck to all of you.

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