Hans Kellner Dot Com

A mighty fine website!

Chad’s Broken Collar Bone Report

Here is another well done article by a 30 year old rider that broke his collar bone during a criterium bike race. It chronicles his journey from the initial break, through the ups and downs of healing, to his recovery.

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.

Chad’s Broken Collar Bone Report

By Chad Crocker

First of all, let me say that this website helped me with many concerns and questions I had after my collarbone was broken. Hopefully, my detailed account will help others in the same way.

On October 15, 2005, I was racing in a criterium and broke my collarbone. As you can see from the x-ray (week 1), it was distal third “fracture”.

At the hospital, they cleaned my road rash (plenty of it), put me in a figure of 8 brace, arm sling, and gave me a prescription for some wimpy Lortabs. The ER doctor said to move my arm/shoulder as little as possible, even in the shower. When I got home, I jumped on the internet and found Hans’ website which provided a wealth of knowledge and experience from others who have been through the same thing.

WEEK #1

The first three days after the wreck were extremely painful. I had a bad bruise on my shoulder that ran down my bicep. After a few days, it turned a funny green color. This was normal. Another lady who told her story on this site had the same thing happen. I tried to sleep in a bed for two nights. Every time I tried to get up, my collarbone moved in ways that it definitely should not have moved. So, for the next 5 weeks, I slept in a recliner. Did I mention that the only clothes I had on were my boxers, figure of 8 brace and sling? Road rash sucks!!!

As for supplements, I started taking 2500 mgs of Calcium citrate and a multivitamin everyday. Calcium Citrate is supposed to help acidify the urine somewhat to help prevent kidney stones from such a high intake of Calcium.

WEEK #2

Pretty much the same as week #1. My brother is an x-ray, CT, and MRI tech, so I had a few x-rays taken. Absolutely no change. Of course, calcification doesn’t show up for a few weeks. Didn’t know this at the time, though. Oh yeah, it is unbelievable how much crap is on TV.

WEEK #3

I’m finally able to put on a pair of shorts. My shoulder and bicep are still several funky shades of yellow and green. Still no improvement on the x-ray that I could see. This concerned me. Especially after reading some of the horror stories people had about collarbones not healing even after 7-8 weeks. Now I’m paranoid and keep my arm and shoulder completely immobilized. Later, a friend/doctor looked at the x-ray and pointed out that the bones are not as rough as in the first x-ray and the ends have smoothed out somewhat (signs of healing). Guess I should have left reading x-rays to the professionals.

WEEK #4

Still the same old thing. My shoulder was still hurting pretty bad from where I was slammed into the pavement at 30 mph. My moral was starting to get pretty low at this point. I really wanted to go for a bike ride, but taking time to heal is best. I kept everything completely stable and only took my brace and sling off for showering. Keeping your arm completely still at your side makes taking a shower very interesting.

WEEK #5

GREAT NEWS!!!! Went to the doctor on Tuesday and she said the fibrous bridge between the two bones had formed. The sling came off and most of the road rash has healed. Most, not all. The figure of 8 came off Saturday. Now comes the fun part… physical therapy. When the sling came off, I could not raise my arm at all. Every chance I had, I was moving my arm as much as possible. Using a broom stick works very well. You basically use your good arm to pull up and stretch the injured arm. By Saturday, I was able to lift my arm out in front of me. Good enough. Now it’s time to hop on the stationary bike. I also started sleeping in a bed. Still have some shoulder pain near the rotator cuff.

WEEK #6

Went to see the other doctor this week. The fibrous bridge is starting to show on x-ray. This made me happy, but I was still having pain in my shoulder around the rotator cuff area. My shoulder was still bruised. Because of the location, the doctor ordered an MRI to look for any tears or other damage. I have a lot more mobility now. Mostly thanks to my chiropractor, Dr. Michael Silver in Gastonia. I have to give this guy a big “Thank you.” He helped get my full range of motion back in less than two weeks.

WEEK #7

Everything is healing up. I still have some tenderness in my shoulder and AC joint. MRI results will be back next week. Of course, I do have some pain and tightness in my shoulder and back. All the bruising has disappeared and I have almost full range of motion in my shoulder. Still working with Dr. Silver to get more flexibility and better movement. I was on the stationary bike 4 days this week and hit the gym for some good leg workouts. I was not doing any upper body exercises until the MRI results came back clean.

WEEK #8

MRI results came back clean. It showed a bruised bone, bursitis (from smacking the pavement very hard), and a stretched AC joint. The rotator cuff was completely intact and healthy. I received the news on Tuesday and hit the pool that night. By Saturday, I was back swimming for one full hour nonstop. I have a few MRI pictures below. According to the doctor, this is what a “healthy” shoulder should look like.

WEEK #9

My leg workouts in the gym are back to normal except for squats, hack squats, etc. No weight on the collarbone. I went to the doctor this week for more x-rays. We were able to see some calcification. The doctor said that I was 90% healed, and could start lifting weights again in about 3-4 weeks. She was surprised at the amount of flexibility and strength that I had.

WEEK #15

For the past few weeks, I have been working out in the gym with light weights, swimming, and riding my stationary bike. Still too cold to be outside. Had my last set of x-rays this week. Everything looked very good and the calcification was very visible. The doctor said that my collarbone was stronger here than at any other point and cleared me to do whatever I wanted. Even ride my bike. I didn’t mention that I had already been out for a few rides.

5 MONTHS

After several doses of supplements, quality mass builders, and prohormones that are now banned by the FDA, I have regained every bit of strength plus a lot more. Several exercises still hurt my shoulder like standing curls, but military presses don’t bother it at all. Strange, but it will just take some time to learn my new shoulder. I also added glucosamine sulfate and fish oil to my daily supplements to help with joint pain from lifting heavy. This stuff works pretty well to be sold over the counter. My right shoulder is now a little bit shorter than the left, but it functions very well. The only place I really notice it is on the bench press. All I did was adjust my hand positioning. It had little effect on how much I could bench.

Take this for what it is. One guy’s story of experiencing a broken collarbone. I was very careful and did everything I needed to do for a quick recovery. All things considered, things went very well. The best advice I can give is:

1) Listen to your doctor
2) Get a second opinion (never hurts to ask)
3) Explain that you are a very active person and be treated as such. My chiropractor was the only one that treated me this way and helped my recovery more so than the other physicians.
4) Definitely take more calcium. This was recommended by all the doctors I went to.
5) Take time to recover properly the first time. It is better to lose 3 months to an injury than 6, 7, or more.

Hope this info helps others out there going through the same thing.

UPDATE (2012-04-23):

In March 2011, I started to develop severe pain in my upper back and neck that ran down my arm. It got to the point where I couldn’t swim 500 yards which is significant because my Ironman swims were around 1 hour. I had xrays, MRI’s, and spent 8 months in physical therapy. The Ortho couldn’t find anything and the PT kept saying I had a muscle imbalance. I always felt that my collarbone didn’t heal quite right and believed that was the problem. Unfortunately, the Ortho did not think that was it. After 7 full Ironman triathlons, I would have to say that I’m more in tune with my body than a doctor looking at pictures. So, I started searching for a new doctor and my former motocross buddies pointed me to a surgeon in Texas (Dr. Mark Sanders). I did a LOT of homework on this guy before making a decision to have surgery. In January 2012, he broke my collarbone in two places and plated it back together. He said it had healed 1.5 cm short and rotated forward. Within a day after surgery, my pain was almost completely gone. It actually felt so good, I walked into the doctor’s office for follow up without the sling. I wouldn’t advise this, as the tongue lashing was extreme. I am currently 12 weeks post-op and well on the road to recovery. Three weeks ago, I went to the same PT who treated me last year and she was completely amazed at my range of motion and how the mechanics of my shoulder/scapula had changed (for the better). After seeing me, she said having that surgery was the right thing to do. Things still aren’t perfect, but are much better than before surgery. My shoulder and scapula were in the wrong position for 6 years of intense Ironman training before giving out. It’s going to take time to retrain it. Time for the disclaimer. I probably would not have had this much trouble if it wasn’t for the amount of overhead exercises I do. Lifting weights and the repetitive overhead motion of swimming took its toll on a misaligned collarbone/shoulder. Pushing through pain, hoping it will get better is obviously the wrong thing to do. Especially pain that lasts for months.

My personal opinion, and that’s what it is, is to get a collarbone fixed if you are an active person. I’ve been in both situations, and I will get it plated every time from now on. Zero doubt.

More “Broken Collar Bone” Articles

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

Broken Clavicle (collar bone)
Broken Clavicle No More
What to Expect From a Broken Clavicle

April 24, 2006

Cycling, General

Clavicle, Collarbone, Health

339 responses

Tudor

October 19, 2008

Hi Jeremy,
Sorry to hear that the same thing happens to you. I kinda got used to the thought that my bone fragments will not allign and I will remain with this odd shaped clavicle. The bad thing is that in this way the shoulder shortened a bit, which concerns me. People have told me that this is temporary, but I’m going to ask to my doctor as well tomorrow (3rd week check-up). The good thing is that I decided 2 days ago not to wear the sling anymore, as it was really annoying and hurt me. In this way only my muscles hurt when I’m walking, but hopefully they will stop in a few days.
About the “tenting” of the skin I read that it is little we can do. They say it has to do more with one’s luck than with anything else. I don’t know if that’s true. I’d like to be able to sleep 3 days in a row an wake up with a “stragth-ish” clavicle. Unfortunatelly that is not possible. I’m hoping for valuable information tomorrow but not really knowing what to believe. I’ve also been told I should relax and not try to keep them alligned throught-out the day.
I hope you’ll have a good recovery, please post your progress here.
Regards,
Tudor

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Jeremy

October 14, 2008

It is amazing just how common this injury is.
I broke my left clavicle nearly 3 weeks ago now. It is an overlapping fracture midway along the collarbone. I am in the same boat as the previous post from ‘Tudor’, The bone still seems to ‘float’ around, being in a flusher position when lying flat, and noticably sticking out when upright. I have been in a sling for two weeks after the accident, and am now just in a wrist support sling after going back to the hospital for the 2 week check-up. I have full movement, but recently, as of 2 days ago the bones have been aching.
The doctor said that I should just let the bones set in the relaxed position and not try to keep them aligned, but if they align almost perfectly naturally lying down which I spend about 8 hours a night doing anyway, shouldn’t I at least try keep them aligned throughout the day?
I have been taking calcium suppliments, and I think I might commit myself back to the annoying sling until the bones have formed a stronger bridge.
Thanks Chad and Han for this site too, very useful info.
Jeremy

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Tudor

October 4, 2008

Hello everyone. I broke my right clavicle exactly one week ago. The pain has subsided in 4 days and now I only have small pains from time to time. What concerns me is that when I’m laying in bed the bones seem well aligned but when I get up the sling does not maintain the same position of my arm and a bone end can be noticed through the skin.I wonder how will that heal. If I cannot maintain the same position during the night and day, I cannot see it healed.

You might try an arm sling that velcros your arm to the side of your body. It has a band that wraps around your chest and a strap around your bicep. The strap on the bicep can be velcroed to the chest strap.

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david

September 18, 2008

Well, I broke my collar bone on the way home from giving my friend his birthday present. Kinda makes me wish that I had never gone to visit him… hehe.. This is week 5 for me, I can take the sling off now and walk around with little pain, however if i start moving my arms around too much it starts to cause agitation in the shoulder area. Also, does anyone have a largely protruding bone? When I broke the bone, the part closer to the body was sticking towards the front, and now my right shoulder is about 1 inch shorter than my left. I have a very sharp bump in addition to my collar bone already protruding out. Does anyone else experience the same symptoms in recovery? I am really hoping that I can start lifting things in 2 weeks.

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ashley

September 2, 2008

chad, thanks for the message… i know this is a common cycling injury, but it still stinks for everyone. i’m bummed that my season is over – looking fwd to recovery. stay on top of that bike!

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MD SHAFIQUL ISLAM

August 26, 2008

My three and hulf years beloved doughter has broken her right collar bone before two weeks. I am seeking best medication.

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One Armed Momma

August 24, 2008

I broke my left collar bone 3 weeks ago on the first hour of the first day of a 7 day bike tour. It was a freak accident as I hit a 90 degree chunk of pavement while coming off the shoulder to pass. I was in the middle of no where North Dakota and had to wait for 30 min for an ambulance. After an hour ambulance ride I found out my left clavicle was broken.
I had to sleep sitting up in bed with every pillow I could scavenge for the first week. By week 2 I could lay on my good side with a row of pillows keeping my head and bad arm raised. I am into week 3 but I can’t do much just walking hurts. I only took the pain killers for 3 days because I am nursing my baby. It was tricky at first but we have it worked out now. The worst part is I can’t even pick her up so I need some one at home with me all the time. I am usually very active swimming, biking and running. I am going bonkers stitting on the couch but it looks like rest is the best course of action. At least I had the Olympics to watch. I can’t wait until I can pick up my little one again. Anyone else out there in a similar situation that have suggestions on how to cope?

I don’t recall anyone else commenting about recovering while having a nursing baby. I managed to cope by focusing on recovering in time for a European vacation that was just over 4 weeks from my accident. Setting a goal to focus on is a great way to focus the mind and to cope with difficult situations. And it doesn’t hurt having a good set of movies to watch or books to read.

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Shannon

August 15, 2008

I just spent the last hour reading all of these horror stories, I never realized how common it was to break your clavicle, I thought I was the only idiot who decided to buy a motorcycle in this time of depression and on the second day ever driving a bike I laid it down on the edge of pavement in a deserted park!!! Anyways, I am 33 years old and I know better but I was more pissed about my brand new bike than my clavicle until I got to the hospital and waited three hours to even get an ice pack and was in so much pain I couldn’t take it. I have been an athlete all my life and had many injuries that killed me but the worst part of this collar bone break was the grinding of the bones as they shifted past each other whenever I moved. I didn’t bathe for three days because I didn’t want to move. I cried for a week because I thought it would never heal. It is humiliating to ask your mother at 33 to shave your arm pits because you can’t. My left shoulder has not seen soap in over three weeks. My question to the experts out there is, in three days I will be four weeks out,I have quit taking pain meds because I don’t want to get addicted, I am still wearing my sling outside of home(doctors orders) and I can finally touch the top of my head…..how hard and when do I start pushing to get more range of motion and the strength back in my right arm? I am right handed so writing was quite the task althought that is finally good but I am a veterinary technician and I am still out of several tasks at work. Any suggestions, please??!!

How hard and soon to start physical therapy depends on each person’s injury. Pushing it too soon can delay the collar bone recovery. Waiting too long can cause atrophy or a frozen socket and then add additional time to regain range of motion.
Others have commented that performing basic PT exercises, finger walks etc., to the limits that do not cause pain should be fine. Especially at four weeks post accident. But the best answer is going to come from your doctor. Or from a physical therapist. So I would recommend a visit your doctor or a physical therapist.

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Davy

August 3, 2008

Just spent an entertaining morning reading all the comments and articles. Last Sunday, at the end of a 40mile road trip, during a moments lack of concentration, I failed to see a speed bump. Over the handlebars and fractured my right clavicle. As well as the all over body rash, and a brake lever going through the skin just below my right knee. The resulting stitches in my knee prevent much movement, and I cannot yet get on the stationary exercise bike. My cycling helmet was shattered, so really I’m pretty happy how it ended up.. The stories and experiences I have read here however, give me hope that I will be back on the bike soon, although it may take longer, me being 51 now. Thanks to all for the inspiration this gives me to grit my teeth and continue to struggle to do anything!!

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Kathleen S.

July 31, 2008

I am a 56 year old woman who was happily headed out on a bike ride with my husband (on June 21) and a dog ran out into the street and knocked me over.(Please keep your dogs leased!) As a teacher, I was looking forward to a summer of reading, biking and doing some much needed painting chores around the house. No such luck. I wound up with a fractured right clavicle. Weeks 1-4 were really bad. I am right handed so I could do just about nothing except watch movies and read. I cooked, but kept it simple and often felt even that was too much. During the 4th week I began to feel better so I began some very basic arm stretches , but as soon as I hurt, I stopped. This definitely kept my arm from getting too weak. I always took my arm out of the cast when I was just sitting, that way I did not get shoulder lock. I had x-rays at the end of week 5 and I could see some bone formation! And my doctor told me I could drive!
This was great and I am driving short distances, and I am definitely tired at the end of it. I release the brake with my
left hand. I feel liberated. During this 6th week I amable to cook (slice and chop) with my right hand. I still feel very tight in the whole right shoulder area and have a limited range of motion. I want to pass on a good vitamin formula my pharmacist gave me. I take 4 bone healing boron, calcium, magnesium tablets along with 1 vitamin D, 2 B-6, 2 Manganese and one zinc. I eat extremely well, only fresh fruits and vegetables, limited meat, and whole grains. I have just about eliminated white flour and sugar from my diet. I indulge in one glass of wine with dinner and have a little dark chocolate each day. I have lost 8 pounds by just taking care of myself. I walk for 45 minutes daily. I feel strong and know that all my care of myself has helped. This is a long road of healing. I miss yoga whole body stretches and know that it will be a few months before I feel healed and can resume regular activities.
My doctor was adequate, but I had to discover vitamins and good eating by myself, to maximize healing. I am hoping to be able to get physical therapy at my 9 week visit. The key is rest and care. Read the internet like this blog and you can sort out what is best for your healing. Remember that this is a slow process…..pushing yourself will not help you heal.

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joe

July 17, 2008

hey everyone, joined the club on july 3 (exactly 2 weeks ago today) while long-boarding down a steep hill going faster than i could sprint. managed to get to the curb and jump onto the grass before my momentum had my body tumbling. i have been snowboarding and playing hockey since i could walk, 22 years old now, so i did what i usually do by tucking in my arms and tried to roll through the fall. when i rolled i heard a pop, which turned out to be my left collar bone snapping right in the middle, single break with the classic one piece up and one piece down look. went to the ortho yesterday to see the pieces have moved closer together with about 1cm overlap, no real pain at this point, just very afraid after reading this site at what may happen. sleep fine on my back now, bump is minimal, but bones have not fused yet. hoping they will come a little closer to normal as they try to find each other, and have set up a second opinion appt with a surgery specialist to discuss pin or plating, although i hope to not have to go that route. i am trying to stay positive but the lack of control is quite depressing. still in the figure 8 and i am very careful with movement/diet/supplement as my mom is a nurse practitioner. excellent resources being close to boston, MA and am getting the bone stimulator at the start of next week. keeping hope alive.
joe

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Jorge Pastor

July 15, 2008

Hi, i broke both of my collar bones, the right one i felt off my skateboard and 1 1/2 years later i broke the left one falling of a motorcicle at 80 MPH. it

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Anne Hurst

July 10, 2008

Hello, I’ve written previously about my 16 year old son’s broken collar bone. He was very fortunate and it healed extremely quickly and he was body boarding at 5 weeks and back playing Australian Rules football (with the specialist’s blessing) at 10 weeks. There have been no issues and at 4 months post accident, he has almost forgotten the accident ever happened. My question is in relation to the possibility of the collar bone re-breaking. I have heard of a number of people who have had subsequent breaks, including a boy in his football team who has broken the samebone 3 times!! If, like my son, the injury is fairly straight forward and you have no problems with the healing process, are you still more likely to re-break the same clavicle. I’m just wondering whether it will always be a ‘weak spot’, or whether it does get back to 100% strength eventually.

From what I have been told the location of the break is usually stronger than before because of the buildup of additional material. Therefore, it’s more likely that a break will occur at a different location.
The boy you mention that has broken the same bone 3 times probably has done so only because he favors that side and not because of a weak spot from the prior breaks. I have friends that have broken the same side and the breaks are in different locations. They just happen to favor one side versus the other and tend to break that side. Better being ambidextrous so you give equal opportunity to each side for a break :’)

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Mel

June 21, 2008

My husband broke his collarbone in rollover car crash 10 weeks ago (thankful that was the worst of it). He had surgery to have it plated a week later. Any advice on riding roller coasters this early? We’re about to celebrate 10th anniversary and wanted to do something fun, but don’t want to cause further injury. Thanks in advance

Roller coaster? That’s a good question and I have no idea. Also, there’s so many styles of roller coasters today and each restrains your body different ways. I would be concerned about the pressure and strains on the the plate and bone. It’s always worthwhile to check with your doctor.

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debbie

June 15, 2008

hi all, my son is 14 he has broken his collar bone again 3 days ago. Its the same collar bone, we took him to the hospital and they gave him xrays and confirmed that it was a mid clavicle fracture with an overlap. He is in a sling but i feel its not right as he is slouching over which i don’t think is good for his posture and also for the healing. I rang another hospital and they said to bring him in if i am uncertain in anyway. So i will take him today for a second opinion and see how we go he’s on painstop which seems to help the pain but he must be so uncomfortable. He actually attends a sports high school and plays soccer for a club so unfortunately he is out for the season.

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Edith

June 13, 2008

I broke my right clavical and 5 ribs on April 15 in fall from a cantering horse. Was told to wear the figure 8 or arm sling mostly for comfort. Pain is more constant ache than excruiciating. Went from one week of prescription pain killers to advil only. Had x rays at two weeks and 6 weeks. I was told good news, bones haven’t moved; bad news no bone growth yet. That is making me crazy. I’m 61 and am concerned if it will ever grow back. I started PT and am not doing bad. Have decent range of motion. Moving arm straight to the left is the most difficult. I’ve been concerned if I do too much, but was told if I can (based on pain) it is OK to do. Had no strength initially, couldn’t even carry a grocery bag, but that is better, have been able dig and plant and weed this week. Pool is open now, so doing water exercises also. I don’t understand if bone isn’t growing, how I’m getting stronger. Had bone density test few years back and all was great, now wonder if it should be redone. Anyone older out there? I’m at 8 weeks this week. Was told initially it would be 12 weeks, but that was before no bone growth at 6 weeks; and they won’t x-ray again till 12 weeks. What helps the bone to grown?? Was told bone stimulator might help, but insurance won’t cover till 12 weeks. Also told that rod insertion I’ve read about won’t help bone growth and that I don’t need surgery. Was broken in two places with a chip or split in the middle. I have 8 grandkids and I pick them up with my other arm, but get concerned if I’m doing any damage as I sometimes feel a strain.

There are comments here from “older” people and their experiences and questions. One of issues with being older is slower recovery from a broken bone. One gentleman indicated it took him a year before his bone fused back together. I recommend following the advice of your doctor but also getting a second doctor’s opinion. Also, scan through the comments here and on my other collar bone pages (links at top of article) for more information.

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Pauline

June 6, 2008

Hi all,
My son is a month on from his accident. He broke his right collar bone in one place.
SUPPORT
Figure of 8 and a sling for 1 week. Sling for 3 and a half weeks. No longer using anything as he doesn’t need it.
SLEEP
For 2 nights he slept up-right in my bed. He was in a great deal of pain and I had to wake evey couple of hours to help him adjust his postion. He then spent a couple of night on the sofa which he found mre comfortable. About day 6 he was in his bed with a cushion underneath his arm giving support. At about 10 days he was able to sleep more comfortably. At about 2 and a half weeks he was sleeping normally! He can now sleep in any position he wants.
PAIN
He had about 3 days on pain tablets then no longer needed them as he wasn’t in pain anymore
RANGE OF MOVEMENT
Everyday his range of movement is improving, from very little to almost complete now.
SCHOOL
He was off school for 2 weeks and then a further week as the school had a holiday (he would have needed 3 weeks off school)
PROGRESS
The gap was circa 1 cm and we think (hope!) it might have healed. There appears to be a bump. We have a hospital appointment in 4 wks when they will do a further x ray. Things are looking incredibly hopeful, which I can hardly believe.
Thanks Again for this wonderful site.
Good Luck Everyone.
Pauline

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Anne

June 4, 2008

Quick update – my son went back to playing football at 10 weeks (I wanted him to wait until 13 weeks!) All ok so far – fingers crossed. I just hold my breath when he’s near the ball, in case he gets a heavy tackle – so far so good………..
Good luck to everyone.

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RICHARD HARTLEY

May 27, 2008

HELLO ALL. I FIRST SHATTERED MY LEFT COLLAR BONE ON 2-17-07. I HAVE HAD 2 SURGERIES. THE 1ST., A METAL ROD AND BANKED BONE. 2ND. A GRAFT FROM MY HIP BONE. STILL, NO HEALING. FINALLY, A SECOND OPINION. GREAT IDEA. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG. LOTS OF MEDICATION INCLUDING SUPPLEMENTS. MY SURGEON NEVER CHECKED ANY OF THIS OUT. NO, I DIDN’T GO POSTAL ON HIM, BUT HE SURE PUT ME THROUGH A LOT.BONE DENSITY EXAM, A GREAT IDEA, EVEN FOR A MALE TO SEE IF THE ORIGINAL DAMAGE WAS DUE TO DEGENERATIVE BONE DISEASE, AND IF THE REASON I’M NOT HEALING.NOW, I WAIT TO SEE IF THE NEW REGIMEN WILL WORK. I DO FEEL YOUR PAIN, SLEEP IN A RECLINER, OR THE LACK OF, AND NEED HELP WITH A LOT OF THINGS. KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS IF YOU DO NOT GET THE ANSWERES TO HELP YOU HEAL. WARNING: DO NOT TRY TO HEAL THIS THING ON YOUR OWN. GET A “GOOD” DR. AND DO EXACTLY WHAT HE SAIS. THE DOCS AT THE MAYO CLINIC HAVE PLENTY OF HORROR STORIES OF PEOPLE TAKING AND DOING THINGS ON THERE OWN. HANG IN THERE. THANKS FOR THE GREAT WEB SITE.15 MONTHS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME TO BE DOWN, AND OUT OF WORK, BUT MAY’BE THIS WILL WORK!!!TAKE CARE. RICHARD

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Jimmy

May 19, 2008

Hey everyone, so i broke my collar bone almost 4 weeks ago playing Ultimate Frisbee (very intense sport). but i was wondering how long would it take to heal. right now i can extend it, turn it and raise it over my head, but still sortof stiff though.i hope i dont need surgery wiht my progress so far right? i hope i heal soon though because i missing the whole season of ultimate.

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Laura

May 18, 2008

Hello! Ok, so now I am 12 weeks since the break, don’t need to see the physio any more as all is going well. She just said that I needed to do strength exercises on my left (bad) shoulder, as its the muscles that are hurting. I can now sleep face down or on my right side, can’t manage the left quite yet.
I have another xray in about 11 days, and then hopefully *fingers crossed* all will be well! It’s been a long injury, I can just about hold my arm above my head for about 5 seconds now, but hopefully I will be all set for cricket tour in 4 weeks! Reading your stories makes me feel quite lucky! x

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Pauline

May 17, 2008

Hi
Thanks for this brilliant site. It’s so helpful to read of other people’s experiences.My 14 year old son broke his collar bone last Sunday 11th May 2008. He plays tons of sport and has never broken any bones. He broke his right collar bone at a pop concert! Someone bashed into him. Anyway, there is one break but the ends are not close together and seemed to be pointing in differernt directions. We live in the UK. Son is in a sling and a figure of 8. Hospital doctors spent alot of time contemplating what was best. Went for a lets see what happens approach. We have an appointment with the orthopaedic doctor Tuesday (9 days after brake).
Thanks again for this wonderful site. I wil post how we get on.

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Donna

May 15, 2008

Oh Evelyn I feel your pain… well actually I did in September 2006 and after seeing the surgeon this week I will get to do it again in the fall. I got back to my bed 2 weeks after surgery which was 6 weeks after the initial break. PT isn’t that bad your an athlete, I felt really secure doing the exercises with the plate holding everything together.
Yep thats right that simple break that occurred on Dec 9, 2007 4 weeks after I got the plate removed did not heal. The bones have not joined. So for all those who do get their plate out, be good and don’t do anything until you get clearance. Lack of pain does not mean that everything has healed properly.
Heather, I now know what you are going through as well. This continuous ache is driving me nuts. The surgeon gave me a choice to fix it now and give up the triathlon season or do it in Sept. Im registered for Ironman Canada in August. I figured I have put up with the pain this long what is another 3 months. I may change my mind after all day training sessions but oh well. I will look forward to the surgery in the fall, I have been assured that once the bones stop moving around the pain will go away.
Thus my saga continues….
Hang in there!
Donna

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Evelyn Rollins

May 14, 2008

Hello,
Thank you for putting this site together. I thought I’d share my experience for future sufferers. I had plate/screw surgery on day 4 after the break and am now at day 15.
I’m a 50 year old female runner…was in a bike crash 4/30/08 where I slammed my left shoulder into the pavement, broke my clavicle near the shoulder, a type IIB fracture of the distal clavicle, with a ruptured conoid ligament, (there are a couple good writeups on emedicine you might want to check out) Bike shoe clips released and helmet didn’t show any damage (but will replace.)
http://www.emedicine.com/Orthoped/topic50.htm
http://www.emedicine.com/sports/topic25.htm
Went to ER, where they kept referring to the accident as me “falling off my bike” which sounds like I fell out of my chair or something (!) and I kept correcting them that I had a “bike wreck”… had to have my favorite 25 year old windbreaker cut off, as well as my favorite bike jersey…much too painful to contemplate taking them off.
The ER doc looked at the xray and said oh…this one will need surgery… and gave me a shot, prescription for generic vicoden and ibuprofen, put on a sling (roughly, I screamed), directions to see an orthopedic doc in a few days and set me loose. On the way home, my husband and I stopped by Salvation Army and he bought me a recliner for $20 which has been my bed for the last 2 weeks. I spent most of my days until day 13 there, too. I gave sleeping in bed a 2 night trial and was utterly miserable, so back to the recliner.
I saw an orthopedic doc on day 2, he took another xray and said, oh, this is one of the few clavicle breaks that calls for surgery and I had the surgery on day 4. He put a plate and 5 screws in, and repaired the ligament, under general anesthesia. The techs were amazed at my resting pulse of 46. Before the surgery, in the sling, I could find a position where the pain was not bad (on 8 vicoden/day). I came home the same day, after having been given a nerve block. The next day, the nerve block wore off and it was THE WORST, worse than any day since the accident. I took 12 vicoden/day (steady state you are only supposed to take 8/24 hours), interleaving 600 mg ibuprofen every 6 hours. I was miserable!!
As far as clothes, I changed out of my sports bra that I had on the day of the break into a camisole that I could step into, and then pull up and put the strap up on the good shoulder, and elastic waist softball pants. Same clothes 3 days. And the sling.
Pain got better very incrementally every day after that, worked my way down to 4, then 3, then zero vicoden on day 11 after the break. Took arm out of sling on day 11 also. Felt scary but good to let it droop down. But painful to move up or try to use.
Saw surgeon on day 12, who checked new xray for alignment, looked good. Tried to raise my arm straight forward, very painful. Will go back to see him in 4 weeks to check bone growth. Gave me direction to go to physical therapy, 3x week for 4 weeks. First time today. Not driving yet but may try today. Put on zippered pants yesterday as well as a real buttoned shirt. Bad arm in first.
He said he’d take the plates/screws out at 3-4 months, could time it per my schedule.
I attacked the GI side effects of vicoden by eating lots of mixed dried fruits and drinking water.
Overuse of right (good) wrist has led to tendonitis of it, so icing that (Grrr!).
Taking preaccident doses of calcium citrate (1200 mg), Vit D (800 mg) and fish oil. Calcium/D in divided doses 3X day, so no one dose of Calcium is over 500 mg (approx max absorbable at one time by the body, per my reading).
Amazed at some stories of folks exercising, sleeping, good range of motion so soon. I am really wanting to sleep some good sleep in a real bed! And wondering when that might happen! And wondering how much PT is going to hurt!
Evelyn

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Anne

May 12, 2008

I last posted a comment, in relation to my son’s broken collarbone on 17 March – 10 days post injury. After reading other comments, I found a Sports Orthopaedic Surgeon, who specialised in shoulder injuries, and at 3.5 weeks post injury, took him there for a 2nd opinion. The doctor looked at the new x ray and advised that the bone was healing really well and in fact already showed bone formation above and below the break.
My son had worn a sling religiously for the first 2 weeks, completely imobilising the arm and shoulder – he was still wearing the sling, but moving his hand, particularly when writing at school. In addition, after 2 weeks, he spent short periods with the sling off, but still being careful to move only his arm a little, not the shoulder.
We’ve always had a reasonably healthy diet, but in addition my son took 3 calcium tablets a day and I tried to give him calcium rich food – sardines, sesame seeds, etc. He also avoided ‘bone robbing’ foods such as chocolate. We don’t eat meat anyway and as he’s only 16, avoiding alcohol wasn’t too much of an issue!! In saying this, medical advice dismissed the benefits of dietary considerations. We were prepared to try everything though and so went ahead regardless, feeling that it couldn’t hurt.
We were going to Bali on holiday and my son was flying over to meet us at 5 weeks post injury. My son asked the doctor whether he would be able to body board at all, perhaps towards the end of the holiday. The doctor surprised us by saying he would be fine to body board as soon as he arrived and told him he no longer needed to wear the sling, as the bone had already ‘healed’ (though obviously not that strong yet). Basically from the 3-4 week point he was told he could do anything, restricted only be any pain or discomfort. This did not of course include ‘contact’ sport.
My son immediately had almost full range of movement in his arm/shoulder, just slight aching after a while, as a result of wearing the sling for so long. This soon disappeared and by the time he came to Bali (5 weeks post injury), no one would have guessed he’d broken his collarbone. The shoulders are pretty even – he only had about 0.5cm overlap. We were told that any discrepancy is as a result of a loss of muscle in the area, due to lack of use and will soon improve.
We went back to see the specialist on our return (7.5 weeks post injury). The new x rays showed more improvement and the doctor said the bone was healed and at approx. 60% of full strength. Our only issue now is at what point my son should return to full contact sport (Australian Rules football). He’s been training since coming back from holiday, but I’m wary about when he should play again, as it’s such a physical sport. The doctor told him he could go back immediately, but as the bone is not at 100% strength, a really heavy tackle could possibly re-break it. I’m thinking another couple of weeks, taking him to the 3 month mark. We couldn’t face going through the whole process again!
After reading the experiences of other people, I realise how lucky my son has been. I thought I’d update, just to give other people some good news.

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Taylor

April 27, 2008

Follow up from my 7 April & 27 Mar Entries:
Got a 6 week post-break Xray this week. Comminuted midshaft clavicle fracture w/ 1.0-1.2cm displacement has “evidence of healing with callus formation.”
I’m at 7 weeks post-break today. Functionality: swim, run, cycle 100%. modified push-ups (from knees) 100%. Haven’t tried full push-ups yet. Will wait 5+ more weeks (12 weeks total) for another xray to be cleared for physical contact sports (soccer, etc).
On the playing cricket question above – Agree it’s better to wait. Saw a post about someone playing squash and snapping it with a flick of the wrist. I’ve also had a similar experience coming back from an broken bone in my foot. You’re 18 and should heal quickly, just be careful to be too cocky with it – I have that problem (eg. getting the “I probably heal faster than others” attitude).

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Heather warner

April 26, 2008

Wow, who knew broken collar bones could cause so much grief considering how blase doctors are about them! I broke my right clavicle in 1999 in a major car accident. It snapped in the middle. I was on my way home from a trip and was sent to a rinky dink rural hospital. I was given a figure eight sling and another sling for my left arm which had broken and was told to go to the ER in Vancouver for further treatment. Somehow had to get home. Due to the seriousness of my other injuries nobody paid much attention to the clavicle. I had major nerve damage in my left arm because of the break in the humurus, also that break was in nonunion for at least half a year before it started mending. I was sent to an ortho surgeon specializing in feet(the wonders of medicare!) so he was not sure what to do. I could not take care of myself so my mom came out for a bit and dragged me back to Saskatchewan. I had to see new doctors and an even more strapped health care system. My new ortho promptly removed the figure 8 sling and took off the plaster cast my previous ortho had put on my left arm. And since my left arm was useless I had to use my right arm/hand to do everything when it should have been resting(and I’m left handed!) Yes medicare is free, but doctors are always swamped and getting a second opinion is not easy. I was young and in alot of pain and didn’t have the energy to get second opinions etc. I did keep asking the doctors about my collar bone which was healing but had a huge overlap and was considerably shortened in my opinion. They said collar bones break all the time, are best left alone, will heal and you will just have a little bump. I tried to tell them that I was very active in cycling, kayaking, worked in gardening etc so wanted to be strong to no avail. I was told that surgery would involve plates and screws and it would be ugly.
Physio ensued for as long as the insurance company allowed and I mostly recovered but the way the collar bone set probably has screwed up the mechanics of my right shoulder. I get pins and needle pain in my right arm and hands when doing too much, fatigue etc. My shoulder creaks and groans and I have trouble sleeping on that side to this day. I am in life long pain from the various injuries, but the clavicle is particularly annoying! The chronic pain has altered my life so much and work is a problem. However I was able to get back on my bike, swimming, kayaking yoga etc but not for very long stretches of time or super hard as was my way. I have to ride upright or else I am in agony which is a travesty! My husband wants to go touring a la bicyclette and I know I can’t do it unless I get into the world of recumbents.
The thing is, the other day I had to stack some firewood the landlord delivered unannounced. My husband was at work so I thought I would start. I keep insisting I am Xena warrior princess and can do anything! I did not realize how heavy the stuff was and eventually was exhausted. Later that evening I was in alot of pain and felt my right collar bone and it felt weird! I don’t think it is broken, but something has happened. the pain is terrible. I do alot of lifting at work but had to get others to do it for me the last few days. It led me to think about what if… and I found this great site. I did not know what surgery options are out there.
But what should I do? Have I just strained the shoulder to the point that the placement of bones has shifted? Is surgery an option this late in the game? I hate going to the doctor they are so busy but will go this week.
And a note about surgery. The thought of surgery is terrifying, but having been in a major accident and healed rather badly I can see that if I had surgery I would have most likely been better off down the road. My broken left arm should have been operated on after the accident but none of the doctors could decide what to to so left it to heal. It was in nonunion for a long time. It also did not heal straight so the arm is a bit shorter than before and a bit comprimised in mobility. I also broke my foot in another incident a few years ago and surgery should have happened but I was in the US and had to wait until I was back in Canada to see an ortho and they said they did not want to touch it at that point. This is your life, this is your body, it is amazing and can heal!

Wow, you have been some rough times there. Do you know if your collar bone actually fused? Sometimes a break won’t fuse and you will have a non-union that is held in place by fibrous tissue. It may feel solid but another accident or strain may tear it. I wonder if that’s what might have happened when you were lifting. I recommend seeing a good ortho doc and getting an x-ray. You should also talk with the doctor about the possibility of surgery. It might still be an option available to you. If you can find yourself a good sports related ortho doc you will probably get more understanding for your plight.

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Laura

April 17, 2008

Thanks!! I’ve found that deep heat is really helping it, because I think it’s my shoulder and upper back muscles that are hurting more than the break. And I still haven’t had a massive bruise like I was expecting. I promise to look after myself!!

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Laura

April 15, 2008

Hello there!! I’m one of the UK Breakees. I broke my left clavicle 7 and a bit weeks ago playing hockey, i think it fractured it in collision, and broke it clean when i landed. At first the break was straight, with maybe a cm lifting overlap at the join. However, when I went back today it was lifted and had slided over the other bone piece!! I don’t remember it injuring it more, so I wonder when it moved. It’s a bit scary!
I wore the sling (we don’t get braces here!) full time for about 3 weeks, and wear it when my arm is tired. I still cannot sleep on my side (either side!) but I can sleep on my back, and my front. I want to go back to playing cricket, as I have a tour in June, but I don’t know if that is a good idea!
The doctor looked at the x-ray and said it was still broken, but then pressed onto the bone and it didn’t hurt at all, and so said that I seemed like it was healed, but we will give it another 6 weeks to be sure! I start Physiotherapy on tuesday as I have good mobility of my arm now, but my shoulder is so stiff!
Is there any chance that I could cause myself more damage by some gentle cricket, or even just having it out of the sling? How long will it take the bones to join (from the xray, it looked like the top was joined, but the underneath wasn’t)
Wondering if this seems normal?? Oh Im an 18 year old Uni Student btw. Thanks! Get well soon everyone!

Your recovery sounds normal. Not everyone heals quickly. I’m not so sure if cricket would be a wise move until you are healed further along. Excessive movement or a jolt may set you back in your recovery. Give yourself some time to heal. It would really throw a wrench in your fun if your clavicle didn’t heal.

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Manie

April 14, 2008

Hi guys, love the stories. well its been 25 days sins i broke my right clavicle, was racing quad bikes and got shot off around a turn doing 30 miles, landed on my right shoulder. Stood up jump on and felt my arm is very heavy, and then I touched my shoulder and felt the clavicle standing out, went to the doctor they said I had a bruised knee, bruised back,bruised neck, minor concussion and a broken clavicle. well after 25 days the clavicle is overlapped with no signs of healing, my pain is gone, got about 50% movement and no movement to the front. Oh and after 7 days of sleeping in a weird retarded position I’m back at work doing my usual stuff, well for the operation I will find out out next week, but for bike riding, I’m out for at least a year.

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John

April 11, 2008

Just as an update.
Sorry to read all the horror stories on here. I never even thought to ask about an overlap and the chances of the fracture healing, I just assumed it would. At 35 I was beginning to think reading on here there was little likelyhood of a full recovery. Anyway almost 5 week from the accident I’m running c 50 miles a week, swimmming at my club 2 sessions a week and should have another surf session this weekend. Keep yer chins up. Stay positive and with hard work and a good attitiude you can heal quickly!

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Colleen Pope

April 8, 2008

Wow Kelly!!!!
I am 37 yr old female, broke my left collar bone on Aug 12/07, 1 week after you. Crashed on my dirt bike.
As of Feb 7/08 (6 months later), the break still showed no signs of healing. I had a 3cm overlap, elevated 1.5 cm with a fragment in between which the doc hoped would help promote bone growth. I go back May 7 for more x-rays and if there is no change looks like I will have to go under the knife similar to what you just had done…graft from my hip and plate with screws. I wish you all the best in your recovery. Keep posting, I’m interested in hearing how it’s going. Thanks!

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Bill Schwieterman

April 7, 2008

Amy:
The only thing I can say is that my surgery (6 days ago) was a complete success. I’m free of pain, have complete range of motion of my shoulder, have stabilization of posture on the left (was slumping), and have to remind myself that I broke my clavicle 10 days ago.
Before surgery I was in chronic pain, limited range of motion, and pretty miserable.
Now–this is me, and I’m not you. And what worked for me may not work or even be appropriate for you. It’s clear that non-surgical treatment of clavicular fractures has worked well for many for decades. But emerging data (see post above) and emerging techniques (see Acumed) have advanced the field. As someone who is medically trained, and in the business of emerging therapies (I’m ex-FDA, and work with pharmaceutical firms)–I think you should give some thought to surgery…only because the science says so…and my anecdotal experience.
My $0.02.
Bill

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Amy

April 7, 2008

WOW! Just found this site today…and wish I had sooner! I suffered a displaced fracture of my right clavicle 9 weeks ago while snowboarding. My ortho recommended surgery, but being that I have no insurance, I opted not to. I read Kelly’s comment about surgery almost a year later, and no offense, but I don’t want that to be me! I have about a 2.25cm overlap and I’m experiencing a lot of muscle discomfort in my right shoulder and some chest pain. The doc says it’s normal and that I might always have chronic pain. I teach Yoga and I’m affraid I won’t ever be able to practice the same again due to this injury. Is the pain normal? Any suggestions about whether I should go through with the surgery? I’m grateful for any input!

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Taylor

April 7, 2008

Follow-up from my March 27th entry.
Hans & Aron – thank you for your response. Really helpful to have this feedback.
I saw a shoulder specialist who was able to give me more insight to my xray. As I said in my previous post, I thought I had 2.5cm displacement – that’s what the xray looks like. However, the specialist was able to see light and dark areas at the bone fracture site that indicated that the bone broke at an angle. So while the xray looks like there is 2.5cm of displacement, it’s actually only 1.0-1.2cm of displacement. He was impressed with my range of motion (reaching over my head at 2.5 weeks) and low pain levels. He believes the bone is getting sticky. Good news!
I’m now 29 days post-fracture (fully displaced) and can swim freestyle (slowly) with no pain, and running and spinning 100%. Am not able to do even modified (from knees) push-ups without slight pain, so I don’t. I also have limited range of motion reaching across my body – I can just barely put stick-deodorant on. Otherwise, functionality is excellent. I can drive a car with no power steering.
On another note, saw a post about non-union fracture. The specialist I saw said there’s a 0.4-4.0% chance of non-union for a fully displace clavicle fracture. He treated a pro cyclist who had 2 non-union clavicle fractures (one on each side). He asked him if it hurt or limited his movement/performance and the cyclist said he doesn’t notice a thing. The specialist left it and said there’s no reason to treat the non-union fracture if there’s no pain or performance inhibition. He also said that the figure-8 brace is a waste of time and effort, unless it adds comfort (which apparently is unlikely). Clearly a different school of thought than many posts here.
So far, they key to my recovery has been do as much as I can that doesn’t hurt. I will know in another 2 weeks or so if this has been successful when I get an xray. Will post again then.
Taylor

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Bill Schwieterman

April 6, 2008

To all:
Hi. I’m a 50 year old male, 5 days post-op after having a Acumed plate put into my left clavicle. 11 days ago I took a spill on my road bike, severely fractured my left clavicle (5-6 pieces or so).
I’m an M.D., and luckily saw a young learned orthopedist in the ER. He pointed me to a recent study that he said was one of the lead papers at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons meeting in Chicago in 2006 pointing out the virtues of surgery and plating for certain clavicular fractures.
Here’s the link: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/540966
Bottom line: In a rigorous, randomized controlled trial–“the study authors concluded that operative treatment provided statistically significant clinical and functional improvement over nonoperative treatment of displaced midshaft clavicle fractures.”
Just wanted to be sure folks know about this for certain displaced fractures. I couldn’t be happier here a few days post-op. Off meds, sleeping great, and anticipating a full return to all activity.
Bill

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kelly

April 6, 2008

Hey Hans, i have a question at the end.. Kelly here again, I fractured my collarbone in august 07 and wrote a message aug 24th asking about the possibility of surgery. My fracture was caused by a wave. Well i just want to update and let people know what happened to me. I ended up having the fracture for 7 months, which throughout this time never fused together, i had the two ends floating as though time had not passed and my fracture remained the same as though it was the same day of the incident. Sadly i had to see a private specialist because the Nhs here in Tenerife were useless. I ended up being operated on ….5th march 08!!!!!
They ended up doing a hipgraft as when they opened me up the two floating ends now did not reach and had rounded themselves and there was no chance of them fixing it without taking hip bone and bone marrow they put a titanium plate and 6 screws, i was 4 days in hospital, the hip was worse than the shoulder as before the op they injected anesthetic in my neck nerve, which helped post op greatly. I am now 5 weeks down the line and i have no pain but it definatley feels wierd, i have lost quite a bit of feeling through having the nerves chopped,I have reasonably good movement but have had no rehab! But a few days ago i noticed a sharp pain and later a clicking behind the plate, i went to A&E and they took an x ray the plate was in its place and there was no sign that the bones had moved…but i am sure that the bone graft has come unstuck behind the plating which is what is causing the clunking, i have no pain , is it possible after 4 half weeks for the bone graft to come unstuck, at three weeks after op the specialist told me to take off sling.???????? I would like to know your thought on this, many thanks kelly.

I just saw your question… I don’t know if a bone graft would come unstuck. I hope you have had your doctor check it out by now. Probably requires an x-ray to really know.
As for the sling, taking it off makes some sense as by that point your shoulder should be stable and strong enough. Plus you don’t want to atrophy your shoulder and joints any more.

The following webpage is fantastic!!!!!
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t-133419-15-11.html

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John

April 1, 2008

Hi , I had an accident in the Terrain Park in Canada 3.5 weeks ago. I thought I had separated my left AC, I have a 3rd degree separation on my my right shoulder and the pain and symptoms were the same. I made it back to the apartment, Made up a sling and got on the liquid Advill. Stopped the painkillers after a week and kep taking my arm out of the sling to excercise from day 3 onwards. Got back to the UK and only yesterday got an appointment to see a shoulder specialist. I told him what I thought I’d done, that I was back in training for a marathon and running c 50 miles a week, partially in a sling on the 13 mile plus runs and had done 1 swimming session last week without any real pain. He examined me and sent me for an x ray. The x ray showed a fracture on the clavical and told me to quit swimming and heavy lifting and come back in 4 weeks.
To be honest I have full range of movement, the crunching, rubbing of bones etc seems to have gone and apart from some burning pain on long runs in the traps in my shoulder muscles I feel pretty good. Now that the diagnosis is not what I thought I’m now a bit worried I did too much too soon and it might not form a union, however, I’m feeling good and stronger everyday and am enjoying being able to do most of the sports I enjoy. I want to start surfing again ASAP but not sure if that might be getting ahead of myself…..

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tyson wall

March 31, 2008

heyy..i done the same thing as chad..smashed my bike n broke my clavicle..mine was that bad that i had to get a pin in it, turns out it was a good thing becuase 4 weeks later i dont have to have a sling anymore..i cant lift weight or put excessive force on it but i have a wide range of motion n im back on my bike but only doin wheelies..no bunnyhops or jumps but that hurts a bit aye

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Dan Potts

March 29, 2008

I broke my collarbone and 4 ribs 2 weeks ago in a road race. I teach spinning and would like to get back to my classes next week. I am in a figure 8 brace for 6 weeks according to my Doctor. Problem is I sweat like a pig and even if I have two braces, I cannot put on a “workout” brace by myself. I teach right after work. Any ideas?

I suggest wearing only a sling for the class. There’s a style that has a waist band and arm band that can be velcroed together. This helps to hold and keep your arm close to your side. It’s also easy to get on and off by yourself. And, it will keep you from using that arm to grab the bars and pull or push. Both motions you want to avoid.

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Aron

March 27, 2008

Taylor, sorry to ask again but a 2.5 cm overlap? As in your broken collarbone is 2.5 cm shorter than the healthy one? My collarbone is shorter by about 1.2 cm and I’m getting frequent aches and pains around the scapula (shoulder blade). Understand that yes the broken ends will probably still fuse and you “can” live a long life like that, but in my case it’s bothering me a lot, and now I wish I had surgery the first week. Not trying to scare you, but you should have an experienced orthopedist check you out, and maybe get an x-ray that compares your right and left side and the width of your shoulder, and their relative positions. I found this video, which is helpful. It’s similar to what’s happening to me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIX9bGvA1OQ Again every case is different, and I’m no expert, but my opinion is if your bone is angulated or overlapping then fix it. Ask your doctor if a figure 8 could stretch the broken bone out at all?
I have an appointment on Monday to see if I should have surgery, I’m so pissed right now because I wasted 5 months waiting and hoping, and now I’m at a greater risk cause they have to cut down everything that has grown, which leaves more room for error.

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Taylor

March 25, 2008

Cape Argus South Africa road bike crash at 30mph on 9 Mar 08.
Clavicle fracture fully displaced. Bones overlapping 2.5cm, but they are very close together.
Doctor gave me a sling and said see a physio (physical therapist) after 10 days and said I could do anything that doesn’t cause pain – that the sling was for comfort only.
I went for a jog yesterday and have slept on my stomach without pain. I can lift my arm to the side and forward above head-height.
Reading this site is worrying me that the doctor’s instructions were incorrect – that no pain doesn’t mean no problem and that I should be in the sling with minimal movement until I get a good xray result. Am I correct?

Yes, it’s recommended that you do minimal movement during the first two weeks of recovery. That’s when the body is working very hard to fuse the bones. Two much movement may hinder that process and possibly stop it. Don’t forget that broken bone is a major trauma. Even though it might not feel that bad you should still let your body rest and recover.

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Anne

March 17, 2008

I’ve just been looking up orthopaedic surgeons, who specialise in sporting and clavicle injuries. I’m going to get a referral for my son to see one of them. The last doctor that he saw, at the local hospital’s fracture clinic was pretty rushed and when my son has his next x ray, I’d like to feel more confident about the advice we get. The next appointment will be about 3.5 weeks after the injury.
It’s now day 10 and my son is still wearing the sling 24/7. He appears to have little pain, just reports soreness if the site of the break is pressed. There is a bit of a lump – not too big and it appears to follow the line of the collar bone. A slight raised edge can be felt towards the upper end of the lump, nearer his shoulder. I”m not sure what that signifies – its it good or bad? His shoulders are fairly level, although this may be because he’s wearing the sling. There has been no problem with him sleeping or moving. The most noticeable inconvenience is that he is having to operate one handed. Of course he doesn’t know at this stage what his range of movement is, or whether he will have much pain when he attempts to move his shoulder.
I’ve told him to move his hand and elbow a little (keeping the shoulder still), when he takes the sling off to shower or get dressed. How soon should he attempt to move the shoulder, I’ve been reading about the problem of frozen shoulder, but of course don’t want him to disrupt any healing that is hopefully happening.
I will make a list of questions for the next doctor’s appointment, as you advised.

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Anne

March 17, 2008

By the way, I’m not suggesting he should recommence contact sport at 4.5 weeks, that’s just when he has his next appointment.

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Anne

March 17, 2008

I’m a little concerned, having read all the other experiences about how ‘strong’ the clavicle will be, once it has healed. What exactly do you look for on the x ray, before you can be really confident about re-commencing contact sports. Australian Rules Football is pretty physical, would you ever be ok tackling or giving your opponent a full on ‘bump’ with your previously injured shoulder. I know the timeframe is different for everyone, but can you give me some idea of what we should be looking for or questions that need to be asked when my son goes back to the fracture clinic at 4.5 weeks post accident.
To be honest, having read some of the comments, I wonder about the advice that some people have been given by their doctors.

My doctors each indicated that my clavicle would be as strong as it was before the break as long as it heals successfully. Luckily this was the case and it healed up strong as ever. In fact, I had a big mountain bike crash 1 year after on that same shoulder and did not re-break the clavicle. Realize though that even a fully healed clavicle can still be broken.
When you return to the doctor have your list of questions written down. It’s easy to forget questions when in the doctor’s office. Some questions to ask are the exact questions you have here. You might also consider getting a second doctor’s opinion.

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Hannah

March 16, 2008

My younger brother, 9, just broke his collarbone falling out of a tree. He’s an active athlete and very upset about this- spring soccer season just started, and he’s most of the defense for his team. Everybody says different things about recovery times, and I want to have something to tell him! Any advice?

The good news is that the younger you are the quicker you heal. Well, that’s good news if you’re young! So tell him he’s got a good chance of recovering quickly. And also tell him to listen to what the doctor tells him. Let the shoulder rest and let the body heal. Then he will be back playing soccer in no time.

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Anne

March 16, 2008

Hi, I’ve just spent ages reading all the comments – very interesting. My 16 year old son broke his right clavicle a week ago yesterday, while mountain bike riding. He is EXTREMELY depressed as it means he can’t finish his last 2 basketball games of the season, can’t continue with pre-season footy training, can’t do his part time job (trolley boy), can’t go away to Margaret River next weekend, bodyboarding and to make matters even worse, we’re going to Bali in 4 weeks time and he was looking forward to doing some serious bodyboarding there. The fact that he can’t write at school is probably less upsetting to him, but as he’s in Year 12, is very difficult.
We went to the Fracture Clinic last Tuesday (day 4) and were told that the collar and cuff sling, issued by ER was incorrect and my son was fitted with a velcro strap cloth sling, which imobilises the arm and has another support strap that goes around the waist. I didn’t see the x rays, but apparently it was a complete break of the mid clavicle, there was no mention of the gap. The Dr. basically said, keep the sling on and it should heal in 4-6 weeks. We thought that meant everything would be fine for the Bali trip, but apparently not. The Dr. said no contact or likely impact for a further couple of weeks.
My son has been wearing the sling 24 hours a day, apart from getting dressed and showering. He’s not complained of any severe pain, since the accident and hasn’t needed to take painkillers, apart from as a preventative measure the first couple of nights. I am hoping that he’s lucky (as everyone does, I’m sure) and that the break will heal reasonably quickly. We have quite a good diet anyway, don’t eat meat or too much ‘unhealthy’ food. My son has taken fish oil tablets and vitamin C tablets for the past 9 years and in addition is now taking 2 x calcium tablets a day. I’m also trying to give him food that is particularly high in calcium and vitamin C.
The Dr said to come back in 6 weeks, but I convinced him to make us an appointment 2 weeks earlier, just before we go away. I am hoping for the best and just pray that at the next appointment we will be told that the bone has already fused together – it will be 4 weeks and 4 days post accident. My son arrives in Bali at 5 weeks post accident and I am wondering whether he might be reasonably ok – even to do a bit of cautious bodyboarding during the last week of the holiday, which would be over 6 weeks after the injury.
The information available is so confusing, as everyone has such different stories to tell. Some of the sites are quite optimistic and say 4-6 weeks to heal and 8 weeks before returning to contact sports and then others talk about the recovery period being over 3 months.
Will keep you posted – good luck to other sufferers…….
Anne

Yes, collar bones breaks are tricky because each person’s is unique and there are many factors that influence recovery. I think your son’s doctor is being honest about recovery. It’s not fun to hear, especially with all the great activities lined up. But it’s important to think about the long run. It sure wouldn’t be much fun re-injuring his collar bone while in Bali.

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Rupert

March 9, 2008

Hello Again,
It will be 5 weeks on Tuesday and the shoulder is getting noticeably better each day. I am still taking painkillers, but not so often now. Movement in the affected arm is quite good – I can touch the top of my head now and my grip has not been affected. I picked up my bicycle last week and it seems to be fine – I even rode it for a bit on the way home.
I have an appointment with the physiotherapist tomorrow and then a follow-up at the hospital on Tuesday – will let you know what happens.

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MRG

March 7, 2008

I got jumped by 3 or 4 guys bashed my head with a bat and cracked my right clavicle.these guys were 250 lbs. I wore the sling and it only has been 2 months. how long should I wait to hit the gym again? what exercises should I do?

Only your doc can give you the go ahead to return to the gym. Everyone heals at a different rate. One person might be able to go back to the gym in two months. But another it might take a year. It’s important to find out from a doctor if your body and injury is ready for the stress of a gym workout. If it isn’t then you risk re-injuring yourself and setting your recovery back.

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Dennis

March 3, 2008

Well i was riding mt dirt bike yesterday and took a hard fall. I new that i broke mr right collar bone not from thr pain( witch there was hardly any) but from the bone stcking out, did not brake the skin but looked like it was about to. I have been riding for 25 years and this is the first real fall i had and the first time i ever broke anythink. I am just so surprised that i realy dont have any pain. It justs feels weard to have bones moving around. I am 36 and i realy hope it does not take long to heal because i cant stand the idea of not riding for more then i week.

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