Broken clavicle (collar bone)!

Well, I’ve managed to bust myself up.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Broken Clavicle
Left Side Distal Clavicle Fracture

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

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

Be careful out there.

Cheers!

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

More “Broken Collar Bone” Articles

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

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

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

423 responses

Larry R

October 30, 2006

Hello All,
Today marks the fourth week since my bike accident. I met with the orthopedic surgeon last Thursday. He told me the left clavicle is healing nicely, but to take it easy for at least another couple of weeks – no biking or jogging yet. I go back in two weeks for another check-up. The pain has almost gone. I am flexing and using the arm and shoulder in an almost normal way, but it lets me know when I’ve pushed a little too much. I must say the type of sling and the way it holds or supports the fractured bone is critical in the pain department. I highly recommend a sling that keeps your upper arm and shoulder immobile as described above by Hans. No matter how hard you try, you will reflexively attempt to reach or grab with the bad arm. I find this to be especially true in silencing the alarm clock and answering the phone while in bed! The cheap sling given to me by the hospital emergency room was useless. Now, to find a really good bike helmet lamp….

tiffany

October 29, 2006

Thanks for your reply Hans… It is a funny story.
I went in for surgery on the 26th (Thursday just gone) and had a “compression screw” put in to pin the bones together.
It is now 4 days after the operation and I feel great. I spent the last 2 weeks trying to work out what to do and in absolute agony, and only 3 days after the operation i have almost no pain. The bones are no longer hanging in limbo they are supported by the screw.
The x-ray is pretty cool too.
I will do what the doc says and stay in a sling, but I am so amazed at how good the whole shoulder and arm feels. I recommend anyone who has a fracture with a slight overlap get the screw ASAP without waiting around to see if the bone may/or may not knit.
The only thing now is to remember to do things slowly as the doc says. When I was in recovery after the operation I asked the doc how long before I’ll be back riding and he just gave me a funny look and said “Don’t even think about it for 4 months”. In my dozy state mumbled “Humph?”
Ill get back sooner than that.
There is an area of my shoulder that is still numb. I am hoping that it is just the nerve block they put in my shoulder during the operation. The doc did mention that some nerves may be lost near the incision site because they have to cut through. But I have no feeling on half of my shoulder, you could stick a needle in there and I wouldn’t know.
I am off to the physio in one week and i will as him about the bone stimulator, and about the numbness.
In the mean time take a break and visit my sister in Darwin. Then back to light duties at work, because I would go nuts not working for that long.

Kristen Lee

October 29, 2006

Hans & All
I think I am one of those encouraging broken clavicle stories. It’s been 4.5 months and I feel great. No surgery or anything but I was extremely worried for the first few months (as you can tell from my previous postings). I was trying so hard to do everything right but still kept feeling movement in the bone pieces. Like the dr will tell you, it’s impossible to keep it immobile!
The dr. said it would take 5 months to heal. My final X-Ray is next month. I did physical therapy — which was extremely important to give range of motion and strength. I will let you know how the X-Ray goes.
BTW, Hans, how do you find time to post so many things?!
Kristen
SF Bay Area

Samantha

October 24, 2006

Melanie-
I just had my fourth surgery In August for my left clavicle which I shattered back in March. This time they gave me a bone stimulator which I have been faithfully wearing for 9 weeks now. I have not experienced any “burning sensation” like you described, or any type of warmth for that matter while wearing it. You might want to call the hotline and ask them what the deal is. I do feel like it has been working, but I am not getting my hopes up because I have had so many complications. Because I have too much metal on my clavicle now (2 plates and 9 screws)they are unable to see if it is healing just from an x-ray. In three weeks I go in for a CT scan to see if the bone stimulator has made any difference.

Hans

October 24, 2006

Melanie – From what I have heard, but not experienced first hand, bone stimulators do help. The burning sensation you feel is caused by the stimulator heating inside your body. If the heat becomes too high then you should stop using the device. Also be sure to follow your doctor’s prescribed dosage. If the burning sensation still occurs using the amount prescribed then you should follow up with your doctor.
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Tiffany – Sorry to laugh but the picture of the horse “farting as he ran off” busted me up. Oh, and that horse reminds me of one I used to ride. Not as spiteful but always trying to knock me off. Her favorite trick was to catch me off guard and walk under a branch just high enough that all she had to do was bend her ears down. Of course that meant, with my head turned the other way, that the branch came and smacked me then usally took my hat off. Haha! But nothing as bad as a broken collar bone.
To get back your shoulder strength requires specific excercises. Each person’s injury is unique so don’t rely on a generic workout or advice from someone that hasn’t examined you. I highly recommend that you see a physical therapist. A good physical therapist will be able to determine a recovery plan and put you on track to get your strength back.

Tiffany

October 21, 2006

This is a grate site…
I was bucked off a horse riding track work 10 days ago. The little bugger had dumped everyone except me, he had tried but fear kept me in the saddle. I was told he would get me eventually, and after 6 months and many near misses he finally did. 3 days before race day he was ready to win…. We cantered off ready to do a bit of pace work, then he did his normal trick of leap frog… But he really meant it this time. He did a big cat leap in the air, then when all four were off the ground, bucked. I stayed on that time, but he never does just one, As soon as his feet touched the ground he did another one. This one was huge, so off i went sailing through the air and down shoulder first onto the track. The funny thing was i heard the little bugger farting as he ran off, which meant he was bucking in glee that he finally got me. 3 days later he won at Gosford.
The x-ray showed the left clavicle broken in the middle like a broomstick, but it was still joined at the bottom with some tissue. They sent me home in a sling and painkillers with 2 weeks off work… (i told them what i do for a living) It seemed unlikely to me giving the bone i could see poking through the shoulder. The pain was not too bad. Sleeping sucked but i still could move from the elbow down.
About 4 days later I went to bed full of painkillers. While dosing off i kept twitching, which really hurt. Just as i was nearly asleep i did a huge involuntary body jerk, and oh my god that was the worst pain i have ever felt. I got up screaming and nearly passed out, my body started shaking uncontrollably for what sempt like forever but was probably 10 min. Then i found out what it was really like to have a broken collar bone.
I went to the doc when i could handle getting in a car. She took one look at me and sent me for another x-ray. It is now broken completely and has a slight overlap. Now i know why i was in absolute agony that night. The doc sent my x-ray to a bone specialist and they have me booked in for a consultation tomorrow.
Apart from the pain, i am going nuts. I have a very physical job and now i am resorted to pacing around the house (can’t drive my manual car and live by myself 29yrs)
What i would like to know is how will i get back to full strength…..! You have to be physically strong especially in the shoulders to ride 10-15 racehorses 6 days a week. And reading these comments makes me a little worried about if i will get my strength back and how long that will take, this is my Livelihood. I want this fixed as best as possible so i can get back to work as soon as possible. I can’t wait around for months to see if it re-joins.
Can someone please tell me which method will allow me to get the most strength back?

Melanie

October 19, 2006

looking for info on broken collar bones & came across your site. I broke my clavicle in a dirtbike accident the end of July 06 and had surgery (4 screws). I was in SO much pain I was ready to rip them out myself! The swelling never did go down as the doc promised, so I knew something was wrong. Just had a second surgery 3 weeks ago. This time they put a plate AND screws in, and it is SO much better, although I do feel a tiny hard bump that looks to me to be a screw head maybe. The injury itself doesn’t hurt at all and I’m in a regular sling with the velcro and all. BTW, why don’t they make slings a little more attractive for us girls?? 🙂 Anyway, I received an electronic bone stimulator from the doc and actually start using it tomorrow. Wondering if anyone had any information on them – do they really work? Also, sometimes there is a burning sensation around the scar and inside. Normal?
Ready to get back on the dirtbike ASAP! 🙂

Bill

October 16, 2006

To Larry,
Received a distal fracture in mid June (bike accident), it was on the way to healing but even after six weeks, you are right, it is still very fragile. I re-injured at 6 wks and to date (mid Oct, 4 mo and counting), it is still not healed. At our ages, we need 10 weeks minimum. So stay in the sling and/or stay immobile. If it becomes re-injured, it may no longer heal on its own and require surgical intervention.
Bill

Hans

October 15, 2006

Larry R – Yes, I had the same issue with that type of sling. Cinching in towards the chest caused pain in my shoulder. That’s why the sling I had worked so well. It allowed me to stabilize the arm against the side of my chest. It also let me free my lower arm for movement. And since my upper arm was secured, when I made the occasional mistake of grabbing for something, the arm stayed put.
Also, it’s important to note that you should flex and use the sockets/joints of your arm throughout the day. That helps keep the joints from losing range-of-motion. So using a sling is important but in addition, several moments during the day to bend and use your arm’s joints.

Larry R

October 15, 2006

Hans – Thanks for the reply. I was given a simple sling with a neck strap with a Velcro adjust near the wrist area. The entire arm is totally encased and there is no other adjustment. Cinching it up swings the arm towards my chest causing pain. Adjusting it down so that my forearm is parallel to the floor is better, but after a while the arm starts to hurt in this position as well as the sling is always pulling. There is no provision to hold the upper arm close to my body. Simply sitting and resting the arm on my leg or a table is the best as I can use the other hand to move it around to improve comfort. I just have to remember to not automatically move the bad arm without thinking like I did this morning reflexively grabbing for a dropped book. I think I’ll go in search of a better sling tomorrow.

Hans

October 15, 2006

Larry R – Ouch! That sounded like a nasty crash. I hope you also contacted the railway or city regarding that problem. You might save someone else from the same accident. Oh, I would recommend a two light setup. I use a handlebar mounted light and a helmet mounted light. The helmet light is great since it gives a higher angle and you can direct it to areas the handlebar light misses.
As for your shoulder, it sounds like you are moving towards healing. But, as you think, it’s important to keep your shoulder immobile to allow it to heal. I was given a sling with two velcros straps to hold the upper and lower part of my arm. If I used both it worked like a regular sling. But if I used only the upper one then it held my arm close to my body but let the lower arm move free. This was great since it was comfortable and kept me from moving my arm and shoulder.

Larry R

October 14, 2006

Excellent site. I have been encouraged from reading the comments. I sustained a left clavicle distal fracture October 2 from a cycling accident. I am an avid runner and part-time cyclist. This summer I developed Plantar Fasciitis for the first time ever from an aggressive running regimen while training (and competing) with my son who is a is a successful high school cross country & track athlete. I am 54, he is 16. The age difference is painfully obvious! To keep my fitness level while giving my feet a rest, I started spending much more time cycling. Since I live in NE Ohio and usually work until 6:00 PM, this necessitates cycling after dark (I know – pretty stupid). I have a home gym but I much prefer the road. My bike is equipped with a strong headlamp but its not much use in actually seeing what’s on the road because of shadows, oncoming car lights, etc. I use it (and flashers) to let cars see me. It was completely dark and I was really cranking (probably 25 – 30 mph) to get over a railway before a car coming up behind overtook me. I am very familiar with these tracks and knew at what angle to take them and I thought I knew where the deep gouges were. I hit the tracks and was immediately down and sliding on the point of my left shoulder. I heard a loud cracking sound and I knew immediately the clavicle was damaged. I had some road rash and my right thumb was not working too well. I had no idea at the time how this happened. I assumed the front tire must have slid on the tracks. The next morning I examined the accident site and found a brand new 18 inch square sided hole about 6 inches deep caused by a large chunk of that rubberized material found around railroad track crossings missing. At night with the car lights playing over the tracks all looked black and solid. I never saw the hole and hit it totally unexpectedly. X-rays confirmed a distal clavicle fracture, but the thumb was only sprained – not broken. The ER guy put the arm in a sling and referred me to an orthopedic guy and prescribed Vicodin and Ibuprofen. In a couple of days, the orthopedic guy reviewed all and told me that the crack was rather unusual in that the bone was split lengthwise, but the good news was that there was no compound fracture. He told me the bone should heal on it’s own in about six weeks and to keep it still as possible. I could hear the bone popping and felt a snapping when I moved my arm in certain ways. There was a lot of pain and swelling. After about three days the pain was diminished somewhat, but I could still hear the popping and feel the snapping. A large purple / yellow / bluish bruise formed on my shoulder and extend across my left chest to my stomach. After about 7 days the popping and snapping stopped, but it was still difficult to get out of bed, etc. The orthopedic guy said to wear the sling for three weeks, but after the popping and snapping stopped I stopped wearing the sling as it was causing more pain on than off. I concluded the bone is healing as the movement has stopped, the pain has fallen way off – the sling was not necessary. Now, after reading the posts on this site, I’m thinking about putting it back on again as the bone is obviously still fragile and I guess I run the risk of rebreaking it or having some other complication in some way. I just wondering if this a good idea if the darn thing causes the shoulder to hurt more when its on. Sudden unexpected movement or reaching across my chest causes moderate pain. I must say, the sling basically sucks because it hurts when it pulls on the shoulder in odd ways.

Steve

October 13, 2006

Hi fantastic site. Broke my collar bone 1 week ago – fell off my MTB. To complicate things I already had an a/c separation on the same shoulder from 3 years ago – a jump went badly wrong when snowboarding. The surgeon has seen the xrays and said it looks like the collarbone has telescoped in on itself, reducing it’s length by about 1-2 cm’s. This has also made the separation bigger. He has given me the option of leaving it to see how it heals naturally or let him operate with a pin (the pin has to be removed after 4 weeks). I am reluctant to have the surgery but am concerned of the possible long term affects of the shortenning of the collar bone. As the surgeon said it is a difficult one because he has not seen a break like this in somebody who already has a separation.

Hans

October 12, 2006

Kim – You might have pushed it a little too hard too soon. Your shoulder might be reacting to the effort. More movement is normally good for recovery but it must be done correctly. My physical therapist had me slowly building up movement and effort. I also recall having a clicking sound which went away fairly soon.
If you are performing any activity that causes pain then you are pushing it too far. I would recommend you follow up with your doctor and/or a physical therapist.
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Gerald – I know that others have commented about having their pin taken out. I was lucky not to have to surgery so I can’t comment. Search through the replies/comments on this page and the other collar bone pages (linked at the top of this page) and you should be able to find some more feedback.

Gerald

October 11, 2006

great site this is!! i broke my collarbone 3 months ago in thailand in a head-on collision with another motorcycle. it was late and night and the other guy crossed the line into my lane. never had a chance. i had a clean break, and the doc at the hospital recommended putting a pin in, so i had the operat ion. it’s now 3 months in, and i’m back in the states. i can feel the end of the pin (it creates a small bump near my shoulder) and the collardbone feels ok, though i get some aches and pains, and it definitely hurts a little if i accidentally push on the end of the pin (like when i wear a backpack). the doctor said he’d probably take the pin out, but that was in thailand and i’m not there anymore. have any of you had the procedure done, and is it a) costly or b) time-consuming? is there any way i can leave the pin in, or will i definitely have to get it taken out?

Kim

October 5, 2006

Dear broken collarbone friends, I’m once again looking for advice. I’m now into my 7th week and have started physio. The bones appear to be healing fine and the doctor seemed happy when I saw him last week, telling me I could ditch the figure of eight. However, this week I’ve been experiencing a lot of pain again in my shoulder, especially around the rotator cuff (I think this is what it’s called – basically where my shoulder meets my chest). There is also a lot of clicking. I have more range of motion but it’s almost as painful as the first days after my accident. I swam a couple of times last week as the doctor said it could help. Is all this pain due to the increased movement of my arm? Should I still be refraining from using it or is more movement good for full recovery. Again, help help, please!

Tom C

October 2, 2006

Mark,
I had my collar bone plated and a hip graft used 10 weeks ago. I broke it May last year, a few months before my final year at veterinary school. I put off having the op then because i thought that if something did go wrong i would have to take a year out. I managed fine throughout the final year with just a fibrous union (although wasnt displaced much) – some of the heavier work ached a bit and the really heavy stuff (with horses etc) I had to stand back from occasionally.
After graduating I had the surgery to be fully fit for work. stayed in hospital 2 nights, everything has gone well fortunately. the hip did ache at first – couldnt even wear jeans for first week or two, and walking a long distance ached for the first month. thats fine now. the collar bone is doing well. was in sling for 2 weeks, not allowed to raise arm above horizontal for further 4 wks (although thats not as bad as it sounds), and am now fully functional, with about 10 degrees range of motion reduced that im working on with physio.
the surgery is a risk, and i guess ive been lucky. looking back i’m still glad i waited just in case something did go wrong. it depends on how flexible your daughters course organisers can be.
hope this helps in some way,
Tom

Joe

October 1, 2006

Mark,
Check to see if the doc (or a different one) might use a synthetic bone graft instead of taking if from the hip. I had heard that the synthetic graft (referred to as autograft by my doc) was more common now. I had a 3cm displacement and a big fragment in the fracture area. I ended up with a plate and 8 screws, and there was a decent sized area that was filled in with the synthetic graft material. There is also some amount of processed cadaver bone in the synthetic graft. At 7 weeks post-op, my fracture is healing well, and the fracture lines are no longer visible. Much better than after 8 weeks from the initial break where there was zero healing.
You might also want to check to see which plate system they are using. My doc used the Acumed plate which seems to be the most ideal offering specifically for the clavicle. (Shaped specifically for the clavicle, comes in left and right specific plates, and in a number of sizes to match the patient.) This is a bigger deal with the clavicle due to its shape, and the fact that it is so close to the surface of the skin. The more contoured shape and tapered edges help to minimize the risk of skin irritation, etc. This could reduce the potential need to remove the plate in the future.
In the worst case, a second opinion wouldn’t hurt. This is a reasonably significant procedure, so you’ll want the best.
Joe

mark

October 1, 2006

I’m concerned about my 21 year old daughter who broke her collarbone 7 weeks ago. She went for her 6 week check to be told she has non union of about 1cm and will need a plate and bone graft from her hip. The operation should be carried out within 2 weeks. She is a year 2 student nurse about to start her practical placement and could do with advice as to how long it will be before she is fully fit to work in what is a quite physical job. How long will it be before she can look after herself after the op, what is the worst bit, the hip or the shoulder? Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Hans

September 29, 2006

Darlene C – Some people have mentioned experiencing a mild form of the pain you describe. But since your pain is getting worse I would recommend you contact another doctor.

Darlene C

September 26, 2006

Maybe someone here can give me an idea on what’s happening and what I should do. I am in month 5 of “recovery” and have been using the bone stimulator for a month. I am now experiencing a strange pain sensation in that arm (like hitting my funny bone),a cold numb hand and difficulty lifting that arm without lots of pain in my arm muscles. It seems to be getting worse each day and wakes me all night. I don’t remember doing anything to cause my arm to hurt. My doctor is gone/unavailable for 2 1/2 weeks and I’m not sure if I should wait to see him or try to get a referral to another doctor. Is this a normal pain or something more serious that shouldn’t wait?

Kim

September 26, 2006

Thanks for the advice Hans and for this great website! I haven’t really been doing any exercise to loosen up my shoulder as I was so worried about moving too much. I’m happy to be reassured that the pain is normal though. Back to the doctor next week. Hopefully he’ll tell me I can swim soon!

Hans

September 25, 2006

Kim – It sounds like you might be experiencing pain from the lack of use of your shoulder. Now that you are beginning to move it more it is complaining. I experienced shooting pain for short time but it eventually went away. Massage, stretching, and physio-therapy all will help to get your shoulder feeling better.
Ah, and I had forgotten about getting a sore elbow from sleeping as you describe. That reminds me, be sure that you are taking your arm out of the sling several times a day and bending the elbow and moving your arm. It’s important to keep movement of the joints so that they don’t start to freeze up. I would leave my figure-8 on but take my arm out of the sling. I would then stretch and bend my arm at the elbow to be sure it stayed loose. Next I would slowly and carefully start moving my arm to excercise the shoulder joint. During this time I would be careful not to be moving my collar bone. The figure-8 helped a lot for that.

Kim

September 25, 2006

… oh I forgot to mention the sore elbow from sleeping all night on my back with my arm across my stomach, elbow propping it up. Is there no end to this horror story (or am I being slightly melodramatic?)?

Kim

September 25, 2006

This website has been my bible over the past few weeks!! Broke mine almost six weeks ago cycling. Was given a sling (collar and cuff they call it in Britain) and told by the doc to wean myself out of it after 2 weeks. Had it followed up in France after 3 weeks and was then told that the sling was not enough, despite the fact that the bones had started to fuse toegher, and that I needed the figure of eight brace for at least another 2 weeks. Now have a lot of movement back and have started to go out without the brace. However, my shoulder is still very painful (feels extremely tight) and I am woken up every morning by an angry collarbone. Shooting pains too. I guess this is all part of the healing process but when does it stop??? I’m a big swimmer and was initially told that I could probably swim after six weeks. Now pretty depressed as I know it’s not going to be possible for weeks. Conflicting information seems to be a constant huh?

Scott

September 13, 2006

I had shooting pains that lasted for about 3-4 days at about 4 weeks. Certain positions would make it worse. I was so annoyed as up to then it wasnt too bad. But then on the 4th day after he pains started I woke up and they had completly gone??
Scott

Hans

September 10, 2006

Joanna – I also experienced the shooting pain you described. It eventually went away. My doctor indicated that if the pain continued then it would require further evaluation. Luckily nothing more was needed.

Joanna

September 8, 2006

Hi. Found this website very helpful. I broke my right collar bone 3 weeks and 3 days ago playing softball. Dr. says it is healing well, pretty alligned (although the x-rays would appear to suggest otherwise), and the bump should not be too significant. I kept it in a sling for most of the first three weeks and am now trying to walk around without the sling and avoid getting trampled or bumped on the city streets and on the subway. Dr. has me doing shoulder shrugs and a few other exercise to keep the muscles loose. Following these exercises and any use of the arm, I’m experiencing shooting pains up and down my arm. Is this normal? Dr. does not think there is a problem with the nerves but the pain is pretty startling. Has anyone experienced this?

Lynn

September 7, 2006

Hans, just wanted to say thanks for keeping up this site, which I found via a Google search. I’ve learned so much about my injury and the healing process by reading other people’s comments and your responses. I especially appreciate your response to my comment. Out of the figure 8 at 3 weeks and feeling sore but have full range of motion and am amazed at the healing power of the body. Good luck all. Thanks again, Lynn

Joe

September 3, 2006

Hans, great site and myself along with many others appreciate you keeping it up.
I broke my clavicle in early May during the finish of a local crit when another rider dove into the front of the pack and clipped my handlebars. I was instantly on the ground, knocked out momentarily and found myself leaving in an ambulance strapped down to a backboard. I hit the pavement at 35MPH with my hands still on the handlebars, and feel on the pedals, landing on my shoulder and hip. The only major injury was the clavicle break and lots of road rash.
I saw two different ortho docs during the first two months. Both were of the mindset that I should just let it heal on its own with just the figure of 8 brace. My concern was that the broken ends were vertically apart and overlapping by over an inch. After 8 weeks doc #2 said to ditch the brace and start moving the arm. At that point there was zero healing visible, but not too much pain at the break site.
I finally sought a 3rd opinion from a shoulder specialist ortho. His advice was to go ahead with surgery. He would have recommended it right off the bat since there was so much shortening of the clavicle due to the nature of the break. I went ahead with the surgery and now have the Acumed plate and 8 screws holding things together. Surgery was more involved and took 4 hours! I was told this was due to the fact that my shoulder had become used to the inch shorter clavicle for 3 months so everything had tightened up and was a tough job for two surgeons to pull back out to full size. Initial recovery was more painful than I had anticipated, but it makes sense given what they had to do. I am almost a month post-surgery now. Pain is largely gone now. While the original golf ball sized bump was removed during surgery, I now have a decent sized bump that runs much of the length of the plate. This has gotten smaller since surgery, but is still large enough to see even when I’m wearing a T-shirt. I was wondering if anyone else who has had surgery could provide feedback on how much of a bump might remain long term. I don’t feel the screws or anything odd just yet, only the bump. (The skin surface is still numb around the surgery site, so I’m not sure how different it will feel further down the road.) I’ve probably got a couple more weeks with an arm sling and then I’ll finally start working on rehab of the shoulder and get back on the bike :).

Daniel McNeil

August 29, 2006

Hans, Thanks for the feedback – I promise I’ll be a good boy. I will also make sure that the Dr understands my concerns. He’s pretty good but also brusque so I know I will have to be assertive.

Sam

August 28, 2006

I went in last week for another surgery. This one seemed to go well, but they all did until the plates broke. This time they put in double plates, injected demineralized bone powder into the clavicle, and sent me home with a heavy duty sling and swath (which i am forbidden to remove for 6 weeks), a polar shoulder (a very cool ice machine) and a bone growth stimulator that i have to wear 3 hours a day for a couple months. They beat me up pretty good during this surgery (probably so i wouldn’t want to move my arm for a while) and i have bruising down to my belly button, across my chest, completely down my left arm, and midway down my back. Needless to say, I am in terrible pain. I am crossing my fingers and hoping this finally works! I’ll let you know how my follow up goes next week!

Hans

August 27, 2006

Addison – When new bone is forming it isn’t instantly solid. Therefore there may still be movement between the broken ends. It’s very important not to be moving the shoulder and the break during this time so you don’t hinder the healing. Think about fast setting glue between two pieces of wood. If you keep moving the two pieces of wood apart the glue might not get a chance to set and connect the pieces. That’s a simplified description but similar to what can occur with your broken bones and the connection that’s trying to form.
The clicking you are hearing might be the bones or maybe soft tissue. If it’s soft tissue it might simply go away as your shoulder continues to heal and you regain flexibility. It’s difficult to guess though which it might be. I recommend you call your doctor and explain what you have described here.
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Lynn – The popping you hear may be soft tissue, such as a ligament, moving over a different path formed by the injury. My shoulder popped for a bit, especially when my muscles had tightened up. This was normally in the morning. But eventually it went away.
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Daniel – Movement of your shoulder and your age are going against you for healing. One you can change, the other you can’t. I recommend you give your shoulder a chance and limit activites that stress and move your shoulder. Doing so now pays off later when you have a healed shoulder.
Also, if you haven’t, you should be very specific with your doctor about what your expectations are when you are healed. Particularly regarding your desire to swim free-style. That is important information that may or may not change your doctor’s recommendation.

Daniel McNeil

August 23, 2006

I shattered my clavicle on Memorial Day, 2006. I was working on my sailboat while it was on the trailer and fell off. I have virtually no memory of the accident since I also suffered a minor head injury with loss of conciousness. I actually had surgery on the now broken rt clavicle 3 years ago due to arthritis so it was already short by about an inch. The fractures are numerous in the middle of the bone with a center piece (actually several little pieces) lying nearly vertically and the outer pieces touching it. It looks like a demented “Z”. My orthopedic Dr (the same one who did the surgery) wants only to take a conservative course waiting to see if the pieces knit together. His opinion is that there are too many nerves/blood vessels in the area and the chance for complications are too great. The severe pain at the fracture site I experienced at first (something we all are privvy to) has almost vanished. I have good strength in the arm and, luckily, no apparent nerve damage. I do have some pain elsewhere and the Dr says I may have some rotator cuff damage. I have been out of the sling and figure eight since late in July and have been using the arm carefully since then. My most recent X-ray (8/21/06) shows new bone being laid down around the fracture site. The vertical piece(s) seem to be shifting while new bone is being laid down. Due to my general lack of pain at the fracture site the Dr has said that even if there is a non-union there it may be ok to leave it as is. I have good range of motion currently. I was told in the ER that this is the best bone to break since you don’t have to do anything about it. I’m not so sure about that. I am nearly 3 months from the injury and the bone isn’t healed yet. My next appt w/the Dr is in 3 months. It seems that this is common having read over the stories other people tell. I want to get back swimming but the Dr has said no free-style, only breast stroke. I hate the breast stroke! I am 50 y/o and need to lose some weight so I will do the breast stroke. I feel very lucky that my injuries were not worse – I fell about 10 ft onto my head and shoulder – I could have been paralyzed, brain damaged, or dead. I will put up with this even if it leads to surgery. I am pleased I found this site!

Lynn

August 23, 2006

Nice to find this site and read about other’s experiences. I broke my left clavicle mountain biking right in the middle of the clavicle about 10 days ago. Doc says it is a good break for healing. Found that percacet (sp?) got me through the first week–woke up every night when it wore off (now I just take something at night). Bought a couple of button short sleeves to put on because t-shirts were too hard. Wife helps with the washing and deoderant and such under my good shoulder, etc.
Was just using the sling they gave me but I had it so loose it wasn’t giving me much support. Every morning my bone would have set overnight and then I would rebrake it trying to get out of bed or within a few seconds after getting up-just felt it pull, then pop!! Then it popped and crunched all day long, despite being very careful and not doing anything really. So I got a figure of 8 brace and that’s been great because it keeps my shoulder from sagging, gives me better posture (hey, I’d rather heal without the sag), and the re-braking in the morning has stopped. I’ve also become more mobile, and have actually caught myself using my left arm and forgetting about the break (until it hurts). So now I added back the sling just to remind myself not to try to use my left hand.
The only think I’m worried about is that I still hear and feel some popping going on that shoulder. I’m concerned that it might not be healing properly, but wonder if it’s normal at this stage of the game. It certainly isn’t rebraking in the morning, but…am I healing normally?

Addison

August 21, 2006

Hey Guys,
I broke my right colar bone in three places on july 18 06 on a motocross track. i’ve just started back to work doing light work but when i’m swinging my hammer i get a really sharp pain in my shoulder. it’s really excrutuating pain. and then the other night i was laying in bed and felt a click in my shoulder. (when i broke it and was walking off the track it was clicking every step i took) when i put my finger where the break/bone is sticking up and move my shoulder i can feel the bone connected to my shoulder moving and the other peice not moving. I’ve had check ups and my bone growth is coming in but what i’m not understanding is why would it be moving if there’s growth going on. Shouldn’t it move as one by now?! And am i just having a froze shoulder?

Hans

August 20, 2006

Trinity – It’s difficult relieving the pain just after getting the break. Your body not only has the broken bone but there is usually surrounding soft tissue damage and swelling. This all adds up to a very tender shoulder.
You might consider wearing a figure-8 brace. That’s what I used to reduce movement, keep my shoulders aligned, and stop some of the pain from the movement. It’s not the most comfortable thing to wear but it worked well for me and has worked for others. It’s good for keeping you from accidently moving your collar bone and hindering the healing process.

Trinity

August 20, 2006

hey my name is Trinity im 13 years old and yesterday during a football Jamboree (a series of scrimages) i broke my collar bone. i was brought to the hospital after 20 minutes of being on the field. and the x-rayz showed it was broken in 3 places!! all they did for me was give me 4 shots of morpheen and a prescription for vicodin. N0w its just in a sling!! Do you have any other ideas of how i can keep it still? because every little movement hurts it!

Darlene C

August 17, 2006

Thanks for your replies. I’ve talked to more professionals on this and it appears trying a month with the bone stimulator is worth a try. Looks like I’ll be a member of this “elite” club for awhile longer, at least I’m in good company! I’m not in any rush to restart the healing during the last nonfrozen days in Colorado..I’ll be inside from the cold soon enough. Does anyone know how short a collarbone can be and still be functional longterm?? The dr. said I did not need the 2 “extra” bone parts that were riding one above and one below the break, I’m not sure where they are now, but I might have extra parts if anyone needs them….Also with a plate, is it true that carrying a heavy backpack will have it come through the thin skin at the scar? I climb mountains and an avid rockhound (when I’m not tipping dirtbikes.) I’m still enjoying these hobbies somewhat but have been taking it alot easier. Ok…I’m confused again as the dr. said it did not help the healing more if I started using the sling again. I’m waiting on my bone stimulator to come by FED EX today and am relieved to know it doesn’t actually electricute or zap! Thanks again.

george

August 17, 2006

oh god, reading this site has made me feel a bit sick.
my advice – do not, ever, break your collarbone when you have got two children under the age of 4.
i commute by bike in london, a hazardous pastime and was knocked off my ride by a skip lorry. could have gone under the lorry. could have been a car in the next door lane when i landed in it. could have been mowed down by the guy in the car behind. but i wasn’t.
so, i was lucky to be alive and with just a broken right clavicle.
the pain was extraordinary. i got claustrophobia when being strapped to the stretcher (they didn’t know if my neck had gone as well) – so much so that they gave me an industrial quantity of morphine (you see, not all bad) just to get me to the hospital.
once there all was fine. a break halfway down the bone, the two bits of bone still lined up. I was given a sling and some co-codamol and packed off with instructions not to move it. next day, a specialist concurred. but he gave me some tramadol for the night (these i do recomend, the co-codamol just block you up and ibuprofen work just as well).
so far, so good. but after two weeks in bed impatience got the better of me and we all went on an outing to the london eye one sunday. no problem.
then, on the tube on the way home, one of the boys jumped at me. i flinched. massive pain. nightmare.
three weeks later i went back to the specialist for a 6 week check. not good news. now the bones were overlapping by an inch. not to worry he said. let’s give it another 6 weeks (i had flinched at the crucial bone-forming moment) and take another x-ray.
that was three weeks ago.
last week i felt the shoulder getting more solid and made a mental note to myself to look after it. it is out of its sling – the specialist suggested small movements might help the healing.
then disaster. my little boy tripped right in front of me. without thinking i lunged forward to catch him. and that really hurt.
ever since then the bones have been moving again. it doesn’t hurt but after reading everyone else’s stories i am feeling pretty down about the chances of recovery without an op. we have another baby due in november and my wife is going a bit potty with having to do all the lifting etc.
if you can, and i couldn’t, DON’T MOVE THE BLOODY THING UNTIL WELL AFTER YOU FEEL IT STARTING TO HARDEN UP. and don’t have kids.and don’t ride in london. actually don’t do anything. just lie in bed. it’s where you’ll end up anyway.
good luck all. may the force be with you.

Sam

August 16, 2006

Darlene-
Although I have had some complications with my plates breaking after surgery, I would totally recommend it. I too am in a job where lifting is required and my doctor said that letting it heal on its own was not recommended since I broke it in 5 spots. Two weeks after surgery I felt great, and good range of motion and lifting ability. (This probably was the cause of my plates breaking. I think I felt good and over did it too soon). I also got a second opinion from a doctor who also felt that a clavicle that breaks in more than one or two spots should be operated on due to the high risk of nonunions with comminuted fractures. Get a second opinion! I did after four months, and if anything it just reassured me that my doctor was in fact doing the proper thing.
I go in for surgery again next week because my second plate broke, and they are going to try one of those electrical bone growth stimulators. If you get yours before me, let me know how it goes! Good luck. I hope this helps!

David

August 16, 2006

Darlene: If I were you I would get a second opinion. I had surgery on my collarbone after 7 weeks of no union, and I am completely satisfied. Some orthopods seem adverse to surgery and I’m not quite sure why. Of course, you get a scar and a metal plate with surgery, but you also get a completely aligned collarbone. Good luck.

Darlene C

August 15, 2006

This is one club I’d like to be an ex-member of. Four months ago I tipped over on my new ttr125. Seems the combination of being somewhat short and the loose colorado gravel can make a nearly stopped bike sort of tip over and break a collarbone in four pieces. The event was described as comical and even amazing that one could hurt themselves doing it. I was certain my shoulder should not be attached to my ear, so off to the ER. Apparently if you take a regular tylenol on the way there, to take the edge off from the long 4wheel trail ride back to the main road, you can’t have a pain reliever at the hospital. After Xrays and hours waiting I was being sent home and told there was nothing they could do for me, see the ortho in 5 days. I had been so brave till this news and now sobbed “what do you mean you can’t fix this?? my shoulder is in my ear and I’m getting tired of holding this position..The xray tech gave me a sling to drop my arm in and I composed myself for this new adventure..Ok, on to the recovery with 2 months in a figure 8. My gouged muscles above my armpits will never be the same again. I’ve taken it easy and at 4 months the ortho says “it should heal, sometimes it takes 6 months, Now we should try a bone stimulator”. He has implied on many visits that the surgery is unnecessary, dangerous and will look grossly frankenstienish. I am 44 and feel as though it has taken over my life. My collarbone pivots at the break, is short,and pulls on my neck. The Dr says scartissue is causing this pulling at my throat ,causing a constant wierd gurgling burp day and night. I can’t even wear a decent bra without pain. Can someone tell me will this nightmare ever end?? I can’t work because I have to be able to lift spec.ed children..What is this adversion to surgery?? Does nature, Dr., or patient know best??..I’m confused.

Steven Perry

August 12, 2006

I have a broken clavicle that was repaired 5 months ago and now it has broken in the same spot including the plat. Looking for help

Tom C

August 11, 2006

Mike – Your story bought back memories. I broke my collar bone wrestling a friend in an inflatable sumo wrestling suit at a college party – he’s about a foot taller than me as well!!!
Hope you have a speedy recovery,
Tom
PS: sleeping on your back is horrible, isnt it? I found that supporting the bad arm with a couple of extra pillows helps a bit.

Mike Holland

August 10, 2006

How Ironic that I found this website. On August 6th, Last Sunday I had just got back from a nice early morning bike ride. It was a great start to my Sunday morning. After my ride, my boss and I went to visit a friend who has been off work for a month with a bad back. After about a hour we left, and I headed home for a Weekly Sunday poker game. It was hot and sunny that day. One of my poker buddies decided to climb a tree. Since it was hot out, I decided to cool him off. The garden hose was within reach, and guess what he got. Anyway, after he got out of the tree and grabbing the hose and soaking me, He decided to teach me some wrestling moves. I’m 5’6″ and he is 6’3″ about 225 lbs. After about 5 minutes I was getting tired and kind of relaxed for a second, just as he fell on my shoulder. SNAP!!!
I have broken this collar bone before and I knew right away I was screwed. Off to the hospital I go. Surprisingly it only took 2 hours. The iniyial xray looked like I only snapped it in two. But 3 days later when I went to the fracture clinic, New xrays showed a shattered clavicle. I literally had a half inch piece of bone snapped off in the centre, with alot of fragments around it. Amazingly the doctor says it will heal on its own without surgery. I found it hard to believe, but he reassured me. He says it will be up to 3 months to heal. That really bummed me out. I was supposed to be in a mountain bike race in a week. 24hrs of summer solstice. I had to break the news to my team today. This is the second time I have injured myself prior to a big racing weekend. I am not looking forward to the next 3 months only sleeping on my back. So consider yourself lucky if you have a clean break. See ya.

Ana Dujic

August 10, 2006

Hey there, you’re accident sounds dredful, i completely understand not being able to do the things you love. I broke my collar bone exactly 4 weeks yesterday, I broke my collarbone during a rugby game yeahh not cool. Well luckily you had a clean break but i did not *BUMMER* mine won’t ever go back normally and the figure 8 brace is completely USELESS to me. So i’m glad that yours had a clean break. Now everytime i go back to my doctor he’s just giving me more weeks it’s horrible. However i was very interested to see the training schedual your doctor had prepared for you to keep you in shape.

Hans

August 5, 2006

Ewan – Thanks for posting your story and the link to the photos. Brings back memories of my break! I hope you heal soon and get back out on the bike. Sorry you are missing the great weather in Scotland. Hmm, is global warming helping summers there? :’)
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Sam – Wow, two broken titanium plates! I’ve heard of people breaking a plate one time but not a second time. And then the infection gets thrown in there. Well I can offer one theory as to why you are breaking the plates. You said you’re a fireman and had gone back to work? How much movement and stress do you put on the shoulder? If you are constantly moving the shoulder and indirectly bending and stressing the titanium plate, then you could break it. A plate is only meant to hold the bones aligned while they heal. The plate isn’t strong enough to do more than that. Yes, titanium is a strong alloy, but the plate is thin and has several holes in it where the screws pass through.
A plate stabilizes and supports the break. But it won’t make your clavicle as stable and as strong as before the break. Therefore, you still need to be careful using your shoulder and try to reduce movement. Once the break fuses and the clavicle is solid enough you will be able to use your shoulder as you had before. But overdoing it before then can lead to problems such as a broken plate.
Finally, it’s never too late to get a second or third opinion from a qualified doctor.
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tom r – Yes, it’s amazing when the bones do figure themselves out and fuse back together. As for excercises for your AC joint, I recommend that you schedule an appointment with a physical therapist. It’s better and safer to get recovery excercises for your own injury. Each injury is unique and you wouldn’t want to perform an excercise that would hinder your recovery.

tom romberg

August 4, 2006

OK. I had a follow at 6 weeks. Good news, the bone is mending fine. I had a 1 1/4″ seperation find it amazing how the bone can grow back. The concern now is an AC Joint seperation. No surgery needed at this time. I need to do exercises to get the shoulder back. Has anyone had this and what kind of exercises work. I am anxious to get back on the golf course before the whole summer is gone.

Tom

August 3, 2006

Just had my 2 week post-op xrays and all seems to be holding in place well. Doc says I should now start to use the sling less and should be driving by week 4 and working at week 6 – this seems a lot less time than some of the people on this site were told!! It does feel odd over the plate when i move my shoulder but hopefully its just re-adjusting to the new metalwork and the lack of use.
Doc wants me back in 4 weeks to see me but no xray – the surgery connected the fragments so neatly that they wont be able to tell on an xray when the fracture has actually healed…
Sam – sounds like you’ve been unlucky. I had a non-union for a year before finally having it plated. hope it gets sorted for good this time round. I’ve heard of using ‘stacked plates’ on other parts of the body to strengthen the repair by literally using 2 plates on top of each other. not sure about collar bones, might be worth mentioning?
Good luck mending guys!
Tom

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