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

Charles

March 18, 2010

john o’shea, I have a similar experience while a little better.
like you I broke my collar bone in Jun 09 and had the plates installed about 5 days after. all seemed to go well but wound was still discharging after 1 month. Surgeon opened me up (2nd surgery) cleaned the wound and closed it with a nylon stitch that was removed after 2 weeks. All went well until one day about a month and half later when like you I noticed that the wound had reopened and I can see my plate…
back to the op table (3rd op in 3 months) and this time, they removed the plate and screws altogether. also due to exposure of the plate to the “outside world” they had me on intravenous anti-biotic drip for 2 months. So for 2 months I get to carry around a pump in a small pouch around my waist with constant infusion of anti-biotic. By the say did I mention that the bone was back in a classic z without the plate holding it in place due to the short period of time it was holding it together? PS: I’m 38 and yes the surgeon did mention the age factor too so don’t feel too bad.
Anyways, I was done with the antibiotic infusion in Dec and have been doing PT since. Bone has healed sufficient for the surgeon too release me from her care.
So, take heart john, there is light at the end of the tunnel and you are not the only one with this experience! hope you feel better soon!!

Seddag

February 23, 2010

Hello, son broke collar bone mid Nov., bad break, overlapping bones. Not plated. 2 Drs and 2 different views on how long he needs to be off rugby. X rayed at 1 hour, 3 days, 4 weeks and 7 weeks. Followed advise of the view we wanted to hear, back to rugby 2 weeks ago, after a 11 week lay off. The provisio was he was to use extra padding for protection. Anyone any experience of this? Needless to say he played yesterday, minus padding and now aching again….

Kathy

February 5, 2010

This site has been extremely helpful to me. I know more about clavicles and surgery options than I ever thought I would. I broke my left clavicle in 7/09, and some ribs. These were my first broken bones EVER and my first ER visit EVER. The fracture was mid-clavicle and healed fairly well, but a mal-union. Not surprising based on the x-rays. There was NO WAY those bones were ever going to line up. After much contemplation, and 3 orthopedists opinions, I had surgery in 12/09, a plate and 7 screws. I’m now 8 weeks post-op and all is well. I do have quite a long (5 inches) scar and a fair amount of numbness/tingly feeling around the incision area but am hoping this will subside as time goes on. My point is, for anyone contemplating surgery, it’s a good option. Yes, it’s risky, but a qualified surgeon should do the job just fine. Better to make your shoulder functional long term. If you have the option, just get it fixed quickly rather than having to have the bone rebroken when plating. No sense going through 2 recovery periods like I did. Thanks to all of you that posted out here and helped me through this.

pat

January 31, 2010

hey thanks for the advice .. i think i will cut down to make it heal quicker . just got back from the fracture clinic before the did another x ray and they made me take my shirt of nd do arm movements i did all of them without any pain at all he said it is geting better and im starting physio to get my arm moving properly again and i can go back to work but no heavy lifting or anything 🙂 im happy as i jsut hope it goes completely back to normal its still a little bit outa place but doesnt hurt at all nd i hope it all goes well . so good not wearing a sling 😀

pat

January 31, 2010

Hi i fractured my right clavical on the 18th december 09 2 weeks after i went to the fracture clinic it had healed a bit i thaught it was going ok as there is not much pain .. on the 4th week i went and got an xray it hadnt healed at all since last x ray. can feel where its fractured still im going to the fracture clinic tomorrow 1/2/2010 been more than 6 weeks . the docs there r useless when i first went in they didnt even know how to put the sling on .. im so over not doing anything .. and im just wondering if smoking actualli effects healing ??? and how can u tell if it is overlapping ?? can someone please help . sk.81@hotmail.com

Yes, smoking can have s significant negative influence on healing. I don’t recommend smoking, especially when trying to recover from a broken bone.

The only way to tell if your bones are overlapped is to have one or more x-rays and a specialist review them. In some cases only one x-ray will not show the overlap because of the angle it was taken. That’s why another x-ray, from a different angle, may be necessary.

Do what you can to get yourself healed. It’s no fun not being able to do the things you like.

Hans

David

January 25, 2010

Hi All.
I broke my L clavicle during a morning bike ride with friends after Thanksgiving. An older lady was driving and didn’t see us and took a turn right in front of us. I was drafting behind my friend he slammed his brakes I hit his back wheel lost control and hit the pavement. Its been 8 weeks now, I wore a sling for a month and every morning took it off for elbow extensions. It seems to be healing fine as there is a callus formation and the pain is slight usually in the mornings. I now am receiving Therapy 3 times a week to slowly build up my strength. Only problem now is that I am a Therapist myself, that works in a hospital, and it requires a lot of lifting to get those patients out of bed. I can’t work according to my employer until I can safely lift patients without putting myself and them at risk. This may take a long time. I may be forced to work somewhere else.
Good Blog! Nice to hear the various stories.
David

john o’shea

January 9, 2010

thought i might give my account as whilst i have found this site excellent i have not come across a similar situation to my own.
i broke my collar bone in June 09. i came off my mountain bike trying to go up what i thought was a low grass verge whilst going way too fast.
i have never hit the ground (about three foot below where i came from) with such force I knew I had to have broken something. after checking all my limbs i touched my collar bone and immediately knew it was a bad break. the xrays indicated broken into three pieces and really large over lap. it was a classic Z shape.
Had a plate and seven screws put in after waiting in the hospital for four days. it all seemed to be going really well. was back on the stationary bike after two weeks and felt strong enough to be able to ride after four weeks. still took it easy though.
problems started after eight weeks. a lump appeared on the scar and then gradually this started to break down and the wound started to discharge. i had probably ten visits to A&E and my surgeon to try and sort it out. my surgeon from the start said i had an infection in the wound and that unfortuantely it would be hard to clear it up. he also said as soon as the plate was taken out it would stop. had at least eight blood/swab teasts that never indicated what the infection was. i was on anti-biotics for the next four months. finally it was agreed to open the wound up and try and clear up whatever the source of the infection was. my original surgeon did this and also took out the central pin that he thought might be causing it.
everything great for a month and i though i was in the clear. but then the leaking started again. this continued until after about a month, i came out of the shower and as usual looked at the wound and could see the plate. the skin had finally come apart. straight back into hospital and agreed that the plate had to come out. i was in full agreement that i had needed to keep it in as long as possible but due to the infection all my xrays were indicating the bone was not healing that well. it was sore to push on and there was no chance of rolling onto that side whilst in bed.
anyway as soon as plate out discharge stopped. lots of teethering of the skin to the bone and scare really looking bad as not it has been opened up three times. i was back training after two weeks and really feeling optimistic.
end of November i was leaving work to go back to the hospital to get the final all clear when as i steped out a small lady jogger ran into me and pushed me against a wall. i felt the bone immediately snap. not much pain as i have quite a bit of numbness again due to the three ops. when i felt it i knew it was bad so straight to the hospital for my appointment. xray showed it was a bad break even though the impact had been minimal. the break was at the site of the infection. i was gutted. the surgeon almost had tears in his eyes as he thought he had finaly gotten rid of me. anyway after seeing two surgeons that day they agree there is nothing they can do. normally it would be immediately plated as massively displaced but due to the risk of infection they need to leave it for at least a couple of months to make sure the infection is gone. next day i pay

Jeff Duke

October 19, 2009

Jessica, I am so sorry to hear about your ordeal.
I too fear that when they remove my broken plate and the accompanying screws, that my bone will be even more fragile as there will be voids where the screws used to be.
If I were you I would go for the quickest, surest way for the bone to heal. I was told that the voids would eventually “calcify” and it would be stronger than before.
However, the time waiting for that to happen goes painstakenly slow.
I will pray for your quick recovery and I hope that soon all of your pain and misery will be a thing of the past.
Hang in there.

jessica venables

October 15, 2009

Oh its me again…. Jessica
I had a non union clavicle so after 3 horrible months of wearing the 8 knot I had hip bone graft and a massive plate 6 screw and a vice.
15months later I have it taken out. Brillant its healed really well, 2 weeks later after they take out the metal I wake up and lean over to turn off the alarm and crack! I have broken it again and not in the same place. Where the a screw was I have a clean break. Rubbish rubbish rubbish
I am super fit and healthy, just have small bones I guess, so now iam back in the brace. I have seen 3 sports doctors. 1 says surgery the other 2 say brace.
What to do?

Jeff Duke

September 29, 2009

I thought I might share my “broken clavicle” story.
I ran over an unexpected “sink hole” with my bike back on June 20th.
I do not remember the “fall” but I remember the resulting pain. As it turns out, I broke my right clavicle in three places and they had separated in such a way that surgery was inevitable.
Eight screws and one plate later I though I was on the road to recovery. But fate has not been kind. After about 8 weeks I was beginning to use my shoulder again and I cannot remember the date, but the “break” area started to feel strange and uncomfortable. My wife noticed that the bump appeared larger and intense bone pain started to come back. I then went back to the surgeon who took x-rays and let me know the news, good and bad. The Good? The bones were healing nicely. The bad? The plate that I was informed could stay in forever had now cracked in the middle and the whole thing would have to be removed.
It appears that the constant torque that my shoulder was generating started to weaken the stainless steel plate causing it to crack in an area by one of it’s middle holes.
I guess my advice is if you have a seriously broken clavicle (3 breaks, uneven alignment), then you should definitely wait over (2) months before you do anything strenuous with that shoulder. If you bend a metal plate back and forth so many times it will inevitably crack.
I am now facing surgery after the doctor is confident that the bones have healed sufficiently and he will remove all hardware.
It is hard for me because I am right-handed and am an active person. I thought the material used for the plate was stronger (my assumption) and I never thought it would crack (my bad).
I am in chronic pain and I know it will someday get better.
I also know that God will not hand me anything that I cannot handle on my own. It happened and now I have to deal with it.
Than you for reading.

Samantha

September 28, 2009

I thought I should share my story for those of you considering surgery. I broke my clavicle mountain biking about 6 weeks ago. I had never broken a bone or been to the ER before so the whole experience was pretty surreal.
The ER doctor told me that clavicles often heal themselves and I would most likely just be given a shoulder immobilizer and Vicodin and left alone for six weeks. I was happy to hear this, especially the Vicodin part!
I saw an orthopedist the next day and she told me something completely different. She said because of the particular nature of my break (overlapped more than 2 cms and separated by about 1 cm), and because I’m female (something to do with calcium) I was a good candidate for surgery. I began to feel faint.
I had to think about it and research the types of surgeries (pins or plates). I decided that I wanted a Rockwood screw because it was less invasive and easily removable. I also imagined that the scarring would be minimal compared to the plate. I chose surgery because I felt like I should do what I can to repair the bone and ensure that it heals correctly to save myself possible discomfort in the future. I’ve heard of many people unhappy with their results after letting it heal.
The orthopaedic surgeon that I found did a similar pin to the Rockwood. Surgery was a scary experience for me, a first-timer, but I got through it with one hiccup: the end of the screw worked its way out through the skin shortly after the surgery and now I am stuck with a piece of metal sticking out the back of my shoulder that I have to keep clean. It doesn’t hurt anymore and hasn’t since a week after surgery. The recovery time they gave me has not changed, 6 weeks.
I am now 5 weeks post-op and I have had to do a round of antibiotics for fear that the screw opening might be infected. The screw is due to come out in a week and I cant wait! I haven’t been able to do very much because the screw limits my range of motion and I cant lift anything heavier than a plate of food. Using the arm too much hurts so I haven’t been on a bike since the break. A more ambitious person might have been able to do indoor training but I’m sticking to hiking until the pin comes out.
Overall I’m glad I did the surgery. If the screw hadn’t worked its way out I’d be much happier. I have a 3 cm+ scar on the front of my clavicle but I’m using vitamin E oil on it and think it will look better than the big bump I’ve seen on the “natural healers.” The discomfort of the hardware is the only drawback that I didn’t foresee.
Hope this helps, good luck to you all!

Min

August 11, 2009

I joined the broken collar bone club 3 mos. ago. Running to answer the phone in flip flops on a wet patio. Im a 37 yr. old female. The bone immediately bulged under the skin. The x ray showed a complete middle clavicle fracture, displaced with a decent sized 3rd bone fragment in between the displacement. I thought the little piece in the middle could be helpful in the 2 main bones re joining but my ortho has told me that is actually a disadvantage to the healing. The x ray stayed the same until about 7 weeks showed some decent movement with some callous formation. 5 weeks later, no changes. Today they submitted to my ins. for a bone stimulator machine with magnets, deeming me a non union. There is fuzzy look on the x ray where the bones are touching on each side of the 3 pieces a little. GOING VERY SLOW! Anyone have good or bad experiences with this? He said I will wear a patch for 8 hours a day for 3 mos. Sounds like a lot of fun. Happy to do it if it can form the union. I have MS and need frequent MRI’s so we are avoiding hardware, lol. Personally I’m dreadfully avoiding the surgery scar I’ve heard about. Reading this site is helpful, scares the hell out of me though reading how many don’t heal. I’ve never broken a bone, I’m mad that my body is not taking care of this. They keep mentioning my age being a factor, I’m only 37! The pain is better some days and bad other days. I stopped wearing the figure eight brace about a month ago. Dr. says it’s only for comfort now. It’s summer in AZ so I’m grateful to not wear it. Amazing the things you can’t do with a broken collar bone. Then again it’s amazing after this long I’ve learned to be one armed, and still be a mom of 3 running this house. I have heard that some can take more than 12 weeks to heal. Anxiously awaiting that stimulator in a couple weeks. Anyone have experience with the stimulator? What are the chances that this is going to finish healing??? Ortho says it is probable that with more time it can heal. I hope the stimulator helps! I’ll be getting another x ray about a few weeks after I get the stim.
I thought a broken bone…. 6 weeks I’d be done. I had no idea it could go this long and now 3 more mos. without any guarantees of union with the machine. UGH. At what point do these just “stop” healing? Pain wise I ache a lot but have improved a lot in the last month. Not getting that “take you down right now cramping” anymore. Hoping thats a good sign 🙂

Don

August 2, 2009

Great Blog.

One month ago I took was coming down from the top of a mountain on a gravel road and hit something…never saw it. Going 25 to 30mph. I broke my clavicle, scapula (shoulder blade), eight ribs, punctured lung, bruised lung, pneumothorax……. Fortunately a car was nearby and stopped and their was cell coverage in this remote area. Spent five days in the trauma unit at the hospital.

I saw two orthos about a clavicle plate, but neither recommended it. However I swear that I can look in the mirror and see that my left shoulder is about 1 inch shorter than my right, and I can feel the two bones laying one of top of the other. Hopefully its only cosmetic, but I am supposed to see the orth again in 2 weeks.

All I have had is a sling with a band that wrapped arouund my body to hold my are in.
Lance had a plate put in, but I read that his was a compound clavicle fracture, and he had a large incentive to recover as fast as possible. My friend knows a guy that had the clavicle plate put in, and he was snow skiing without pain a few weeks later.

Hopefully it won’t be too late if I want one put in.

Yes it’s possible for your shoulder geometry to change after a clavicle fracture. Especially if the bones don’t heal with the same alignment as before the break.

Surgery isn’t a 100% guarantee for a quick recovery as there can always be complications. I recommend getting more than one doctor’s opinion regarding surgery. But be sure to clearly explain your concerns and your expectations once healed. It really helps to write down your questions and take them with you when you visit the doc.

Oh, and the comment about a friend of a friend skiing with no pain a few weeks after surgery… well, take everything you hear with a grain of salt. Even what you read here. Trust your doctor(s). They are the only people that can give you informed answers about your own injury.

Hans

mignon boyden

July 13, 2009

Hello i broke my left clavical on July 3,2009. My husband and i went for ride on our motocycle it was a nice day out we came around a corner and slide on some gravel we went over i felled off and broke my clavical all most went for surgery the doctor scard me so i am going to see if i will heal on my own. i am so confuse i want to get better i know its been just 2 weeks. Dose any ones chest fill num after surgery? thats what the Doctor told me that there would b some numness around the area. let me know

I have heard that there can be numbness caused by some of the nerves be cut during the surgery. My friends, that have had surgery, haven’t had the problem. But it is a risk. You might want to talk with another doctor for another viewpoint regarding your concerns.

Hans

Sue

July 9, 2009

I broke my left clavical June 22, 2009, while loading a horse in a trailer. I was told that 15mm or more requires a plate, 12-14cm generally will heal on its own. It was also stated that surgery is the last thing you want to do because the plate is up against your skin and bothersome, and possibly be required to take it out. Anotherwards, two surgeries. I kept my arm in a sling for two weeks. Then, took it out and was very careful not to lift laterally. I continued with motion from the elbow to the hand for exercise. Shoulder rolls, back and forward continued starting the third week and this is where I am at now. Do not lift anything over 5 lbs if you can help it. An xray will be taken at 6 weeks to see healing. However, I recommend daily Calcium and VitD supplements. Eat right and be careful not to lift the arm until the dr. states you can otherwise the fuse might not happen if you rush too fast. If anything hurts, don’t do it!!! Good Luck!

kathy

July 6, 2009

Hi its me again, kathy that got hit by a van in Argentina.
Well I am back in the Uk and so glad.
As soon as i got back 3 weeks ago I had emergency surgery and now have a plate and 6 screws holding my clavical together.
My physio said it was the worst case of bone displacement she had ever seen.
One very important piece of advice for anyone with a broken collar bone is to have your shoulder and neck massaged!
I have a huge mass on my left shoulder and back. It looks visibly different to the right side and is aching and stiff. It is actually a lot more uncomfortable than my collar bone. Of course being 6 weeks in Argentina without proper medical care didnt help!!
Sherri..I feel it is a long time before you have to go back and see your doctor and I have been told not to raise my arm above 60 degrees while it is still healing as you can dislodge it.
Are you seeing a physio? They can be very good wih questions. All the very best

Sherri

July 5, 2009

This is a great blog! I am sixteen years old and I broke my clavicle twenty weeks ago in a car accident and it has still not healed. I was just able to fully raise my arm above my head for the first time last week. I do not know why it is taking so long to heal but I go back to the doctor in August. Best of luck to anyone healing from a broken collar bone!

kathy oleary

June 1, 2009

The broken bone is still moving up instead of down and worse my new doctor said my arm sling was no good so I am on my 5th sling in as many weeks.
each time i see a new doctor they tut and take the sling i have off and put on another one.
this doctor said my left chest cavity is crushed too, great..he has advised me not to travel as he said i need total rest for a few days and travel may cause my broken bone to pierce my skin.
still…all amunition for my lawyer here in buenos aires. the traffic is awful here, i got hit by a postal van crossing on a green light at a pedestrian crossing.
i am interested to know if kim marrs bones did heal by themselves or did she need surgery
or has anyone got any advice on something similar.
thank you.. kathy

kathy oleary

May 27, 2009

thankyou
I am a bit over my initial panic. it was so awful seeing how much worse my broken clavicle is after 3 and a half weeks.
i am having another x ray tomorrow and hopefully it is better news.
thanx for the advice about the sling too.
kathy

kathy oleary

May 25, 2009

well i am so upset

i am in argentina where i was hit by a postal van 3 weeks ago and my worst injury being my broken clavicle.
i was incased in plaster and didnt move for 3 weeks.

today i had the most awful seering pain in my rib an knowing something was wrong went to an emergency private clinic.

my x ray shocked and has extremely upset me.

the bone has moved up in cmpletely the wrong direction..it is almost piercing the skin and the bottom of it is pressing on my rib.

a traumatologist said i was wearing a totally useless childs sling..the plaster disintegrated after 2 weeks and a pharmacist recommended me the sling..

i now have a very tight sling on pressing down painfully on my clavicle but i assume this is right to put it back down….but surely the bone would have healed after over 3 weeks and surely even if it goes back down it wont fuse…please help please..i am a 44 year old english woman alone in argentina..i have a flight back to the uk in 2 weeks

sorry about the text but i can only use one hand

kathy

I haven’t heard of a broken clavicle healing in only 3 weeks. Usually 6 or more weeks. When you return to the UK go to a orthopedic doctor to get another evaluation. Also, be careful that the sling you are now wearing isn’t causing a lot of pain, numbness, or loss of circulation. If so then you need to adjust it.

Hans

Linda Lee

May 19, 2009

It is amazing the comments are still flowing years now from when Hans first wrote about his injury! To me it has been great reading since I broke my collarbone April 30th after crashing on a gap jump on my mountain bike. Luckily my husband was also riding that evening and could pick up the “pieces” and take me to the ER. I have never been to the ER before nor broken anything so this was all new. Luckily I didn’t get my jersey cut off of me or spend an abnormally long time at the hospital. They put me in a figure 8 and gave me percocet, then gave me the number of an Ortho doctor to see. At the ER they mentioned 8 weeks in the figure 8 – afterwards I realized this must not be correct as this apparatus is not the most comfortable or convenient, although at certain times I appreciated its support over “hanging free”. I basically had to lie face up in bed and getting out of it was the most painful of all. Showering was a mystery to me and at first I only moved very minimally. In a few days I had my ortho doctor appointment and I just didn’t care for him at all. He saw me for maybe 10 minutes, barely looked at the injury, and basically said that slings or figure 8’s would not help me and to do whatever I felt comfortable doing – great help, huh??? He was a big, wet blanket. However, he did say the pain would be gone in 2 weeks and it basically was except if I jerk the shoulder or do too much.

The best thing I believe now that I did was to take the whole next week off from work (even though I could type at the keyboard and I’m a computer analyst) and mostly rest/sleep and keep the shoulder immobile. I did, however, get onto my bike trainer and do a few miles no-handed, just to get the blood circulating and maintain some modicum of fitness. At first to do anything was painful and tiring. I tried to use a sling as something different but my arm felt very awkward this way so I never bothered with that. I would take the figure 8 off to shower and gradually gained enough strength to take it off 2 weeks after the accident and just before my new ortho doc appointment. I had gotten some doctor recommendations from my bike club and riding friends, many of whom had their own injuries to contend with. When I got in to see the new doctor, he was a world of difference from the other one. He measured and probed my shoulder and arm and said I was doing well and that it was okay if I stayed out of the figure 8. He gave me exercises I could do to improve my range of motion as well which was very exciting. In the beginning he questioned me to see if it might be best to get surgery but we decided no as it seemed to be healing on its own. He did have x-rays taken but at this time there is nothing showing as is normal. Yet I know it’s healing as I can move my arm around without the bones moving! We have more x-rays scheduled 2 weeks from that appointment which will be the 1 month mark. I’m hoping something shows but I do know it takes awhile for real bone to show up in an x-ray.

For me, it feels like the healing is exponential. On Sunday I did quite a bit, even pushing a wheelbarrow to do some yard work (my husband did the shoveling) and cooking my husband’s birthday dinner, plus my exercises and a trainer ride now with both hands on the handlebar, so the next day I was pretty achy, knowing I had probably overdone it. Have to be careful about that, but your body will talk back to let you know! I was advised to take Tylenol, not Ibruprofen by the first doctor so I did that but this week am off of those except for Tylenol PM in order to help me sleep. It aches alittle when I lay down. I don’t want to rely on tylenol so I know exactly what is going on and how I’m progressing. Tomorrow (May 20th 2009) will be the third week anniversary of the accident.

By the way, I am a 56 year old female, in very good athletic shape. One thing I was grateful for is I’m quite flexible and was able to do things one-handed easily enough and flexible enough to use my legs to do things where I formerly would bend over. I’ve started drinking milk (even though the doc said it’s not been proven to help), take calcium, multi-vitamin, fish oil, and take extra care in eating lots of healthy food. The doctor believes I can ride at 6 weeks (not the kind of free riding over jumps and whatnot I had been doing, but cross country easy riding). I may sneak a ride earlier than that… I know that I cannot fall or make jerky actions while this is healing. The doc says it is like soft putty in there until it hardens. My husband and I planned to get Whistler bike passes this year but we will have to put that off and hope to ride there later in the summer or fall. Of course he will still be going and I will have to live vicariously…boo hoo.

One thing we are wondering about is what I was wearing that night and if it contributed to my break. I had recently purchase a plastic shoulder, chest and back protector from a Motorcycle shop and wearing it I noticed how the shoulder plates kind of dug in to my shoulder alittle. That night when I crashed, the plate hit the ground and then bent at the articulated part right into my collarbone. I’d really hate to think that my armor is what cracked the bone but I’m really wondering about this and don’t plan to wear it again. I have a bike-specific flexible armor-shirt that I normally wear but in this case I had wanted something cooler so I bought this second chest armor. Maybe that was a mistake.

Anyways, thanks everybody for the extensive comments. I have done so much reading here and really appreciate the time people put into writing.

What a great description of your experience. Sounds like you are doing everything right. I’m not sure if the new armor you were wearing contributed to the break. That’s an interesting concern and I would hope that’s not the case.

Btw – I hate gap jumps and avoid them when I can. Always have trouble mentally with them. So thumbs up for actually attempting gaps.

Hans

kim marr

May 8, 2009

This is a very interesting and informative blog. I just broke my clavicle and 3 ribs (left side) 3 days ago off my motorcycle. The ends of the clavicle do not match up and I have been referred to a clinic where they might screw it together. My GP said that they probably won’t do anything and it will heal on its own, but I’m kind of old (55) and I don’t heal as well or quickly as I used to. Nobody has said how long I wear the sling for. Any advice? By the way, the collar bone doesn’t hurt much, but the ribs are a killer.

Susan

May 6, 2009

A very informative blog – some of it scary. I broke my left clavicle skiing 7 weeks ago, midshaft “30 degrees of inferior angulation of the distal fragment”. The x-ray (6 and a half weeks) shows no bridging callas. The CT scan shows faint callas but no calsification or mineralization according to my orthopedic surgeon. It was very disappointing to learn that there was no healing because I thought I was getting better. My range of motion has improved and I wasn’t getting pain at the break site, although I find I get pain in the arm and shoulder muscles, I guess supporting the shoulder. In the last few days I am actually getting some pain and clicking at the break site (not a good sign). I have now been put in a figure 8 brace (I was only in a sling for a week or so at the outset). I am an active 51 year old female and already feeling very unplugged from my normal active life. My orthopedic surgeon’s opinion given yesterday is that I am headed for a non-union and he recommends surgery, plate and screws method. He is basing this on the CT scan, his examination of me where he can feel that on rotation the two bits of my clavicle are not attached and rotating together, and my recent experience of pain at the break site. If I go for the surthery I will probably have it at 11 or 12 weeks post accident. I am trying to figure out whether I should wait longer than that because the literature talks of non-union being 24 weeks but my orthopedic surgeon says 12. I would prefer to get the surgery done earlier (although it is a scary prospect) but not if I have a reasonable chance of healing between weeks 12 and 24. I will ask my OS this question, but I wonder if anyone has any experience or advice.

warren

April 22, 2009

kudos hans,

After a Jump on my 4 wheeler, i must of hit a hole in the road and it caused the ATV to go straight into a tree, fell on my back, and left side was on fire, After going to the ER, and getting dx as a broken collarbone.
Its been 1 month, after the 3rd week my range of motion came back and pain is gone…except for waking up on the affected side, I havent touched any free weights, not until i get the ok from the doc, My question is they give me sling to use, for 2 weeks I wore it, but took it off, will this affect me at all, since i do have my range of motion back without any pain?

That was about the time I stopped using the sling. As long as you have been careful about not over exerting your shoulder. It’s easy to do that because it begins to feel fine and you forget you’re still healing. The worst is that instant pain when you mistakenly try to grab, pull, or push something. Pain means you are setting back your recovery. Good luck on recovery. Sounds like you will soon be catching air again on the atv.

Hans

Micky

April 21, 2009

Update from March 16th.

I broke my clavicle 10.5 weeks ago. It was operated on 9 weeks ago- so far so good. I have been working on building up the shoulder muscles- trying to be cautious though as I don’t want to overcook things!
I’m still doing the range movements and I’m doing freeweight shoulder exercises (without any weight) to increase range and to loosen it up. I also have two rotary cuff exercises to do daily.

All in all it’s gone well so far. Everday tasks are not a problem, and I have put stress on it (carefully & controlled) doing certain tasks. I reckon to have 95% to 100% range of movement and I’m confident that I’ll achieve full fitness and strength again.

Advice- I think that each case of a broken clavicle is unique and surgery should be considered only a logical basis.. note- not everbody needs it. Sometimes it is unfortunate but necessary to correct a broken bone surgically. Also- stick to the physio routine, and don’t push things too hard or too fast.

David Comeau- Try the pendulum exercise x10 and gently swinging the arm from front to back x10 then side to side x10- three times a day, also try gentle front raises x10. Get some exercises to strenthen your rotary cuff too. -Hope this helps!..

Sounds like you are well on the road to recovery. Congrats on that. And your advice is spot on.

Hans

David Comeau

April 17, 2009

Hey Hans!

i am looking for a physio progam to rehab my muscles. i had a bad break. i now have a plate. its been 7 weeks since i broke it. its getting better but im sure i need some physio but dont know where to start. i have no ins for that and the closest is two hrs away! can you send me some helpful info on rehab exercises?

I don’t have any specific exercises. But I have found some on the web when searching. A couple of exercises I can think of are the finger wall climb and hanging rotation. You will have to look for these on the web for specifics. But here’s what I recall. The first is done facing a wall and then using your bad arm/shoulder side, walk your fingers up the wall. Stop just before it begins to hurt. Then back down and do it again. This helps to stretch and rehab the shoulder. The other involves lying face down on the edge of a bed or table. You let your arm hang straight down. Then you perform slow circles with your arm as if it were a pendulum. Slowly increase the radium of the circle. Stop as you get tired and also before it causes pain.

Hans

Micky

March 16, 2009

This is an update from February 10th.
After opting to go for surgery, I was operated on 10 days after the initial accident. I now have a fixed plate holding the bone as one piece.
It’s now four weeks post surgery. I have about two weeks to go- left in a sling. So far, so good. I currently have a good range of movement, but the shoulder in general is very weak. I expect weight bearing physio to begin after the sling comes off. There’s apatch of numbness around the chest and shoulder- but that might return to normal over time (50-50 chance)- oh, and a 5″ scar- nice.
My advice so far is- follow the movement range physio that you are given. Eat well. Avoid alcohol. And get out walking in the fresh air, alot!. Be positive- for how else can you look at it?
Many thanks to the NHS- I think that some people in the UK don’t know how lucky we are to have this service.
I’ll update post sling removal.

phil shannon

March 1, 2009

I just want to thank Hans for maintaining this site it helped me a lot nearly a year ago when I broke my left collar bone and a rib in a motorized bicycle accident Had a concussion but wearing a helmet so all i remember is riding about 18 mph, beautiful day, (slow motion)a red haze clouded my vision as I felt my self sliding rearward off my bike , I then woke up bleeding from facial road rash . I was by myself in the middle of a small not well traveled neighborhood street I had chosen because of its lack of traffic. I still do not know how my accident happened but the throwing up from the concussion was the most unpleasant part of the emergency room stay. I am 65 , and really worried if I’d heal OK, My wife found this site and printed about 30 pages for reading in bed, which I did for about two weeks. I now am lifting 15 pound barbell with my left arm and never thought that would happen, yes still riding the bike also bought a 250 cc honda scooter and am riding that to and from work.Don’t despair given enough time and, I feel,exercise You’ll be fine. Remember get walking and get oxygenated blood to that break. My bone never fully connected with a solid union or so said the ortho dr. but, as he said ” good enough !” What kind of diagnosis or prognosis is that? Well anyway Yes it sticks out a little and hurts when the weather changes but 11 months later its ok.You can do this, Thank your guardian angel that you are still alive and able to heal.Thanks again Hans

Shan Yang

February 18, 2009

The clicking is at the opposite side of the elbow…you know where exactly it is right? I think is the ligaments. Whenever i raise my arm and twist my arm left and right the clicking sensation lightens. If i straighten my arm and not raise my arm the clicking sensation becomes stronger. Sometimes if i dont straigten my arm for like maybe a week and i force is to straighten there would be this stretching sensation…like a rubberband stretching but i can actually feel the tension..and yes it can be very irritating, the feeling is like the arm lacks of stretching, so i would often raise my arm and stretch upwards or just force it to be straight. And i think my broken clavicle side shoulder is slightly lower…and it feels shorter. Not a very nice thing to think about when i look myself at the mirror. By the way i’m still breaking dancing..will shoulder freeze affect my broken clavicle side? Shoulder height? Shoulder length and etc… I hope not because i always do shoulder freeze. Oh and i’ve never had a shoulder massage…it feel uncomfortable to me because the shoulder is near my broken clavicle.

A frozen socket, your shoulder for example, will limit your range-of-motion. That’s why doctors will ask that a patient take their arm out of a sling several times a day and bend the elbow and shoulder. Be using the joint/socket you will reduce the chance of having a frozen socket. I doubt that a frozen socket will change your shoulder height or length. Those changes can occur depending on how the broken collar bone heals. If the pieces heal overlapping or aligned differently then the geometry of the shoulder will be different that before.

Hans

barbara elmore

February 17, 2009

Indeed a great site!!

But I am very confused. I did it 11 days ago whilst skiing in Verbier, Switzerland (my daughter works there), I tried to keep up with her but now realise that my almost 60-year old bones are no longer 24…

I’ve just returned from snowboarding in Switzerland. Didn’t make it to Verbier this time. What amazing snow they are getting this year. (Hans)

After falling over some snow – I did not bother to change goggles when the sun disappeared – I broke my right clavicle (collarbone), did not realize as I thought I may have dislocated my shoulder, so skied all the way down like a beginner – I have not done snowploughs for 40 years!

The first thing they want to do when you get to the medical centre is take an imprint of your credit card – what a warm welcome… After the X-ray (a ‘nice clean’ break) I was given a figure of 8 – a bit like a rucksack without the sack – and a very cool sling, like a ribbon. They wrote a letter for my GP or Fracture Clinic mentioning that it was better to have an operation with a pin done when back in the UK.

Back at the A&E I was told to take off the figure of 8 immediately at it would pull back one part of the bone and leave the other one forward. Also the sling was wrong. They took a new X-Ray (bones still apart, 6 days later), gave me a ‘beautiful’ NHS sling and said THEY won’t do anything. I asked if that was because of being the National Helath and they said that privately they would do the same. Wear the sling day and night (sleeping on my back has sent my husband to another bedroom as I snore now!!), sit and stand up straight and keep the arm as still as possible. Come back in 4 weeks. Lovely, I wanted to ski again end of March as well as in April…

I am really confused, different doctors say different things, and judging by this site many have had the same experience.

I want to be back on those skis asap as well as ride my motorbike. A lot of you are cyclists so the position of the arms are the same.

I have to go back in 4 weeks. Any new advice any of you can give me – or just do what this doctor tells me?

I hate to say it but the older we are the longer it takes to heal. So it’s very important to focus on recovery. But then there’s the problem of what the proper steps should be.

I would recommend that you find a doctor that understands sports injuries and your expectations for recovery. Be very clear how active you are and that you don’t want that hindered once the bones heal. Eventually, you will need to settle on a doctor’s advice and follow it to recovery.

Hans

Colin Munro

February 13, 2009

What a great site. Loads of useful information here and I can identify with a lot of what is written. Nearly 2 years ago I fell off my perch out of a tree (I’m a tree surgeon!!) landed on my left shoulder breaking scapula and three ribs and bad collarbone fracture. Tried to let it heal on it’s own but had non-union. In November last year had plate and 8 screws fixed and for first few days it was bliss…..no pain at all. Then physio started and I overdid the weight training using 8kg barbells only 4-5 weeks after surgery. Physio had told me to use 5 kgs but I just used the weights I had lying about. Not the smartest of moves. Then the pain really started. Real burning sensation too. Moral of story is don’t push things too quick. Since then pain has been on and off but I’m quite active. Constant feeling of tightness in shoulder though and like there is something alien fitted…(which if course there is,a big metal plate.) I’m hoping I will eventually get used to the sensation but I’m probably just being optimistic. Thanks again for all useful info and good luck to all of you, I hope you all recover well.

Shan Yang

February 12, 2009

Hey it’s been a year since i fractured my right clavicle….after my clavicle recovered i realize that there was this clicking sensation at the joint of my right arm whenever i try to straighten, or twist it left or right…what could it be? Could it be the ligaments moving or overlapping one another? It has been like this for a least 10 months and it hasn’t heal. Could the root problem be that my arm was on a sling for too long? What if i reverse it…make my arm left arm straight for a long period of time..will it heal? Oh and one more thing…does clavicle fracture affect the shoulder length?

It’s possible the clicking is from a ligament. Mine did that for a while and then went away. Is the clicking reduced or go away if you are relaxed and also have had a shoulder massage? If so then it’s possible the clicking is from soft tissue such as the ligament. If it worsens or bothers you then I would recommend talking with your doctor.

Also, the alignment and length of the shoulder can change depending on how the bones heal after a clavicle fracture. I’ve seen shoulders that are pulled slightly inward, some that droop lower, etc..

Hans

Micky

February 10, 2009

I wonder If Hans knew that this thread would become so popular?
Well… I’m in the club. 4 days down and wearing a sling, though thankfully not in alot of pain…
It all started after a 50/50 challenge playing football- Need less to say I was the one that went down hard!. Onto very hard ‘astroturf’- on the left shoulder. A loud ‘crack’ and lots of pain.
After two x-rays and being told by the A&E nurse that all was well and that it should mend itself. I saw an orthopedic doctor who, said that there are two ways of sorting it- leaving it in a sling or a fixed plate- which I didn’t want.
Anyway, I thought about it and decided that with the ends being out of alignment (and alot of grinding/clunking noises coming from the area, and a significant bump under the flesh) that I would go for surgery. So I expect to be operated on in the next few days…
I’ll update postop!
An interesting book I found online- http://www.scribd.com/doc/2562740/Bone-Histology-Healing-iBooktk

Chris

January 18, 2009

Very helpful information about your experience. I too have broken my clavicle and made a website documenting it as well. Please check it out at soyoubrokeyourclavicle.webs.com

Bob Eng

January 15, 2009

I broke my right collarbone in a “high-energy” impact falling off my road bike at 25 mph when my rear wheel caught a protrusion in the road. My “pass alongs” from my experience:
1. I decided not to have surgery (ORIF) after my second opinion and 2nd set of x-rays. After taking my x-rays taken by the urgent care clinic from day of break to my first orthopedic surgeon, his advice was 50/50 regarding surgery, but I decided to proceed with an ORIF because the break looked severe and far enough apart to probably not form a good union, and a delayed ORIF would not be as straight forward due to scar tissue forming. However, after seeing another orthopedic doctor (a cyclist by the way) two days later, where they took a 2nd set of x-rays using a GE low radiation machine and put them up on the computer screen (much more clear than the 1st set), the break looked much better (more aligned and closer). Not sure if they were the x-rays or something shifted in my favor between the 2 sets (perhaps it was when I was figuring out how to take left handed photos with my DSLR camera when it slipped and I instinctively caught it with my right arm causing some really severe pain). But his strong opinion, and I agreed, was surgery not necessary (the clavicle appeared very likely to heal on its own). So if you’re not sure, get a second opinion.
2. Get an ultimate arm sling (I got mine at Rite-Aid for $30 or check out http://www.armsling.com). It’s flexible and much more comfortable than the standard cloth arm sling they sell to you at the local urgent care walk-in.
3. If a road condition caused your accident, report it. I contacted the local city, who put me in touch with the local police department. They both agreed the road condition (asphalt protruded an inch above the road where it met the concrete for 2-3 feet) was a serious hazard and had a road crew out to repair it within a week.
4. My trusty Bell helmet saved me from some really serious head injuries and a likely fractured skull and stint in critical care. I hit my head on the pavement hard enough to crack the helmet in half, absorbing the impact beautifully, and I had not a scratch or any issues with my head or neck. I can’t believe the law here in California is only 18 years or under are required to wear helmets. Keep wearing those helmets and encouraging anyone you see to do the same!

Anna

January 13, 2009

Hi I fractured my left clavicle on the 7th of december playing rugby on ground that was freezing over the bone has only just started nitting together and the pain is as intense as when it was first done i still where a figure of eight brace and a sling but find that when getting dressed it just feels like the bone is ready to completely snap and it also feels like it locks up followed by a horrible clicking noise is this normal im no stranger to pain ive had broken wrists a slipped disc that was operated on may 2008 but to be fair this is by far the worst. Thanks

Some of those symptoms sound like others people have described. But I recommend talking with your doctor regarding this. Especially since you mention that the pain is as bad as when you first broke the bone.

Hans

alan

January 6, 2009

it has been a year since my break, i completed the bone stimulator sessions, large knot on my collar bone, uncomfortable to exercise, strength lacking, feel movement, crunch sound, when arm extended fully with weight, next day soreness. any recommendations on ointments, exercises during this period. feel very tentative using arm to pick up weights. have concerns about return to motorcycle.

The crunching might be soft tissue. I had similar sounds for a while even after my bones had fused. There are physical therapy workouts for regaining range-of-motion and strength. Search for “shoulder physical therapy” for some ideas. But I would recommend you schedule an appointment with your doctor and/or physical therapist so that you get the correct set of exercises.

Also, I was back on my motorcycle about two months after my injury. My bones had fused by 4 weeks and I had recovered enough strength by 2 months that I felt good riding. I ride a heavy Honda VFR so I was careful as I didn’t want to wrench my shoulder too much while handling the bike.

Hans

Eric

December 10, 2008

This a a follow up from my post from Sept 19 2007.
It has now been 18 months since I broke my right Clavicle, and 15 months since My IM Pin surgery to repair the bone.
I had the pin taken out Yesterday.
This feels like I can finally close this very long drawn out episode of my life. The bone was very slow healing, that is why we left the pin in for over a year, I kept the pin,
( its smaller then I thought it would be.) seeing how small it is, I wonder if I really needed to have it removed at all?
Anyway I wanted to thankyou for this site. It helped keep me sane for the 4 months I was out of work, and it has been a blessing to be able to vent my feelings to others, and read about thiers.
And for those who have just broke your colar bone, Hang in there.

Robert

December 7, 2008

This site has been a comfort since I broke my clavicle on 1 March. I saw my specialist on Friday and he has confirmed that the bone has healed and that I can resume normal life but avoid unplanned cycling incidents. I had my first ride yesterday. It was great to be on the bike again
My experience mirrors many of those above and all that I can add is that surgery (bone graft with plate and 8 screws) does work and I should have insisted after 3 months of pain. It is now over 9 months since the accident.
Tips:
Use the sling but maintain some movement to avoid a “frozen” shoulder. Pendulum exercise helps.
Keep coming back to this site – it’s good to know that other people understand what you are going through. They can also provide good advice and insights.
See the post from “Leslie” Oct 2007. No point in me repeating all that wisdom.
Thanks, Hans, for maintaining this site. It really has been a place to go when the condition was not healing and I needed to feel that I was not alone.
I will probably never be back but I’ll always be grateful and I wish all of you the very best.

Chuck N

November 22, 2008

I’m 22 years old and I broke my left clavicle in a high impact atv accident in the middle of July. It has been over 4 months and appears to be a non union. My dr suggested a bone stimulator and to recheck on it in another 6 weeks. So hopefully that helps, as the risks of the surgery don’t sound all that fun. I’m getting anxious to get back to normal life again!
I broke my right side 4 years ago and it healed back to what felt like 100% within 8 weeks or so.
Ive been reading alot on this site, I had no idea so many people have had problems with the long healing and non healing.

Bong C.

November 19, 2008

thank you for this great site Hans! i’m still in the period of healing but i believe figure 8 and arm sling would do a great help for natural healing. thanks again.

Mark

November 17, 2008

Hi, i made a couple posts a few months back. Broke my collar bone at the end of June, its now coming up to the end of November.

Glad to report it is healing naturally, doc said 6 months before back to full strength so thats the new year.
What I’m wondering is I train some grappling and boxing and I know its not full strength yet so am holding off going back until January but I am keen to start back on the weights.

I have been doing some light weights, biceps and bench press and squats mainly and am making them progressivly heavier.

Sometime I feel a slight twinge, almost like a very slight shift in the bone, but there is no pain.
Is this OK???

Should I lay off the weights until new year or am I safe enough doing what I am doing and just stopping if I do feel pain?? cause the last thing I want to do is upset the healing process..

Anyone any experience/comments on that please to let me know

Cheers

It’s really impossible to say if what you are feeling is good or bad. It’s very subjective what someone feels. The best is to have your doctor or physical therapist check out what you are experiencing. I’m someone that veers to the side of being more careful on recovery. Not that I was like that originally. But I have learned about pushing it too soon and then setting back my recovery.

Hans

Marci W

October 24, 2008

I became a member when I fell off my horse on June 28, 2008. I swear he understands english — I said, “OK, let’s go” in just a nice, friendly, calm way and he took off like a bat out of hell! I broke my left collarbone in four places and my right
leg. I had surgery four days after the accident. I’m 61, moved
to a little town just outside the Twin Cities about a year and one half ago, just so I could have a horse. Anyway, I went to the local hospital’s ER, was referred by ER doc to a well thought of group of orthopaedic surgeons with offices in multiple areas of the city. I’m not too happy with them these days. First of all, the ER doc, the pre-op physical GP, the orthopedic surgeon, and the physician’s assistant ALL missed the x-ray and radiologist’s notes at the ER on 6/28 that my leg was broken. I walked on it for 18 days until I finally went in to the GP, said there’s got to be something wrong with the leg, and he saw the xrays and radiologist’s note from 6/28. That made me more than a little wary. Meanwhile, on 7/3 the surgeon had put a rod through the four pieces of bone –from a small incision at the back of the shoulder near the arm over to a
perpendicular incision about 3 inches long near the side of the neck. On 8/29, about 7 weeks after surgery, he took xrays of the collarbone and the leg. He said there were no signs of bone growth in the collarbone, but the leg was coming along just fine. There was a lot of pain during that period. My arm was in a sling and I spent most of my time in a chair with my arm propped on pillows for additional support. I was taking 1500 milligrams of Vicodin, but remember the first three weeks of that time I was walking around on a broken leg. By 8/13 the rod was protruding from my shoulder about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. The entire area hurt like crazy. Meanwhile there was a noticeable bump at the base of my neck that would periodically give me little zinging electrical zaps. The surgeon said he clearly had put in too long a rod and it would have to be removed eventually. No bone growth in the collarbone. No spiny webbing. Leg’s doing fine, though. More time passes. I can feel movement like logs rolling when I bend over and again when I stand back up. Disconcerting. By my next appointment on 9/09 the rod is protruding out the back of my shoulder almost an inch, but is no longer visible and cannot be felt by my neck. My skin is so tender around the area I can barely tolerate even a Tshirt. Surgeon says it has to come out now, this week, even if the bones have not joined. They haven’t, but the leg is still fine. So, back to the hospital on 9/11. The surgeon told me prior to the procedure (in operating room and put out) that he was going to take some cultures to see if there was an infection that was disintegrating the bone, thereby allowing the rod to work itself out of my body. He told me bones cannot heal if there is an infection, so if an infection exists it must be eradicated first, then he’d like me to use a bone growth stimulator, and if that didn’t work they’d likely have to operate again. Depressing news. I haven’t been able to work and am trying to survive on short term disability. The rod is removed. Six days later the surgeon left a message for me that I have a staph infection and he is putting me on Cipro, an antibiotic. I called him back. Is it one of the superbugs? No, antibiotics should take care of it just fine. The next day the surgeon left another message: The staph infection is throughout the pieces of bone. Do I want to see an infectious disease doctor? Do I want their staff to try to get authorization for a bone growth stimulator? I called the surgeon back: Yes, to each question. He says he thinks I should be on IVs but the appointment with the infectious disease doctor is a week away. I said if I have a staph infection I dont want to wait a week before getting the IV started. The surgeon made arrangements for me to go to the hospital outpatient clinic the next day where a PIC line was inserted. ( For those of you, like me, who have little to no medical savvy, a PIC line is a tube that is inserted into a vein in your arm, threaded up your arm through the vein, through the shoulder, and down your chest to a point somewhere just above, I believe, the aorta. At the point where it is inserted into your arm, the tube is attached to a little port that allows a syringe containing antibiotic to be attached and administered). The procedure wasn’t painful, but it made me queezy. So, I went home and met with a home health nurse who came out to teach me how to give myself the antibiotic (ancef? anceph?) 3x a day. Had to set my alarm to make sure I was administering it every 8 hours. I tried hard not to think about the possible outcome of a staph infection. Scary thoughts. Within 3 days of the PIC line insertion I developed huge red welts alongside of and underneath the adhesive holdng the PIC line dressing in place. I had to call the home health nurse out to re-do/modify the dressing. By the way, MY portion of the antibiotic was $220 PER WEEK, with the weekly required visits by the nurses an additional $29 each week. Any additional visits by the nurses added to my bill. Finally, my appointment with the infectious disease doctor. Very direct. Very professional. Very disturbed with the lack of information provided by the surgeon. I had been given a sealed envelope and a disc by the surgeon, which contained, I presumed, xrays of the collarbone, case notes, and information on the cultures that had been taken. After making sure that she had everything I had been given, she stated there was only one culture, that it was labeled a “wound” culture, which meant it had been taken from where the rod was removed, which was the skin surface. She went on to say the culture meant nothing as all people carry staph bacteria around on their skin. She called the hospital and clinic. They confirmed only one culture had been taken. The doctor came back to me and said there was no way she could tell whether or not I had an infection, so the IV had to continue for the full six weeks customary. At the end of four weeks, having dressing changes about every 3 days to try to cope with rashes and itching from the dressing, having the PIC line come out and have to be reinserted, getting a yeast infection from the antibiotics, getting phlebitis from problems they had inserting the PIC line a second time which resulted in them having to pull the second PIC line out, I MET WITH THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCTOR WHO INFORMED ME THAT AT NO TIME DURING THE WEEKLY BLOOD DRAWS, FROM THE TIME I CAME IN UNTIL THEY PULLED THE PIC LINE DUE TO ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH IT, DID I EVER HAVE ANY ELEVATIONS THAT WOULD LEAD THEM TO BELIEVE I HAD AN INFECTION !!! THEY TEST THE BLOOD IN THREE WAYS AND ALL WERE NORMAL.
I believe the surgeon was just trying to justify the rod coming out. The microbiolist at the hospital that did the lab work said he did not believe I had an infection.
So I am still sitting here with a broken collarbone, but my new orthopedic surgeon says there has been some bone growth, maybe due to the bone growth stimulator I am now using and my infection being “cured”.
Thanks for letting me get this out. Good luck to everyone.

Rebecca Hess

September 22, 2008

I last posted in March about a right (dominant) clavicle fracture from January 2008 that had not healed. At that time I was afraid of a plate and screws. Now I am worried about the bone graft from the hip that goes with it. I am 51 years old and fairly active. I know that there is the possibility of a bone graft from a cadaver, or bone morphogenic proteins instead, but they supposedly don’t work as well.
Has anyone had a bone graft from the hip and suffered complications (i.e. difficulty walking, running or riding a bike)? Has anyone had a bone graft from the hip and had no complications? Has anyone had a bone graft from another body part?
Thanks for the great website. Who knew so many people would have so much to say about broken collarbones!

Amanda

September 19, 2008

I broke my collarbone the 1st time on June 14, 2008 playing soccer. I went into a tackle and both of us fell except I landed on my right shoulder on hard ground. People around me heard the crack and so did I! My break was a crack thru the center of the collarbone. My recovery went great, no pain in the next week. Complete full motion by 3 weeks and lots of callus build up. Maybe because I’m only 13 years old I healed quickly.
At 8 weeks the Doc told me I could go back to soccer. The 1st game I got a yellow card for being too aggressive (maybe alot of built-up tension) the second game I took a bump to my right shoulder and crack it broke again!!!
I am on week 5 right now of the 2nd break. I am completely frustrated that I can’t play soccer or basketball. My parents are making me wait 5 months this time (the doc suggest 3 months)
My question is this: How does everyone feel about wearing the figure 8 brace during activities in the future? My parents are thinking about making me wear this while I play soccer and basketball. Do you think it would help prevent any future breaks?

Kimmo O

September 2, 2008

I crashed my bike against a lamp post on 27 July and there was a clear breakage of the R collar bone with 1 in between the centers of the bone ends. The bones were touching each other. Beginning was extremely painful…and after a week i was off the ibuprofen and out to work (shuffling papers…). Walking around with the sling was fine, as was driving my (automatic) car with my left hand…then on the 23 August went to follow up (no xray), the orthopedic surgeon felt the fracture and there was no pain and no clicking, he advised to move the arm as much as possible but to avoid heavy loads. Then, beginning September, I was playing with my dog and started to throw a ball when I felt a sharp pain!! I was really angry at myself. Today I went to see another Ortho guy who took a new x-ray…there is practically no improvement as compared to the ER x-ray and there is pain at the fracture joint, and i have less mobility in my arm than before. The bones are not touching each other (in contrast to the ER xray), but it seems like they are trying to find each other?? He recommends surgery, and i really don’t know what to do. All this talk about screws, plates…general anesthesia..really freaks me out. I wish i never started to throw that ball!! So far I’ve seen 5 surgeons, out of which only the most recent one (only one i’ve seen after i threw the ball) recommends surgery due to my “young age”…really don’t know whats better…to wait another 6-8 weeks or go for the fast option-the knife. Any suggestions? I feel like this latest ortho surgeon just wants to make money…

alan

August 23, 2008

i last posted on 6-6, i used the EBI stimulator and achieved bone union, however, my strength is way off from before and i am having a painfull time exercising and regaining complete motion. i am unable to raise my arm over my head and windmill without pain, sleeping on the injured side results in pain inside the shoulder joint. does anyone recognize ointments, excercises or a brace that may be helpful in my rehab?

Sleeping on my injured side still hurt months after my “recovery”. It became less and less painful and finally went away.

I found that warming up my muscles before physical therapy helped. For example, with light exercise (riding a stationary bike) and/or using a heating ointment.

Hans

Pete B

June 26, 2008

For hans and anyone that read my prior post. Well I got back from my 2nd Opinion and took the time to chose a good DOC. This doc went over every x-ray and the cat scan with me!Explained everything. HE said I DON’T need surgery at all! My bone is taking longer to heal since i smoked and since my fracture is long spiral one!And that smoking doesn’t help either. Both ends are knitted together the middle. just needs to fill in now! He precribed me a bone stimulator to Help speed things up! I feel good! Another ct in a month i should be Fine! SO MORAL OF THE STORY! If you feel that you are healing and unsure of your doctor.ALWAYS GET A 2ND OPINION!!!!! Why do you think docs drive sick cars and have mansions! because your insurance pays for it!! So take time and do your research!!!!!!!!!!! I almost gave in to the knife! and didn’t need it! Thank god!

Bebe

June 25, 2008

It may be better to get the surgery over when you first are injured instead of waiting 30 years like I did. I broke my collar bone when I was 16 and have been in pain off and on for years. For at least the past 10 years I have avoided using my arm and didn’t realize it. When I couldn’t drive using that arm and couldn’t pick up a 12oz can of pop I knew it wasn’t something minor and when it didn’t go away after several rounds of therapy I knew something had to be done. I didn’t want surgery but when the pain got so bad that it was affecting my job I had to do it. The severity may sneek up on you and you compensate and don’t even realize it. If you have better chance of recovery with the surgery then without it and it may help prevent more problems later. Find out what the odds are. I had an 80% chance I would be better. I wished I would have had the surgery and not went through the 30 years of pain.

Pete B

June 21, 2008

HELP!! I’m 29 years old. I broke my collar bone 8 weeks ago. A single diagonal fracture in the middle of the bone. The ends were touching and doesn’t line up bad at all.I saw an ortho 2 days after i broke it He said it might heal on its own. But lets do surgery. I asked him it it was needed”He replied it may heal on its own but you may live with it broken your whole life. Every visit i came in I got an x ray.4 total he said he saw no calluss yet. I feel improvement daily and have full range of motion. I got a ct scan at 8 weeks out. the report says there is no appreciable osseous bridging accross fracture sight.Ends are intact. The ortho sent me back to work before i got my ct scan I’m a CARPENTER!How can i work if its still broken.Just went to the ortho yesterday. I went off. He said I can take you back out of work. How about a bone stimulator? Get surgery. Well i told him off got all my x-rays and ct scans and paper work back. I’m going for a 2nd opinion? Anyone have any comments or advice?This doc seems like the type that is money hungry no visit lasted longer than 5 mins. And he operated 2 times on my buddies daughter for her knee at 14 years old. God help me I don’t wanna lose my job or house and have to get surgery and a bone graft. I understand adults take longer to heal? I used to smoke cigarette i quit 2 weeks before my break.

Yes, it’s always good to have a second doctor’s opinion. Especially when surgery is recommended.

Adults do take longer to heal. But you are still young. Smoking is bad for bone healing. It’s a good thing you stopped before the accident. I don’t know though how long the affects of your past smoking will have on your recovery.

It is possible to live with a collar bone that does not fuse back together. It depends on the individual’s specific break and also the lifestyle they lead. If someone isn’t that physically active with regards to their upper body then there might not be a need for a full recovery. In your case though, being a carpenter, I would think you would want and need a healed collar bone. I don’t know why it is taking that long for your bone to heal. There are many factors that can influence recovery. That’s also why some doctors recommend surgery. There’s a higher chance of full recovery. But there are risks with any surgery.

Again, I would recommend going for a second doctor’s opinion.

Hans

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