2 weeks ago, while enjoying a quiet ride on my trusty horse she spooked at something in the hedge and asI result I ended up in an untidy heap on the floor, on a very rocky track. I can’t say enough how relieved I am I was wearing my riding hat as I distictly remember hitting my head very hard as I impacted the ground. However, when I eventualy came around and tried to climb back on I felt an agonising pain in my right arm, which consequently was so painful that I blacked out again and fell off the horse a second time! Having limpted a mile back home (calling my loving steed every name under the sun each step of the way!) I was rushed to Accident and Emergency and was faced with an xray of my collarbone which showed the bone to have snapped with a 2cm gap between the break.

Originally I was sent away with just a sling, and with the pain in my shoulder my natural instinct was to hunch over as it was too painful to hold my shoulder back. I was refered to a fracture clinic who on seeing my break began to talk about surgery. Desperate to avoid this I asked if anything else could be done and thats when they produced the figure of eight back brace. After a lot of tears and what felt like torture they managed to prize my shoulder back into position and fit the brace and I can’t say how relieved I am now, 2 weeks down the line, that they did. I’ve had 2 furthur xrays and both, depresingly, show absolutely no change in the break, however I’m able to lift my arm almost level with my shoulder without to much pain. As soon as the brace comes off for showering it becomes apparent just how much support it offers as unfortunatley the discomfort and high pain level returns, however at least I know its giving my collar bone a chance to heal itself and when I compare my posture to how it would probably be if I’d just stuck with the sling, it doesn’t bare thinking about. I have another appointemt at the fracture clinic tommorrow so I’m preying that it will show the bones to be growing back. It really isn’t until something like this happens you that you realise just how complicated breaking a bone can be. Getting dressed takes me on average an hour, and without fail my top will get caught on the brace so I’ll have to dress in a differnt position depending on the item of clothing. Hair styles are limited to those of the one armed variety (at least the ‘bed head’ looks in) as for sleeping, it takes me half an hour to position the pillows perfectly to keep me from rolling over but the thing which has helped me sleep at night (other than codeine) is the knowledge that in all this I’m not alone! Thanks to you all for that!

Kate - I feel for you. I used to ride horseback often when I was in Arizona. My favorite horse had a mind of her own. Sent me tumbling a few times. Luckily only with a bruised ego and several choice expletives.

Glad to hear the figure-eight brace is working out for you. I swear by it. Your description of the pain putting on the brace for the first time reminded me of when they first x-rayed my shoulder. I had to hold heavier and heavier weights in the hand so it would pull down the shoulder and give a better x-ray! Argh.

Good luck!

• Hans

Today I broke my clavicle while playing soccer - landed fast and hard on my right shoulder, and heard the crack. The lump on the collar bone was enough to send me to the ER. Soccer has sent me to the ER a number of times, I guess I must love to play. But that’s a story for another day. Thanks to Laura and Hans, for insights and inspiring others to share and heal, as well.

So - I was trying out for a team in the DC burbs in a fossil league - 45 and over. I just turned 45, and well I suppose this guy was only too eager to welcome me to the league. I could be really pissed about it - this match was merely a tune-up for the spring season, the tackle at close range wasn’t necessary. In broken English, he told me that he got the ball first. Well, big whoop, he got me as well. I’ll probably miss half of the season. but it’s the part-time carpentry work I’ve been doing that I will really miss, I have a few people waiting for me to complete projects that most definitely require two arms and two hands.

Time to make myself saleable again in computer work. Of course, I have two PCs I’ve configured in my work space that I need to pack back up and deliver, install, & final-setup at their new owners’ homes. No vicadin for me.

A good friend had driven me to the ER, never a pleasant task. I told Cliff not to wait for me, but like I said, he’s a good man and friend - he came in to make sure I’d be okay.

I’d really love to see the collarbone heal. I am a big believer in the body being able to mend, and wanting to mend. Having grown up in Pittsburgh during the Steelers’ glory days, I am still in awe of Rocky Bleier, and his willpower to break through the pain of his leg and feet injuries to become a professional footballer, and a champion, at that.

Back to the clavicle. It’s broken in two places, the xrays showing a nice wide gap of a break nearer my neck, and a contusion of a compression break closer to the shoulder. Even as I sit in the chair and type, and breathe, I can feel the bone(s) shifting. If one bone breaks into three pieces, can you call each piece a bone? George Carlin once said that if you break a crumb in two, do you have two half-crumbs, or just two crumbs?

Laura, I am not sure if you follow this thread anymore, but you were nuts to get back on that bike so early! But I am happy for you, that you succeeded, on your own terms. Same to you, Hans, and the other snowboarders, way to go.

I suppose I am glad it was too cold today to ride my motorcycle to the field; I still had manual gears to work through on the way home, but no way could I hold the handlebar let alone twist the throttle!

I took a cab back from the ER to my truck, still at the field. He was playing Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion, a repeat of the Saturday night broadcast, and his tale from Lake Wobegone had the mixed morale, that we prepare for the worst to happen, and accept it because it does happen; and that we exult our thanks for everything! I felt I could relate.

So I’d better get my next does of painkiller, and keep up with the calcium intake. I love the taste of milk, and hey! Ice cream has milk in it….

Hi, great to find your website… It’s Mar 27 today, and on Mar 15 I was out for a little ride, when a huge cross-wind gust caught my front wheel and (I guess) started to push me over into on-coming traffic (i admit to only having one hand on the bars, I think i was adjusting my bike jersey or something). Anyway, I saw myself heading straight for the cars, panicked, tried to counter-steer away and next thing I know the bike went left and I went right… Boom. Fell on my right forearm, rolled over onto my right shoulder and hit my head a little too. Knew right away that I’d either broken my collarbone or dislocated a shoulder, the pain was pretty bad (though not as bad as it got later, I was shakey from shock and adrenaline).

I won’t go through the hospital ride, x-rays (thank god for IV morphine, that really was NOT fun), cutting off of my favorite jersey (the one from my first club ride days, that I’d had for 15 years)… turns out I managed a clean-thru break about 1/3 of the way from my right shoulder. So the Rx is the same as you’ve all described: vicodin + ibuprofen for pain, the Figure-8 brace and/or sling, bed-rest, immoblize the area as much as possible. An intersting note at the end: when it got time to discharge me for home, the ortho doc (they sent me there from ER) said, “Ok now, let’s get your shirt on and I’ll have Nurse X show you how to put the sling on.” Slight problem there, Doc– no shirt, remember you cut it off me?? Apparently this is a problem not previously encountered at Ortho! Pretty funny, they all sat around looking at me like some interesting biological specimen. “Hmmm, now what do we do here?”

I’ve followed the same regimen as all others in here: hit the vicodin pretty hard for the first 3-4 days or so, I was actually happy for the fuzziness because it helped cut the boredom of lying around the couch all the time. I also agree with keeping up with the pain– welcome advice from my next-door-neighbor nurse. The figure 8 I find has been the most helpful. The sling was useful the first 3 days or so– after that, I have only used it here-and-there, keeping my arm crunched up like that makes it cramp up painfully. I got injured on a Tuesday and took the rest of the week off, so by the time I went back to work on Monday, I’d had 5 days off. I got pretty tired on Monday though and had to leave early. In fact on Monday all I did, pretty much, was tell my war story and try to type with one hand. I was back on the fat-seat bikes at the gym by Saturday morning, complete with figure 8 and arm sling. Ditto on previous comments about sitting upright, etc. Getting my blood moving felt awesome!

Hearing from all of you is good– I’m 36 and so now I will not be crushed if, when I go to get my first Xrays, I discover no “visible” bone formation. I will tell you that about 12 days after the accident, I have minimal pain, am totally off all painkillers (including Ibuprofen), and have good arm mobility provided I don’t shrug my shoulders or try to raise my arm up above about nipple level. Based on your collective experience, I will for the next 2 weeks at leat resign myself to cranking up the tunes on the Ipod (wishing for injectable painkillers in my buttocks for the FatSeatTortureMachines at the gym).

A question: has anyone out there tried to go jogging with a collarbone break, and at what point did you try?

Brilliant! Have just come across ur web site after chatting with my mum about not being happy with how my fracture was healing - she said have a look on the internet….. so here i am. Boyfriend, Dave, thinks i’m mad, have been laughing away to myself reading down the page…reading bits out to him, but he’s never been in the club so doesn’t know….

Fell off a very grumpy horse who wanted his dinner 2 weeks ago, should have called it quits but i’m just too stubborn… I’ve never been in so much pain, i came round on the floor with the dog licking my face, kinda knew it was bad when i couldn’t get up. As for the nurse who wrestled my arm into the sling with no pain killers, don’t wanna go there again. Broken the distal end. Laura you are so right, alcohol is a great healer well helps you to ignore the pain…..my poison of choice has been Stella, though i wouldn’t reccomed it for the first week, try spirits, as going to the toilet is def your biggest challenge!

How come it is that when you do things like this they always come at the worst time? 2 days after i was due to take Dave to Spain as a supprise for his 30th bday, we still made it but took ages to get anywhere……….and it didn’t help him taking photos of me when i kept getting stuck trying to put clothes on! Joking aside, i wouldn’t have coped without him…… he’s been a saint, washing me and applying hair removal cream to the hairiest armpit in the world even shaving the other one! Couldn’t quite comment on his hair dressing skills, i’ve been seen in some interesting styles recently.

End of week 1 we were also due to go camping for the weekend! Sun loungers are imperative to carry this out if any one else is stupid enough to consider it! Gutted to go to the beach and watch everyone else surfing and playing ball games. So the end of week two is here now, i’m amazed by how much less pain there is. For any of you in the early stages it’s amazing how much less pain there is…promise! Though my arm is getting awfully stiff and i’m getting nasty pains down my shoulder blade. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there anyway you can do any exercise or at least stretch out? I’m still in a normal sling, after what i’ve read i wonder if a figure of 8 sling would be better? I’ve still got a big bump and can feel the end of my bone, can’t lift my arm above my shoulder or touch my face with my hand….my shoulder in still raised, is this still normal? Will the muscles relax? I can still feel the bones grating a bit too. I’ve taken my arm outta the sling to stretch it a couple of times as it’s so stiff but if it’s out too long i really start to ache. Is there too much movement you can do like Liz asked?

I saw a post card yesterday that said ’this would be really funny if it wasn’t happening to me’, i think that it’s really important to keep your sense of humor going and laugh at situations not get frustrated by them.. though easier said than done! Oh due to move house tomorrow! Fracture clinic in 2 days, they did say if there was no difference they may pin / plate it, has anyone had this done? According to the doctor, he said they don’t usually but it was a ’new thing from the States’?!?!? I really want to get back to swimming and riding, plus i’ve just learnt to snowboard and am worried the next holiday of doing head first tumbles down slopes is gonna take it’s toll? thanks

Let me first publicly thank the gods of vicadin- for they have allowed me to sleep every night for the past 2 weeks relatively pain free.

About 2 weeks ago I was tackled from behind while playing rugby. I showed up at the ER and assured the nurse that on a scale of 1-10 the pain I was experiencing was most definitely an 8 or a 9 and was ushered to the front of the line. A sling, 2 percasets (spelling?) a prescription for vicadin, a box of tissues and two hours later I was a free woman.

I spent the first few days in bed, afraid of moving a centimeter in any direction for you all know the pains that would ensue. I watched far too much reality tv, did not shower and cried a lot. Then magically, about 5 days later it became easier to get out of bed and gasp, even shower! I felt better and better until I went to my orthopedist and he explained my x-rays in greater detail and told me that I broke my clavicle in 3 places. He then introduced me to my new best friend, my figure 8. With instructions to always stand, sit, and sleep like a marine I walked out with a new definition of good posture and 4 weeks of bonding with my new friend to look forward to.

Yes, breaking your clavicle is a horrible, painful thing to happen but I think it gives you a deeper appreciation for some of the simple things in live:

• Spray deodorant
• Button up shirts (but not button fly jeans- avoid those at all costs)
• Pillows- as many propped up as possible. Designate your comfortable sitting areas in your home and make sure that no one removes a single pillow.
• Vicadin and motrin- try not to miss a scheduled dose.

Finally, I did some reseach online and I’m sure most of you know the importance of getting plenty of calcium, but don’t forget your multivitamin and vitamin c. IF anyone has any other tips for vitamins and minerals to take please share! Happy healing everyone!

On April 4/05 my clavicle was severely damaged in a cycling accident. There are now 4 pieces of the clavicle. The end piece is jagged and presses against the shoulder causing considerable pain. Since my accident my GP, surgeon and ccupational Therapist all have told me to not wear a sling. In fact they have been vehement about it. Yet I notice on the postings that many who have suffered clavicle breaks have been told to use a sling and keep the shoulder as still as possible.

Obviously what I have been told is exactly the opposite. Surgery had been ruled out until at least 6 months have passed since the accident.

I realise the immobilising the clavicle by wearing a sling gives the broken pieces of the clavicle a chance to fuse together whereas constantly moving the shoulder gives it no chance to do so.

What do you think of the two extremes, one of doing shoulder exercises every day and never wearing a sling, and the other of keep the shoulder as immobilised as possible?

And comments would be welcome.

Ron

Ron - I think the difference between others and yourself is that you are scheduled for surgery. And the surgery won’t be for at least 6 months. Having a shoulder immobilized for a long period of time can lead to a frozen shoulder:

Frozen Shoulder @ About.com

This condition can require a long recovery time with lots of therapy. For those with “simple” calvicle breaks, immobilizing is necessary during the time while the bones need to fuse. But I recall that my doctor had me taking my arm out of the sling several times a day to flex the arm at the elbow. Your docs recommending that you keep the arm and shoulder moving then makes sense. You mention having to do exercises but don’t mention the type. Are they simple exercises? Probably to help to keep from getting a frozen shoulder and your muscles atrophying.

So I think you should follow the advice of your GP, surgeon and occupational Therapist. That’s three people giving the same advice and they are specialists.

Hans

P.s. If possible, post a comment on the site with an update on how it goes.

P.p.s. Don’t let yourself get a frozen shoulder. I’m dealing with a shoulder injury at the moment and have gotten a case of it. It’s no fun and worse than my broken collar bone.

Hi all,

7 weeks into a broken left collar bone and my doctor tells me there’s not much sign of union - a few white smudges on the ends that should lead to something, he thinks. Well I’m female and 55 and really thought I’d be back cycling and running by now so I’m a bit shat off.

I broke it April 12th, my fault, doing a really fast cycle in training for the Mooloolaba Triathlon. I figured I’d have a good chance of placing having done the full 1.5k swim, 40k cycle and 10 k run in under 3 hours at my first attempt one month previously. Anyway, 6.30am and dark, and I’m out on my bike. There’s supposed to be no body else on this road at that time of the morning but there was another woman cyclist completely within her rights, zooming down the hill into the roundabout that i was also zooming in to. Except I didn’t see her because of the trees until the last minute. I wobbled my way around her, hit the gutter on the other side and bang on to muddy grass ( it rained the night before) on to the point of my shoulder. Thank God I didn’t hit the bitumen. Having acres of skin peel off is not fun - been there done that. I knew when I hit there was somethng wrong with my shoulder. From having no one on the streets, all of a sudden people appeared from everywhere with mobile phone. My daughter freaked out when I rang her to come and collect me. I insisted my new Giant bike be put in the car first, giving instructions through muffled pain to all the bystanders as to how to dismantle the two wheels. then off to the hospital. Do you want pain relief love?? No thanks, I’d just seen my mother die in a state of morphine induced euphoria, and didn’t want to pass out completely - too much to do that day. Well we’ll have to cut that shirt off you to take an exray. No way hosay. That’s my best and most favourite cycling shirt. 10 minutes and 10 tonnes of pain later, my daughter wound the shirt off my back in one piece.

The xray showed a complete break in the distal third with overlapping of about 1 cm. Here’s a collar and cuff and a prescription for panadeine forte and off you go. See you in 6 weeks. One tablet of panadeine forte later and I was off with the faries - so i started on Nurofen - and then eventually after a few weeks to just basic paracetamol every few days when the pain got real bad. I threw the collar and cuff on the first day - the weight around my neck caused worse pain and I developed a technique to wear a tight singlet and walk around clutching the opposite shoulder strap with my arm. This made me look normal when i went shopping and also was a lot less painful. Then I needed to get back to doing some exercise before I went bananas. Walking was OK but after 1km, my shoulder ached. So I tried the stationary bike at the gym where I could rest my arm on the bars.

Well I can tell you sitting on a stationary bike at the gym everday for 6 weeks is no fun. At least I’m up with all the latest video clips and know all the songs of Delta Goodrem and Bachelor Girl that my kids play. The pain went from be excruciating when I moved over the first 3 weeks, to almost better, and then for the last 3 weeks i now have this this chronic ache.

I really don’t want an operation and I’m prepared to wait a little longer for the break to heal by itself. But my husband and i have booked this trekking tour around Mont Blanc and in Peru in 4 weeks time. And I’m definitely going - broken collar bone or not. I’ve re designed a back pack and will take loads of paracetamol, But I’m going.

Would like to hear from anyone my age - 55 - oh dear (maybe someone’s trying to tell me I ’m too old to be out racing cycles) who’s had a broken collar bone and how long it took to heal - with or without and operation.

Jan

I posted a comment several weeks ago, i’m into week 7 post break now. I’m not having much joy, been to fracture clinic, they didn’t really tell me anything, didn’t even show me the xray they did. The specalist did say that they would still consider grafting and plating for me, but it wasn’t really advisable as there would be scarring and sometimes the plates need taking out. Went to GP for second oppinion / explanation to help me understand…. Apparently i have crepising (sure i have spelt that wrong!) in my shoulder, little nodules of bone kinda makes a cracking sound when i move it now… Lucky enough i have two lumps and a ridge where i broke my bone on a diagonal! anyway, my GP referred me to the physio,as i was complaining of aching muscles, they can not do anything about the bone obviously but they can help you feel some relief with muscular aches and pains. My physio said she raely saw people with broken clavicle, only usually when things had gone wrong- often after plating! She did say to help ease an aching shoulder, as well as gentle excerises that they give you, to get someone to rub round your shoulder blade with an ice cube. It does work!

I still do not have the full range of movement in my shoulder, taking off a jumper still seems to make me look like Houdini. I have a vist to the specalist in 3 weeks, i just want to know now if, the slight pain will alway be there and never go away - in which case i’ll just get on with things- but i don’t want to jepadise any chance i may have of it fixing properly. Watch this space.

For those wondering how long it takes - well i think that’s an individual case thing. (i know that’s not helpful when you are sat there in week 2 of your break desperate for information) When i went back to work, i found loads of people who wanted to talk to me about their experiences, one who had fixed in 6 weeks and another who took 7 months to heal (a road cyclist who’d broken his collar bone in 3 places and when he felt ready to go back to work got in his car tried to take the hand break off and managed to rebreak his bone!)

Got back on the horse yesterday, who was responsible for the accident- he seems to have forgotten.

Hi Hans,

I was sorry to hear that you undergoing painful physio. I know that all of us with a serious clavicle injury have had more than our share of sharp, nasty pain. In my case calcification has set in and I have take 2 pain killers in 10 days. However there is concern about my injury. I visited my attorney yesterday and he read aloud from several surgeon’s reports. The pieces are out of alignment and I believe that only using pins now will allow them to line up. Also the report mentioned “fibroid” although I did not understand that.

(Edit - Hans) Fibroid = “Composed of or resembling fibers or fibrous tissue”

Of course I have been encouraged to use the shoulder a lot and that means that pieces have moved more. There are two fractures so I presume that means 3 pieces although I thought there were 4 pieces. I may have mentioned in a previous letter how similar my injury is to Lyndsey’s and yet how different our treatment has been. She kept her arm in a sling, then had surgery 2 weeks later. It is almost as if there is a “British school” of treating this injury and a “Canadian school”. I phoned an Ortho’s office here to see what the wait time was for an appointment. The nurse in the office said that the surgeon in question simply did not do clavicle surgery.

I realise that there can be serious problems in inserting a plate.

1. Then there can be an increase in pain from it.
2. There is an increased chance of infection and of vascular problems.

A disconnected clavicle is a unusual injury. My GP and Occupational Therapist had never dealt with it before. Of course a simply clavicle break is much more common and usually much easier to treat.

I have a 5 lb weight limit for the arm. I just made a fairly heavy casserole. I may have exceeded 5 pounds with the affected arm in putting it into the oven. Oh well. The function of the arm is very good for strength and mobility. I can place the arm normally behind my back and elevate to 65 degrees from the horizontal. In fact use of the arm is almost back to pre-injury level except that I now have a weight restriction. Still I know that a lack of healing in the shoulder cannot be ignored. So we shall see what happens.

I am interested in knowing how your injury happened. Was it mountain biking down a trail, or was it in the city?

(Edit - Hans) My recent accident was from a MTB crash.

On April 4 I was cycling along a boulevard when a car door flung open and I had nowhere to go. It happened so very quickly. I had numerous injuries but all have disappeared except the clavicle injury. The motorist was given a ticket since the liability was clearly hers. As far as the insurance goes there is no question about who is at fault. Still there is a saying “The graveyards and hospitals are filled with people who were in the right in traffic.”

The woman has my address from the accident report but she has never written to apologize. What a difference! I have to live with this for the rest of my life and she has an increase in her insurance rates. Some difference!

Obviously I get depressed at times, I would not be human if I did not. Just one small example of the change in lifestyle. I used to occasionally use the Internet terminal at the library. Well I tried it yesterday and found that keyboard is so high up that using it irritated my arm and shoulder. So I won’t use that again. How do you deal with depression?

(Edit - Hans) I’ve been lucky and haven’t had to deal with it. Maybe others will have suggestions.

Sometimes I beat up myself for cycling on the streets when I knew that an accident for a cyclist could turn very ugly indeed. I always realised that the lack of protective clothing meant that it would take little for a cyclist to become seriously injured. Now I know that first hand. A few weeks before the accident I had a close call when I made a mistake, got into the wrong lane and was almost destroyed by a double-Decker bus. The incident shook me badly and should have been a wake-up call to understand how deadly is could be to cycle in the city. That losing focus for just a moment could have deadly consequences. However I was too arrogant to reach the logical conclusion. How I have paid for that lack of insight!

Victoria, BC has a strong culture of cycling. It has the highest percentage of the population who cycle of any Canadian city. The weekly newspaper just had 2 articles about cycling in the city and the government offers its employees inducements to cycle to work. Sadly the motorists are particularly slow witted and unpredictable. Despite this culture there are only a couple of bike pathways for recreation, none which can be used to go from A to B. Some of the streets are dangerously narrow.

I spoke to a fellow recently who has a wife and baby. He was recounting several close calls he has had. I tried to convince him that it was not fair to his family to keep cycling to work when he could use the bus. For example one day he was cycling in the normal position on the right when a car in front suddenly turned right, leaving him with nowhere to go. His bike slid under the car but he was unhurt. I said “For God’s sake learn from what happened to me! You just have to have one close call that turns tragic to be hurt for life. Think of your family and where they would be if you became disabled.” Of course he did not listen.

That’s the trouble. Once so many of us get into urban cycling we think that we have experience and that serious injury cannot happen to us. Well, it sure can. Ironically I had been cycling fairly slowly as a safety measure in the weeks before the accident. . However I was going down a gently descending hill and let the hill carry my bike instead of braking. It is amazing how much damage can happen to a cyclist at a fairly slow speed.

It is strange that there is no protective clothing for cyclists. For example what about wearing a Kevlar vest? Would a vest that protects against bullets also protect against impact in a cycling accident? I am not aware of anyone trying to develop such shock-proof clothing. (Edit - Hans) There is gear that is sold for downhill or extreme riding. It’s similar to motocross gear but lighter weight.

I want to end by thanking you for starting the forum It is a great asset to have a place where one can share experiences and learn more about conditions like disconnected clavicle. Finally, I was wearing a good helmet when the accident happened. Even so I had a severe concussion. Without the helmet well…

I broke my left clavicle last week doing a hard 110 mile bike ride on my Quintana Roo Kilo tri bike. Was only 4 weeks away from my taper for the Full Vineman iron distance triathlon. Basically, hit a “pot-hole” at 33 mph which threw me off the aerobars, and the bike. Landed on my left side. Severe rash all along the left side. Very badly bruised left hip; lucky I did not break the pelvis. Also wrecked my helmet. Probably would have died without it.

Using a figure 8 plus a sling. Pain is not too bad. Except this morning. Because I have gone from extreme physical activity (trained 15-28 hours/week) to basically nothing, I have been getting those severe calve cramps that wake you up and force you to get out of bed to stand and stretch. Well, I forgot about the left collarbone and put full pressure to my left arm to get up out of bed. That hurt!

My fracture is a middle third, comminuted (a couple extra fragments). Did take some ibuprofen the first couple days.

Now, just a few glasses of red wine and maybe a couple aspirin before I sleep.

My season is over. Can’t swim for 12 weeks I figure. Can’t do push-ups for the same I guess. Won’t attempt to ride the trainer until the rash heals up (very bad on the shoulder and hip and knee). Have been walking. Got hurt last Tuesday. Didn’t walk the next day, but every day thereafter. 13 miles thur-Sun. Going to walk every day this week and shoot for 30. I wear the arm sling for addtional support to the figure 8 for this walking. This is keeping me sane. Will plan now for the Las Vegas Marathon December 4th and shoot to go sub 3:30:00. I do better with goals.

On June 27th I posted to the site. Just to re-cap, June 21st bike crash resulting in a left mid clavicle break, slight displacement, and comminuted. Plus severe abrasions on left shoulder and waist and hip and left knee. Plus trochanteric bursitis on the left hip. Thought my season was over.

This will be encouraging to many. And I am not a kid, but a 45 year-old male.

What has happened is a miracle. Of course I was approaching top form as a long-course triathlete when I went down and my nutrition has been since last November, absolute dead-on, ie. no processed or canned foods, just lots of vegtables and fruit, lean meat and limited amounts of good fats.

Two days after I crashed, started walking, slowly and very short in distance. Every day. By day 5 and 6, walking 5 miles a day. Went and saw the Ortho on day 3 who gave me a figure 8 strap to wear. Starting week 2, put my old Nishiki on a mag trainer. Rode 89 miles on the trainer that week and power-walked 24.8. Including two hard sessions on the computrainer with my girlfriend who is a USAT coach (she was using me!!! as a rabbit). During that week, on day 10, had a follow-up with the ortho. To me the x-ray looked worse than the first taken at the ER. Looked more displaced. I pointed that out and suggested that perhaps the figure 8 was causing further displacement because the pressure point of the strap was right on the outer bone that was beong pushed down. He gave me a sling and swathe to wear. When I got home, took it off because it wasn’t giving me the required support that I felt I needed. So modified the figure 8 by taking a short piece of ace bandage and looping it around the front slings and tying it tight, was able to move the pressure point of the strap off of the break and on to the sternum part that was solid. The surgeon though on that second visit did comment when looking at the x-ray and feeling the bone that it was “amazing”. I asked if that was good or bad. He said very good. My bones where already as he put it, solid, and not moving as with most. Week 3, the Tour de France. Rode every day on the trainer. 206 miles that week watching the Tour. Greatest Tour I ever saw. In fact, including week 2, rode every day for 14 days. Also power-walked 30.4. Started thinking maybe I can get back into that Ironman distance triathlon August 13th!!!!!

Week 4, was up in the mountains. In two days, power-walked 22 miles between 7400 and 9200 feet. 8 the first day and 14 the second. That 14 took me 3:59:30. About what I would run a marathon in an Ironman. That sunday, did a 4 hour mag trainer ride. Thank God for the Tour.

Week 5 of my rehab, started swimming. Just kick sets and one-arm breast, back and free. Would have started swimming much earlier but couldn’t because of the road rash. Only during this week were all the wounds closed and no longer still draining. On friday of that week, July 22, my third visit with the ortho. 4 1/2 weeks after the crash. Was nervous going in. Kept wondering if I had done too much. I always kept the thought “do not interrupt the healing process” first and foremost in my mind. But I still had doubts. Well, the x-ray showed that calcification had bridged the gap! Even the untrained eye could see that. He had me then lift my arm which I did. He cleared me for above the shoulder activities with pain as my limiter. Also cleared to go back to work. That week swam 5.1 miles, rode 173, and ran (not walked) 34. The ortho wanted me to come back for another visit. I said no. Only if a complication arises. My bone is now of one and improving with each day. He did say I could do that Ironman if I wanted, but I have to be very careful since the bone won’t be at full strength until around 12 weeks. The way I have healed, I would put myself at 10 weeks. Have to be very careful riding. No crashing!!!!!!!

It is week 6. Tuesday was exactly 5 weeks after crashing.

Have swam every day since Monday. Started two arm swimming. Monday, very difficult. Painful. Couldn’t even stretch out my left arm doing breast. Did try some free. Very modified. I swim with a straight right arm recovery and full reach and roll, then start the left arm recovery as I start the right pull. The left entry is right in front of my nose pretty much much and is along for the ride so to speak. I can’t pull with any power. Tuesday a little better. Yesteday did 10x200 freestyle. Not very fast though. On 4 at :3:40. At least I am progressing. Also yesterday rode 70 on my tri bike at 18.3 mph. avg. with 2900 feet of climbing followed by a t-run of 2 miles at 8:17/mile pace. I can now run with my left arm un-supported (before needed a ace bandage around my neck that I would grab on to for support as needed). Next week is my “test”. Only if I can complete the 3 day test, only then do I re-enter that race. On Monday, run 6, ride 20, run 12, easy swim pm. Tuesday, ride 90 with around 4000 feet climbing followed by a 2 mile easy run, easy pm swim. Wednesday, 1 hour open water swim follwed by a 20 mile ride. That’s it. There is no taper for me but rather a buid to the race. After the test, it though will be just recovery training the rest of the way. I feel confident now. I won’t have the same game as what I was approaching when I went down. But have been able to hold onto probably 90% of top performance.

I hope this gives someone a little encouragement. Here is what I would suggest the wounded athlete. First, remember that you are still an athlete. Stick with your nutrition plan. Second, sleep as much as possible. That is when the bones are truly immobilized and are able to heal. Do not lift the arm above the shoulder until cleared to do so. Third, train, but never to the point of jeopardizing the healing process. Good luck to all,

Conrad

Tomorrow will be 10 weeks from breaking my left clavicle falling from my horse. It was TORTURE for the first 3 weeks, but plenty of pain until my 6th week when I BEGGED my OS to allow me to see a physical therapist for the pain I had in my back, neck and chest. MY PT was able to work miracles. After my experience, these are my suggestions:

1. Allow your body to heal, there is nothing you can do to make your bone heal faster.
2. Get to a physical therapist as soon as you can, they can help with your pain, range of motion, and most importantly, since they see you often will reassure you that you are healing ok. The clavicle is the only bone that holds your arm to your body, your muscles are making up for the lack of support.
3. THIS IS A MUST!!! GET THE SHOULDERS BACK device at www.shouldersback.net WAY more comfortable than the sling or fig of 8, and you might actually use it after you heal! No more muscle pain now, just an occaisional deep, heavy pain at the break site which I am told is a normal “growing pain”. Healing and happily riding again!

Emily - I don’t have any answers for you regarding the shorter shoulder length or the chance of rebreaking. I would recommend having her get a second (or third) opinion from another ortho doc. As for the figure-8 being “old guard”, yes that comes up. It’s almost like asking people about a Mac vs. PC computer. You are bound to get many opinions for either one. From my own experience I found it worked really well. Others have commented as to the same. I think there’s been only a few that commented that it didn’t work for them. So, I personally go with the thought that if it doesn’t hurt you and has a chance of helping, then use it.

Ben - I don’t know if your double break will take longer to heal. Injuries are unique and each person recovers differently. Have an orthopedic doctor examine the injury. Be sure to let the doctor know that the types of activites you like to do. For example, cycling, swimming, etc.. A doctor may recommend different treatments depending on your needs. As for surgery, I recommend it only as a last resort. But for some injuries it’s the best solution. Again, get an opinion from a doctor. Get another if you are uncomfortable with the first doctor’s opinion. Being younger, 18, you will probably heal up fast. That’s the lucky part of having a break when you are younger.

On July 17th, my 24th b-day, I joined the elite broken clavical club. I wish I could say that I broke my collar bone by riding a bike, playing football, or something worthy, but that’s not the case. I had a barstool slammed into the back of my head and when I lost my balance and fell to the ground, I used my arm to break the fall, also breaking my collar bone. I’m active duty in the Marine Corps, and lets just say that back in the day..it would have been ok to go back to work all busted up and share bar fight stories, but now, the command really looks down upon alcohol related incidents. So, the night that it happened, I took a trip over to a civilian hospital to get 37 stitches and a sling that was too small. They gave me a few percocets and shot me up with morphine!so the phone call to my command was pretty humorous because I really didn’t have a clue what I was saying due to all the drugs that I was on. I just knew I was trying to get out of work on Monday.

So Tuesday, I took a trip to a Navy medical center to get x-rays. The doc was real cool about the situation and explained to me healing process and how much of a pain in the ass it is to have a broken clavical. He also told me it was probably the 3rd worst break that he’s ever seen and it would probably take me about 12 weeks to recover from this. So there goes everything I was just working hard for!5 days lifting in the gym, 3-8 mile runs in the mornings. The day of incident, I was 5-11 208 pounds and just working on getting stronger. Almost a month later, I’m still 5'11 lol, but dropped down to 195. My diet has been all screwed up, partially because I have been depressed from the situation, but the other part is because it was such a pain in the ass to do dishes for the first week and a half.

The first week was hell. I had my girlfriend cut 3 of my t-shirts off of me because it was too much of a struggle to get out of them. Trying to get in uniform was even worse. And like I mentioned..my diet went to crap. I barely ate for the first 3 days because of the percocets they had me on, which I stopped taking after that because of the drowsiness. I was just so down and out because I kept playing the situation over and over in my head and kept wishing I just walked away instead of mouthing off to about 6 dudes. I was even more mad about not being able to lift or at least run. I hate running, but I was getting cabin fever from all of this crap. And my dog was being a pain in the ass. I dreaded taking him for a walk because he likes to pull. I managed though.

The 2nd week offered a little bit of relief. Now it only took me about 2-3 minutes to put on a shirt and I was back to my diet at least. Still no exercise. I went down to get the collarbone checked out in the middle of the week and also get the stitches taken out. The start of the 2nd week I decided I wasn’t going to wear the sling anymore. I was tired of everyone seeing me with it on in uniform and then having to explain what happened. I hate drawing attention. So I see the doc in the middle of the week without the sling on, and the cuts and bruises on my face were disappearing!a complete 180 from the previous week. The doc was shocked to hear that I wasn’t taking the meds and that I wasn’t wearing the sling. He gave me some motion exercises to follow and said if I felt like I could go on a stationary bike or maybe a short jog, to do so. But, if I felt the slightest bit of pain!not to push it and just wait. So, just jumping up and down in place, I could feel my collarbone couldn’t take the jarring movement of a 2-3 mile jog. So, I just sat out the rest of the week.

Week 3!amazing. I waited until Tuesday of week 3 to attempt a run and to my surprise, I had no pain and full movement in my left arm. It’s amazing what being sidelined for 2 weeks will do to you; from running 8 miles with no problem, to starting over, and running 4 miles and stopping several times on the way. I could feel my bone was starting to mend and I had full mobility with my arm. Oh, I didn’t mention I have been sleeping on my couch so I wouldn’t roll over on my collar bone in the middle of the night.

Week 4- I went to a conference in Atlantic City and noticed when I woke up, I was experiencing bad stiff necks. I could feel slight pain in my collar bone that went to the center of my back. I’m not sure if that was from laying in a bed for the first time and rolling over, or just part of the healing process.

Week 5-This is the start of week 5. Tomorrow, I’m riding back down to the Navy hospital to get more x-rays, see orthopedics and talk to my doc again. The stiff necks went away, but I believe a calcium deposit has formed over the bone and it caused this huge lump to stick out of my collar bone area. I could really give a shit what it looks like!I’m just curious to see if the bone has fully mended and when I can get back to the gym. Well..that is my experience so far. I wish everyone a fast recovery that is dealing with this same experience and any advice that can be shared would be awesome.

First, like everyone else, and to everyone else, thanks for publishing your experiences to help the newly initiated…

My Story - The last monday of August, going a tad too fast (clearly) down Mt Tam, my SantaCruz and I parted ways with me being the more bung up: broken left clavicle (distal third), broken left 7th rib, punctured lung, nasty hip pointer, a rather sizeable chunk of my left elbow missing, and a fruity hematoma on my left thigh being my list of items to nurse back to health. SantaCruz: Nothing. Not even a scratch.

I have to say, compared to many others here, I feel very lucky in the pain management department. So far, the most pain I experienced was just getting off the mountain in the ranger’s truck and the ambulance… and what was killing me was my rib, not my shoulder. Since then, after just 48 hours I found I didn’t need the vicodin and after about 10 days I stopped taking the motrin. I fully commiserate and agree that sleeping is the pits. Basically, it’s two hours at a time, at best, and I’ve come to enjoy being up at 2 and/or 3 and/or 4 in the morning and seeing the fox run by my patio doors in the dark and watching the sun rise. (Or, at least, I tell myself that I really enjoy this…)

About my shoulder… I was referred to an orthopedic surgeon and visited him about 10 days after the crash. He said surgery was the normal recommended course for my break (Group 2, Type 2), but since the x-ray showed bone fragments he said surgery was not recommended as it usually didn’t yield good results. He then told me that the bones may not union (freaked me out), but that many people live with non unions and have no problems. I guess you, Hans, are a good testiment to that. I told him the sling was driving me nuts and he, after testing my mobility and finding it was really good, told me I could chuck it. So I did.

The following week, just this past Thursday, I visited the physical therapist and he said to use the sling. That the best chance I had of getting the fracture to union was to keep the bones as immobile as possible. And, of course, he gave me some simple exercises to help ensure my shoulder doesn’t “freeze.”

I am going nuts not being able to bike. And the thought of a non union is still freaking me out. And, perhaps more than anything, is not knowing how the dang thing should “feel” so as to know if it’s healing well or not.

So here are my questions:

1. For those of you that experienced a union, could you feel it unionizing? In other words, did the bones move around and then, suddenly, one day they didn’t? Did you observe any gradually changes as it healed or did it just happen for you without your attention? Did it move around still at week three, or was it already still?

I am particularly curious about this because I would swear that I had a fragment that floated forward during my first 10 days and would cause pain in the forward part of my shoulder, right at the shoulder joint. I could feel something hard just under the skin. So I extended my arm slowly straight out from body creating a 90 degree angle and just that simple action would move what ever it was back somewhere. This happened twice and has not happened since so I’m hopeful that what ever it was is okay.

I can’t tell what the main bone should or should not feel like and it’s driving me crazy. Am I over thinking this? Is it too soon at three weeks to tell? (FYI, I am 41.)

2. My bone was consistently “tenting” my skin so after week two, with the swelling gone and feeling pretty good, I decided to put my bra strap back over my shoulder thinking that maybe that would be a good thing: 1) it would certainly help stablize the bone and 2) potentially keep it closer to the distal end so that they could union. Have any of you ladies done something similar, or know if this is a good/bad idea?

To all who, like me, are in the process of healing… chin up, and think happy thoughts of returning to doing what you love.

Cheers,

Amber

It has been several months since we communicated. I tried to describe the fact that my clavicle had sheared off and risen above the shoulder with only skin restraining it. You said that you had never heard of so critical an injury. However it has become much worse.

My surgeon was loath to operate and kept telling me that some people with my condition are able to live many years without surgery. Never did he do full disclosure and tell me that the clavicle could completely disconnect if it were not operated upon.

That is what has happened. The ligments were keeping the clavicle in its normal place in the chest wall. Then the ligments loosened off and the clavicle is now pressing forward with only the skin restraining it.

That finally got the surgeon’s attention. Even then he scheduled surgery for 30 days after this crisis occurred. That is a long time to wait for treatment with an emergency!

Really we are talking about shoulder reconstruction rather than a shoulder operation.The operation will last 2 hours and I get only 1 night in hospital when I would prefer many more since there will be problems of infirmity and pain.

My surgeon is a good shoulder specialist but even so I am afraid of lasting pain. I already learned after the accident how painful the shoulder can be but then I knew that the shoulder was healing. However there was no bony union.

I do wish that I pressed harder for surgery in mid-summer, had gone to a private clinic, and paid for it if my surgeon was not able to do surgery within a few weeks then. Of course if I had gone for a consultation to a private clinic I would have been told about the dangers of not operating, something my own surgeon never told me. It is all about prevention being better than cure.

My surgeon said that he will install a plate in the shoulder. He said the great majority of patients find it irritating and ask to take it out after a few months. However you said that you know of patients who have tolerated a shoulder plate very well.

Thanks for your advice in the past. Please advise others on just how important it is to get a second opinion from a specialist when a serious clavicle injury occurs. There may be some debate among surgeons about clavicle surgery but there is no doubt that I should have had surgery months ago.

You can imagine how careful and constricted my life is with my clavicle hanging so loosely against the skin of the chest wall.

(edit: added additional comments)

By the way the only reason that I am getting surgery is because the shoulder deteriorated so much. I live in Canada where we have a very poor public health care system. One example of this is that surgeons often give out no printed or clear verbal instructions about post-op care prior to the operation.

However if the operation is done in a private clinic then the patient receives much printed instructions before the operation. The reason is that the surgeons in the private clinics care about the results since they can be fired if their success rate is not high enough.

I am posting to let u know my story. I fractured my right clavicle, displaced midshaft clavicle fracture, 5 months ago. I was described to me as a bad break. The ends overlap with a fragment positioned behind. It’s very pointy under the skin.

Yes, it has taken a long time but the results are surprisingly good. When first presenting at the fracture clinic I was given the decision of surgery or not. I left the decision to my consultant, they are experts. He decided to leave it for 4 weeks and review but radiographs showed no healing. However, the fracture was more stable by this time and I started physiotherapy, shoulder mobilisation. (It has all been progress since. At week 8 a callus could be seen. I could now lift my arm above my head but positions were still painful. I was taking revenge on a stationary bike by now. I started jogging again at week 10. Help my posture, strength and I feel healing significantly.)

Continue week 4: Also, the sling was putting pressure on the fracture causing concern as the skin looked very sore and thin. This was avoided by replacement with a poly sling. This improved my quality of life. It has one strap to go round your shoulder of choice and another to hold the arm support round your waist. This provided support even when going round bends in the car. The positioning could be adjusted and stability at the fracture site was definitely increased. I think the improved alignment following fracture is due to the success of this sling (http://www.medlockmedical.com/orthopaedics/polysling.htm). I’m not saying this is the best sling just that it worked for me.

Today, my final appointment, 5 months post injury and new bone can be clearly seen. Since the injury the prominences of bone under my skin have remodelled, rounded. I have been reassured that remodelling will eventually leave only a smooth lump. Has anyone had such a successful remodelling experience with a big break (I appreciate alignment will different to pre injury)? I posted a month or so ago concerning my pointy lump. I raised the issues I was experiencing with the stimulation of skin nerves running over the fracture. This has been much less of a problem since and I feel remodelling has helped, as above. I can now wear a backpack again. I have selected a back pack to suit my new anatomy. The strap just avoids the lump being an “S’ shape. Lowe alpine backpacks are particularly good but I brought a berghaus as it suited other needs to. My other issue was the seat belt. This was easily solved with a seat belt shoulder pad. I hope this is of help as it was the little things that were getting me down. I wish everyone good luck. Life will be normal again, it just takes time. Make the most of the opportunity to rest. Take care and respect yourself.

Bill T - Hearing stories like yours gets my blood boiling. Let’s hope that karma catches up with that driver. There’s some great comments/feedback from people regarding surgery. I opted not to have surgery since my break didn’t call for it. Others have and have had quick recovery. But there is always a risk of complications from surgery. Make sure to get more than one doctor’s opinion. Also, asking for a guess on recovery time will give you all different answers and probably none correct. Every break is unique as is the individual and their ability to recover. Therefore, listen to your doctor and if possible, get a second doctor’s opinion. (Just read your second post) Glad to hear you got yourself a figure-8. I wore mine as much as possible, even to bed. If you got one with thin foam pads it might get uncomfortable after a bit. Find some additional foam and use duct tape to make better padding. I can only guess that you didn’t get another x-ray because it’s only been a short time since the first x-ray(s). Also, I guess that you or the doctor decided no surgery since you will be waiting 5 weeks to follow up. But, if surgery is still on your mind, I would think you would want to follow up sooner. Everyone says it’s better to have the surgery done sooner.

Squirrel - Nice to hear back from you. It sounds like things are looking better. It also sounds like you have a good grasp on the situation. Let us know how things go with the recovery.

Travis - A second break within one year? That really sucks. As for your doctor saying the figure-8 doesn’t help, well I personally disagree. It helped me and I know that many others have written about how it helped them recover. One of the benefits of the figure-8 is that it keeps the shoulders immobile and aligned well. This helps the healing process since you limit the movement the broken ends and therefore give them a chance to reconnect. Think about two pieces of wood that you are trying to glue together. If you keep pulling them apart you keep breaking the bond. Do that too much and you might never get them to attach. It’s also wise to cut way back on drinking alcohol. It leaches calcium from the bones. Oh, and sodas and caffeine will also do this. Not something you want when you are trying to mend.

Renee - Healing without a lump? Yes, that’s possible. But it also means you don’t have a cool lump to brag about when you hang out with the broken collar bone crowd. :’) Seriously though, no lump is fine. But to know if you are healing correctly you will need to follow up with your doctor.

hi im 50 and broke my collor bone power kiting on the 15 oct - damn i should know better at my age !! im suppose to be going diving in egpty on the 1st of dec. anywy a few questions

1. how much movement you recon i have and will i able to do some diving ?
2. in the uk the gave me crappy hessan sling which just fall apart. can any one recommend a better trype sling with web site so i can see a picture
3. when will i able to drive ? i have a gear shift thank for the help. rob :)

Hi peeps Check out these exercises for broken collarbones, click the picks to get bigger diagrams. http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_brknclav_rex.htm DISCLAIMER: Ask your doctor when you can start these exercises, don’t just start doing them on your own accord.

Came across this site today. Crashed over my handlebars (road riding) October 30th, when I broke hard to avoid two dirt bikes who appeared suddenly in the midst of our paceline (they hadn’t seen us). Landed on my head, but no loss of consciousness, and only a scratched (not broken) helmet. But broke left clavicle and right wrist, and have compression fractures of spine. Also experience extreme vertigo when I tilt my head. My orthopedist was in the paceline, so I knew right away about the clavicle, and realized the right wrist also hurt and I was screwed. Talk about being no-handed!

After tons of x-rays at ER, my orthopedist came to set the wrist. ER released me with a figure 8 brace, a magic shot that put me out for first night, and script for codeine-acetaminophen. After 5 days, took that only at night. After another week, down to ibuprofens. X-rayed at doc after week 1 and week 3. Week 3 x-rays didn’t show bone growth in gap. I guess from these accounts, this isn’t that unusual, but it did depress me at the time. Figured I was using left hand too much, since right hand had even less mobility. Pain is down at the break, but if I’m overdoing it, i.e., upright for several hours, the whole shoulder hurts. Have been using left hand to feed myself for two weeks. Will revisit doc in another 3 weeks. He did mention electrical stimulation next if x-rays show no change. Has anyone had positive results from this? BTW, I’m a 54 year old female. Thanks to my hubby for cooking, cleaning, dressing me, becoming my hair stylist, etc. etc. and thanks to my friend for donating her button down shirts from when she broke her clavicle last year skiing.

Roberta - If you can get "electrical stimulation" for recovery you are lucky. I've heard good results from it. But it's usually too costly and insurance won't pay for it.

• Hans

Hi all 51 male - broke kiting week 6 since break - x ray number 3

1. x ray similar to number 2 ie broken ends still showing and a sort of mist around break
2. little pain onyl when lifting or raising high
3. dull ache in arm and hand
4. DOCTOR SAID CAN GET OUT OF SLING !!
5. But advised no biking for 3 more weeks :( (not sure why)
6. Back driving at last.
7. o yea – they di say that they never recommend a figure of 8 in the UK? not sure if anyone had been given at advise in this country. ROB :)

WOW! and I thought I was the only clumbsy one. On Nov 5 2005, I rode my Motorcycle down from Austin to Bastrop, hit gravel that was on asphalt while going about 5-10 mph. The result is that I dropped the bike and crashed into the windshield of the cycle which snapped the clavical driving one piece down to the lung area and the other top portion got wedged into the trapezia muscle in my neck. Bastrop has no ER rooms and I really didnt want the accident on my driving record. So I got a wrecker driver to upright my cruiser and headed to Austin. BTW, the wrecker dude gave me a tip on uprighting the bike cause I couldn’t lift it - turn the handle bars towards the ground which causes the front tire to lift the bike as you bump the seat with your butt. Thank God for helmets as that one got toasted too - cost me $300 but looking at it and realizing that the cushion inside was gone and I had no head injury it was worth every penny as a clavical would have been the last of my problems.

I rode the bike to Austin (35 miles)and my sister told me that Saturday night in Austin - I would be the last person seen given all the stabbings, shooting, wrecks, and crap. I went to a small town ER to get it x-rayed just so I would know what was broken besides the clavical which I already knew was broken because I couldn’t feel the bone off the collar. The Doc said it would eventually heal but I would probably look like Frankenstein as the bones were seperated by an inch and a half.

I got a sports med orthepedic to look at it (if you are athletic - make sure you find someone who handles sports injuries - best way to find out is to call Sports teams or Universities and ask who the team doc is). On the phone his assistant said that they never see clavicals that need surgery. Yeah, well they did this time and I had surgery 2 days later with a metal plate and 10 screws that look like they came from metal shop. The doc said it would take 45 minutes of surgery but it took him 90 minutes as he had to pull one peice of the clavical out of my neck and the other off my lung. Duhhh, I told him that when I took a deep breath it hurt!

They did the surgery on an outpatient basis and I went home that afternoon. They gave me Lortab which I took after the local and general started to wear off. I noticed that it made me sleepy and I noticed that the drug builds up so you get knocked out sooner the next day.

Best place to sleep: on a couch with the bad arm up and 3-4 pillows to elevate your neck so it is horizontal with the spinal cord. Small adjustable pillow under armpit. The couch keeps you from rolling onto the bad side and allows you to sit up more easily.

Drugs: I took last Lortab 48 hours after surgery and went to using Alleve. BTW, the doc called me up on the weekend to see how I was doing and told me that I could take Tylenol in between the Lortab schedule. Anyway, knowing that injuries can lead to drug addiction, I have always gotten off the hard stuff ASAP. I switched to ALLEVE which is an anti inflamatory and was taking 2 evey 12 hours. A bit strong but I am 49 yrs old, weigh 250 lbs and lift weights (gorilla). I was at work on Tuesday and have only used one hour per week going to the doc.

2nd best place to sleep: your bed - 5 pillows all over the place so you can feel comfortable. I got a 7 foot roll of stretchable/elastic bandage (like what you see for knees) and tied a knot in it and place it around my waist. Then I wrap my injured arm’s wrist two times and make sure it is as loose as possible to eliminate cutting off circulation to the hand. This immobilizes the arm so I don’t have to wear that damn sling at night. It didn’t do any good as the arm would come out of the sling and be in my face in the morning anyway.

The stiches are out and I am going back in 2 weeks for the follow up Xray. I am taking the calcium stuff and eating a lot of ice cream. Since I can’t go to the Gym to lift weights or ride my cycle I plan on just getting fat. All I want is to be healed up come spring so I can ride the bike, jet ski’s, and lift weights. I hate watching TV!

Pains: It seems to evolve from inside injury to skin irritation like you have skin removed from your shoulder and it is open to air - ouchhh. I think they gave me shot in the side of the arm as it feels that way. I am getting an occasional electric like shock under the affected arm’s pec which I am not sure is related to the sling or what. And I have a pain in my chest bone 3 inches below the incision and the skin looks irritated. Maybe this is from the surgical clamps or they broke my ribs fixing me?

Best advice: The clavical gets very little attention from the medical community if you see your XRAY and the bones are not in line with one another - be concerned as you could end up looking like the hunchback of Notre Dame. 2 doctors told me that and also, it may not be that bad looking at the X-ray but my Doc was surprised to see what he found. This bone does a lot of good things including your posture so you don’t want to screw around waitng to see if it heals on its own. Currently, I wear the sling in public so no idiot comes by and slaps my shoulder and I like the support it gives. The doc says i can get out of the sling at home as long as I don’t stress it by lifting anything etc. Also, he mentioned that the metal plate is going to break soon and that he wants it fused before it breaks. I am guessing that he had to hammer the plate to fit my bone and the 10 screws have weakened the plate which looks to be 4 inches long,1/8 inch thick and 1 inch wide. The screws are about 3/4 inch long and go through the bone and plate and in some cases are in muscle tissue. The pain is not that bad it is more irritating than painful.

Dan - Gravel patches on the road are no fun. I’m riding like a baby after it rains and washes the gravel onto the corners. I could just see myself hitting one of those on Hwy 1 and ended up down in the ocean!

Pete - Good idea about setting up a message board for these pages. I never thought these entries would get the attention they have. I’ll look into it.

Chicha - The questions you ask can’t be answered here. Everyone’s injury is unique. Your doctor or physical therapist needs to give you the answers. The good news is that it’s still early in your recovery.

Skonecki - Shopping cart? Yup, I can imagine. I scraped off a large chunk of skin one time doing a shopping cart downhill race.

Kim - I hope you have had that shoulder checked out by a doctor. You say you know you need to go so just go. Listen to your body, it hurts, you need to have it checked out.

Duncan - I feel your pain. My first break happened at the start of the last lap of my second criterium that day. I was feeling great and thinking about a top finish. Btw - If you want to entertain yourself with cycling videos while you’re injured, check out my helmet cam race videos over in the cycling videos section of the site: http://www.hanskellner.com/videos/cycling.html

Yasmin, I’m 35, broke my left clavicle two weeks ago (soccer, first broken bone for me too) and have been on both sides of the surgery versus clavicular split (ie, ‘figure 8’ brace) divide. i started with an orthopedic surgeon recommended by the hospital, who put me in the splint. because many things about this doctor led me to doubt his skills & knowledge i sought a second opinion. this docor was far better informed on the issues involved (and worked at a better hospital) and basically said the following regarding the splint versus surgery.

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

Steven - Hope all has gone well with the surgery. Give us an update on how it went.

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

Yasmin - Good to hear that things are working out better for you. Having a positive outlook on life is a strong characteristic.

Jenn - I wish there was a surefire plan to heal broken bones faster. The trouble is the best advice is what we normally hear. Rest, rest, rest. Oh, one way to make the sling less hot is to soak it in water then wring it out. The moisture helps keep your arm cooler and the constant soaking keeps it from smelling! :)

Tristen - There’s still a lot you can do while recovering. Yup, it’s a bummer that you can’t do all the activities you normally do. But use that to your advantage and try other activities that you haven’t done and/or have been wanting to do. I was lucky in that I knew I had to stay in shape and be ready to leave for Europe a month after I broke mine. That made me focus on working out on a trainer (vs. riding) and doing what I could to heal. It worked and I was able to leave for Europe with my bike and ride the entire time.

Dave - Yes, it’s amazing immediately after an injury how well our adrenaline masks pain and injuries :’) The good thing about your xray was that it showed the bones touching. That’s a lot better than seeing the bones drifting apart. The closer the ends of the bones the better chance for them to fuse back together. And, yes, the fibrous material doesn’t show on the xray. You are very lucky that you get to use a bone stimulator. There are good reports from the use of the device. Sadly, it’s hard to get covered by insurance so doctors don’t prescribe it. I would recommend being careful that you don’t push it when do your exercises. It’s easy to get to a point where things feel great but internally your collar bone is still healing. No reason to set yourself back now. If you aren’t using a stationary bike I would recommend that for recovery. Low impact and you can get a great workout.

Jenn - As I mentioned to Dave above, a stationary bike is a great low impact workout. Or the elliptical trainer is also good. As for the popping, that might be the soft tissue. For example, a ligament or muscle popping around the collarbone. Mine popped with different movements for a long time. But it gradually went away. Oh, light massage helps to loosen/relax the muscles and tissue around the injury. That really helped during recovery.

Charlotte - Your doctors are being fair by not commiting to timescales. It very difficult since each injury and how a person heals is unique. If your husband is lucky and the break fuses soon then there might be enough time for him to recover and handle the trip. But it’s a gamble.

Clover - Sounds like things are going the right way for you. I would recommend listening to your body to judge your limits. If you do something that causes you pain then back off. I had no expectations about healing time for my collar bone. When I was “healed” and back riding the bike at 4 weeks I thought that’s how it goes. After reading all the comments that others have left about their experiences, I feel I was lucky to heal as quick as I did.

Kate’s mom - Being young and healthy is a big bonus towards healing quick. If all goes well then that time frame sounds like a fair estimate. Just be sure to check with her doctor before giving her a go ahead. As for a compression wrap, I’m not familiar with that. I used a combination of the figure-8 and a sling. It took some adjusting to get the figure-8 comfortable. It’s not necessary to adjust it too tight. If it’s binding, pinching, or painful then that’s too much. The figure-8 helps to keep the shoulders aligned and reduce movement. The less movement the better for healing.

Patty - Wow, it sounds like soccer is taking out a bunch of players. Sorry to hear that. As I mentioned to Kate’s mom above, being young is one of the best factors for healing. A four week recovery sound fair. Just follow up with her doctor before sending her out again to play.

hello to All. My name is Bonnie and on Sept. 1st of this year I was shot sniper style with a 9mm gun. The bullet entered the top of my right shoulder, hit my clavicle(and shattered it),and then exited out of my throat. So far some nerve damage on the right side of my chest and the shattered clavicle are the extent of my injuries. I was riding in the passenger side of our family van with the windows down. Talk about being caught off gaurd. So i am home from work. they are only liable to hold my job for 90 days..ha ha..i won’t be going back there. I worked at a Veterinary hospital which is physically demanding of my dominant arm. I am at the waiting stage with the docs. I go back to have x-rays done this week. The pain is intense-ibprofrin during the day-everything else makes ya tired. I’ve never been so excited to go to the doc’s office. I have 3 kids,so staying still..well, that’s the punch line in all of this! My youngest is a 2yr old BOY! oh how life can be funny sometimes.:) As soon as i read one womans comment about being careful not to roll over on the affected side I knew I had found the right place. I wonder how/if all of you delt with the depression from the physical limitaions? I have so hit stir crazy in the house. I go outside and the nieghbors are bugging me with their kind words and much needed prayer- but who wants to deal? But a big plus in all of this is while being here i have sucessfully potty trained my 2 yr old! No more diapers EVER! Thank God for small miracles!! haha. I think this is a great site you got here Hans. Nice to know I’am not alone.

Hello to all and i hope all is well. Just a small update. I went back to the doc’s for my 8 week appt. and suprise, suprise, he wants to wait 6 more weeks. There has been some fragment fusion but nothing to really write home about.Doc says if i wait 6-12 more weeks i’ll get a smaller plate. I am down with the smaller plate but the waiting game is the pitts! After a while I become immune to the pain, even forget about it(as hard as that is)and do beyond my limit-but boy do i remember real quick! ha ha. Doc gave me a ref. for phys. therapy which i hear that some exercise may help regrowth come a little quicker-let’s keep our fingers crossed. Then to top it all off the trial was cancelled until an undetermined time due to my shooter wants a phsyc. evaluation. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! well still on the flip side-my 2 yr old is still going on the potty! life:bitter/sweet it really is. I wish you all lots of laughs,regrowth,and full range mobility!

Rob D - The first two weeks after breaking the bone is the most important to let it heal and try to fuse. You should try not to do any motions that will move your collarbone. For example, raising your arm parallel at this point is a bit too soon. The popping and clicking isn’t necessarily from the ends of your break. It can be caused from various thing such as muscle and ligaments moving around.

Lana - From all that I have read and heard, broken bones in children heal very quick. Babies will often break a collar bone during delivery. It just heals up quick on its own. I don’t know if your daughter will need surgery at a later time. I would think not. But you might want to consult with an orthopedic doctor. Also, ask the doctor about the overlap and any complications that might occur in the future if the bones heal together that way.

on december 12 i broke my collar bone wrestling and region torments is januray 6 im 14 do u think i can wrestle on the 6th its been about 3 weeks and im feeling fine but my doctor said i cant play any sports untill 6-8wks wat is normal healing time for sombody my age

marlon - See my answer on the other page you left your question:

Broken Clavicle No More

- Hans

I broke my left collar bone on xmas day playing cricket :/ Its been 5 days now and I’m not looking forward to the next few weeks. I can’t sleep in a bed at all, just can’t find a good postion, so I’m sleeping in a chair: if you can call it that. On the up side, codiene and beer seem to be very good friends and I’m enjoying the new 3-some we have going. The worst part really isnt the pain but having one arm strapped tight to your body 24/7 and being completely dead weight. I’m showering every other day just because of the incredable hassle, and down to wearing button up Hawaiian shirts (cant get anything over my head or lift left arm). I broke a bone in my foot 2 yrs ago and I have to say there arnt words in the english language to discribe how much worse this is. Because I just have a sling all my family/friends think I’m being a “girl” and should still be goin out and stuff. Sucks to be me at the moment. Oh well can’t last foreva :) Good luck to all you other collar bone sufferers.

You are bringing back memories. Hawaiian shirts were standard wardrobe after my break. Luckily for me broken collar bones are common among cyclists. So there's wasn't too much hassle about not going out since they had all been through the same.

- Hans

I missed a step going down to my own basement and broke my collar bone on Jan 2, 2007. it has been a week and I improved a lot. Your site has been a lot of help since neither the ER doctor nor my ortho doctor said much. I met a triathlon guy at the hot tub today (he also broke a collar bone once) and he said it is VERY important to try to hold the shoulders back so the bone would not heal “short”. It is tiring holding my shoulders back even with a figure-8 brace but it certainly makes sense. He also suggested a narrow pillow along the spine to allow room for holding back the shoulders when I am sitting or sleeping. Periodically I feel a kink or a knot near my break, I can usually work it out by moving a little bit. Does anyone else have this? I am 63 and I am hoping for a quick recovery since I have ski trip planned for the end of Feb.

Your kink/knot might be muscles knotting or soft tissue "catching" on the injured area. I would feel something similar early in my recovery but it eventually went away. I also used hot baths and a heating pad on the injured shoulder and neck to help relax the muscles and reduce knotting/spasms.

I was wondering if you could calm my nerves. I am a 25-year-old female and to make a long story short, I landed on the back of my left shoulder and completely snapped I believe the distal third of my collarbone. I read above that you had someone handle mice for you when you returned to work. This is where you could relax my nerves-I work as an animal technician at UCSD (so I handle mice and only mice all day), and I am coming up on the 4-week mark and I am worried they will not let me return to work (within the next week) because the nature of my work is quite physical (changing cages all day). We use standard caging with plastic bottles. Given I am correct and you are familiar with my line of work, how long do you thing it would be before I can resume my job 100%? And does ibuprofen retard bone growth?! Thanks!

Laura is the one that wrote the "What to Expect..." story at the top of this page. I posted it for her at her request. So I'm not familiar with those types of cages but I would think that by now, if the bone has fused, that you would be fine as long as you are careful. If the bone hasn't fused than that would be a problem.

At the same point in time when I was healing I was able to lift fairly heavy objects again. I made sure not to do any sudden jerking movements and to stop if my shoulder became sore or hurt.

- Hans

I want to come back to this site to post my recover and say thank to Hans for having this site what a blessing for all. For back info on my injury read Nov. 18 & 21, 2005 I had surgery to repair the break. I was afraid to have surgery till I spoke to a physical therapist about recover with and without surgery. After explaining my break and how it would move if I just shivered he told me it could cut the blood vessel . I decide that I’d take a skilled surgeon cutting by my artery rather than having the splinter bones just moving all over. My pain was very little after surgery. I was just so glad to have it set in one place. I have pictures of breaks, incision, and plate the can be seen under skin. jam56bird@msn.com email me if you would like to see them. I know I wanted to know what it would look like and how if would feel after surgery. My incision was the full length of the collar bone. Healing went great. Problems were when it was time to take off the sling my arm was partially frozen even though I did my exercises every 2 hour for 20mins daily. I had to have physical therapy. I took 12 weeks to move arm up over head myself standing. I started cutting hair 9 wks after surgery but only a couple a day. I took 4 months before I could properly lift my arm to cut hair, like this / elbow just would not lift up. I found arnica cream to be the bigger blessing after a therapy session for pain. This stopped the aching without taking pain meds. I was allergic to oxy. and vicidin found this out day one of break could not take them. I took many supplements, homeopathic, and did alternative therapies to heal. I had a stone massage to loosen he muscles 11 wks after surgery. The next day I lifted my arm over my head myself. Dr. said I can have it removed if I want because I can run my finger over it and feel the holes and screws. Not very sexy for a girl. DH don’t mind and I could careless all that matters to me is I can lift my arm and use it. A year later my arm is still weaker than the left one. I can not sleep on my right side. Weather changes can give me an achy feeling otherwise I’d never know it all happened. I also lost the 10 pounds of extra weight I gained. I think this has alot to do with a great surgeon Dr. Sekia of UPMC Sports medicine. It was worth drive three hours and getting two opinions( dr asked for 2nd opinion to help me decide because it was gray not a clear cut surgery break) they said surgery is what they would do or recommend to their wife. Better than first dr. so could have cared less. I’d still not be moving my arm if I had listened to him!!!! Tried to move it too early because I read post about not letting it freeze up. Give your arm time to heal. Don’t like dr. get a new one! If you need surgery get it, otherwise it may just be longer recovery than you think when they want to mess around and do it 3 months later. L.

Nice to hear back from you. And good to hear that you are doing well on your recovery.

- Hans

My fiancee broke his collar bone in 3 pieces a year ago whilst snowboarding & it still has not healed. He did the normal procedure of hospital appointments but each time the xray showed no change & each time the specialist would say it will start to heal in a couple of weeks time but every time he went back for the xray there was no change & the specialist would say the same thing again which was that it would start to heal in a couple of weeks. The specialist at the hospital didnt seem worried that it was not healing or even showing any signs of healing. The specialist insisted that it needs more time to heal & to not worry. He even said that he would not need to see him again. My fiancee couldnt beleive that he had said this & felt like he was just pushed aside. After 8-weeks my fiancee went to his own doctor & requested a hospital appointment to see a different specialist as his collar bone did not feel right at all. He recieved the appointment in the post only to find out it was the same specialist he had seen b4, aarrgghh!!! He had another x-ray & it still had not healed. He started to ask questions about it but the specialist kept insisting that he is the expert & to not worry & to give it time to heal. It is now a year on & and within the last month he is now getting pins & needles in the outside part of his hand, he gets an electric shock type pain which runs down his arm & also the back of his arm aches & feels dead sometimes. He recently went to his doctor who has confirmed that it has not healed & that his nerve maybe trapped. He is currently awaiting an appointment with an upper body specialist. I can feel that this time next year I will be here typing about this bloody bone!!!! Can anyone relate to this or have any comments on his situation as we are just awaiting this next appointment to come through the post which could be months yet & would appreciate any advice.

I can see the frustration you must have. At this point it sounds like he needs an MRI or some way to diagnose any possible soft tissue problems. The sensation issues sound like a nerve is being impinged. It's important to have that diagnosed soon as waiting can lead to permanent damage to the nerve.

- Hans

February 10 2007 day I joined the fractured clavicle club. (the FCC) And like a madman did research on it and found this site. Loved the stories and would like to post my experience. I’m taking a martial arts class performed a roll and landed awkwardly on my right shoulder and felt and heard that snap. Went over to my instructor and said I think i messed up my shoulder so I fell down and he proceeded to pop it back in, of course I’m screaming “IT STILL HURTS” so lying down couldn’t move. Paramedics came and told me I messed up the clavicle. Had a friend drive me to the hospital (no way I’m paying for an ambulance bill, I just got a bandage sling) Thought I had to wait in the emergency waiting room because I saw a lot of people no seats available and was thinking great I’m gonna stand and pass out to the pain but luckily I was admitted. Gave me my new friend the figure 8 and was on my way. As my parents drove me home every bump every pot hole, turn, braking, sucked. If a revolver with on bullet was given to me I would’ve gladly used it haha. It’s already a week since the break, pain has subsided, although I have those blasts of pain that ride from my armpit to my bicep. I can drive but with my right arm a lil low on the wheel. Tommorrow I’m gonna run to the doctor about those blasts of pain. Things I’ve learned so far: Sleep was non existent since I’d wake up at 4 all cringing. I think I can shoot mace with my left arm with accuracy since now I shoot spray on deodorant under both pits.

That's really funny! :') - Hans

I broke my right clavicle 10 days ago while snowboarding (make that ice boarding) at Hunter Mountain in Upstate New York. Fortunately, the initial impact wasn’t too painful (probably because I was also knocked unconscious) and I was promptly treated at the mountain clinic, put in figure 8 splint and sent home. Sleeping has not been a problem at all, not even the first night. I can drive a stick, have a good deal of strength and flexibility in my right arm (considering the injury)and the bruise has faded. There’s a good bump on the bone at the site of the break and the whole thing appears to be moving as one piece. All good signs. So I thought, until I saw the orthopedist today who said I should consider surgery to restore the length of the collar bone which has been shortened by about 2cm. I’m an avid surfer and am concerned that the shortened bone will affect the performance of my paddling muscles. I’ve also read that most people have achieved good results without surgery. Any advice?

That's a tough question to answer. Each injury and recovery is unique. I would recommend visits to both an orthopedic doctor and a physical therapist that specializes in sports related injuries. They should be familiar with your needs and how your injury will effect you. If you are lucky you might run across a doctor that's a fellow surfer.

- Hans

Hello, everyone – This is my second round of regular visits to this wonderful website! I’ve been lucky not to have first-hand experience with broken bones so far, so the accounts of your clavicle experiences have been a great source of information to our family. Thank you! On December 1, our 13-year-old son was at a birthday party and broke his left clavicle in two places when he was bounced from a trampoline shoulder-first into one of the poles holding the protective netting. So much for protection (and parental supervision on the part of the party hosts)! My husband and our 6-year-old daughter were parked in front of the house, waiting to pick him up after the party, when the EMS fire truck and ambulance arrived. It was dramatic and upsetting (as well as infuriating because he was in such a senseless situation). Our son was in agony and was given three doses of morphine through his IV as well as Lortab before we left the ER. He missed a couple of days of school, six weeks of gym classes, nine weeks of ice hockey, and a session of indoor soccer. He finally was cleared to return to hockey and other contact sports on January 31. He was very excited about playing in his first game since the end of November! On February 3, he played so well that he didn’t even look like he had missed any time. The rest of the team was excited that he was back, and everyone played his best. He made it through the first period, and in the first minute of the second period, he was passing the puck when he was checked into the boards. When he hit the boards, his RIGHT collarbone broke. He had another ambulance ride to the ER for more X-rays and morphine and had to have his hockey jersey and his Clint Mathis MetroStars soccer T-shirt cut off of him (my husband and I took his equipment off because the nurses didn’t want to hurt him further by moving him around too much). He is facing another uncomfortable few weeks, the end of hockey and indoor soccer for this season, and we have a VERY unhappy boy on our hands. We were amazed at how easily this collarbone broke, since our son has checked and has been checked hundreds of times – without serious injury. It probably was just one of those freaky things. Nobody really seemed to think that it was a calcium deficiency, but we are giving him even more calcium-rich foods than usual as well as 400mg calcium citrate/400IU vitamin D (recommended by the ER doctor) twice a day. The orthopedist took X-rays on the first and second visits this time. The first X-rays (February 6) showed that the right clavicle was cracked through at an angle at the end closer to the neck, but the ends of the bone were still adjacent. The doctor said that the healing process should be a bit faster this time. The second set (February 19) showed that the clavicle had broken all the way through and that one end of the bone is resting on top of the other. The doctor said that the second injury would probably take about as long to heal as the first. He seems to be treating this injury more conservatively than the first. Our son still needs to wear his sling to school until his next appointment (March 15). The only thing that we can think of is that he rolled over the wrong way in his sleep, since there were a couple of mornings that he was in a lot of pain. How common is it for someone to break one clavicle then the other within such a short period of time? Short of putting this kid in a bubble (which has been suggested), what precautions can we take? He is hoping to start playing travel soccer at the very end of April. I’m thinking of getting him a protective shirt that a roller hockey player would wear for him to put on under his soccer jersey; however, this won’t protect him in case of a fall. He won’t be playing hockey again until summer, and he will have new shoulder pads with extra clavicle protection when he plays. Any suggestions would be most welcome! Thanks again for sharing your experiences with us. All the best, Anna

Sorry to have you back for a second round. But glad the information here is helping.

It sounds as if the two incidents were unique and simply bad luck. I've had cycling friends unlucky enough to break collar bones within a short time. It's not something common but not without precedent for active people.

Protecting against collar bone breaks can be tricky. One must be wearing protective gear for the activity. But there are so many activities that can lead to a break and it's not fun or possible to always have protective gear. For hockey there are various shoulder pads that include collar bone protection. If he isn't wearing any now then it might be good getting him a set. And don't forget that upper and core body strength can help protect against injuries.

- Hans

Well I’ve been lucky so far… horses and skiing are definitely my passions, I was in Argentina (live in London/California)and got bucked off in the middle of absolute nowhere, breaking my right collar bone. After chilling out in Argie for 4 weeks (at least I was in the sun) I had the nightmare of traveling back to the UK which meant horse, 4x4, bus and plane which took 3 days (yeah I know, I really was in the middle of nowhere), not something I would recommend when your on your own and have a broken bone. This site is great, so thanks to all who have contributed. I am now on week 5 and went to see the specialist yesterday, still not reconnected but doing well… not well enough in my book. I have great movement now and so thought the bone had reconnected, I was gutted but at least I can pretty much do everything myself, unlike the 1st two weeks, however I have terrible aching in my back, shoulder and arm.. how long does this last??? I find the sling and figure 8 both cause worse aching so have taken them off, my specialist said “listen to yourself” if it hurts “stop”. The only relief from the aching is to lie down, can anyone give any advice on this aching it’s driving me mad!!! I promise I am resting but how much longer?? Speedy recovery to all. CAM

Yes the aches and pains can take a while. Part of the problem is created by your muscles supporting the injured area. You might not be aware of this. Over time the muscles fatigue and you become sore and ache. I would recommend a light massage and/or heat applied to the shoulder, neck, and back. A warm bath to soak the muscles and let them relax is also good.

- Hans

This is the best web resource I’ve found yet concerning clavicle fractures. I broke mine in a cycling accident four days ago and even the thought of getting back on a bike brings tears to my eyes. My fracture was accompanied by a mild concussion and a class 1 separated shoulder (and nothing more serious, thank goodness). Any thoughts on how the separation might affect recovery times, etc? Also, when does the pain begin to subside?

I don't know if the separation will affect your collar bone recovery. I've been told a separation is a worse injury though. Be sure to follow up with physical therapy.

The pain level for me was manageable after two weeks. But it depends on your injuries and your tolerance to pain.

- Hans

Hi fellow broken clavicle people. I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me, after a nasty run in with a cow 6 months ago I am still in pain round the shoulder area and have limited mobility. Is this normal? I had a terrible psychio so now got a new one but having problems lifting, at footie, tug of war etc so now been told to rest up! ITS So ANNONYING!!! New physio has flagged up the fact that the collar bone maybe dislocated. I was never x rayed again after being at A and E so is it possible that the bone has healed incorrectly and may need to be reset? Thanks Lucy

Recovery can take a while. You might have more injuries than just your broken collar bone. A shoulder separation or other shoulder injury is a common partner to a collar bone break and might be the source of the pain. I would recommend that you have a visit with an orthopedic doctor.

- Hans

How long can I expect before I can get back to playing football. I broke my right clavicle. Want healing real fast. Any suggestions to speed up recovery.

Nobody but a doc that examines you will be able to give you a reliable estimate on healing time.

As for recovery suggestions, search through the comments on this page and some of the other broken clavicle pages (links near top of this page). You will find lots of information that should help you.

Hey Gang, I broke my collarbone about four weeks ago in a freestyle bmx accident. Was approaching a ramp, hit a slick spot on the warehouse floor, and washed both wheels out, taking an impact on the left shoulder. I immediately knew something was broken due to the grinding, pain and drooping shoulder. Head to the emergency room, x-rayed, cleanly broken clavicle. I’m feeling a lot better at this point, had a follow-up appointment last week and the doc says he is starting to see some bone growth, and has told me to come out of the sling while I’m sitting around, with another follow-up at the end of june. He also said the sling has aggravated some carpal tunnel in my left wrist, which is causing some numbness and pain in my hand. My question for everyone else is this…very occasionally, I feel what feels like “movement” in my shoulder..it’s very slight and not painful. I’m assuming that at 4 weeks, I’ve got a bridge formed, so I’m guessing I’m feeling that bridge move slightly when I move in a way that ‘stresses’ the break. Did anyone else have this feeling at my stage of healing? I’m 34 and afraid that a non-union is going to keep me off my bike.

My collar bone felt fairly solid by 4 weeks. There was occasional popping, very slight, that was attributed to the muscles and ligaments being tight and moving.

If you are unsure of the state of your break then I would recommend you talk with your doctor and maybe get another x-ray. You doctor will give you the most accurate information as to the state of your recovery.

this place is heaven for accurate info on this subject…as i sit here typing with one finger! i broke my left clavicle 5 days ago. pain is manageable now, i wear my sling 24/7, but i still feel clicking and popping at the break site (not painful) what is this about? should i go back to dr to check it out? thanks!!!!

I've been told that clicking and popping can be caused by rotator cuff tears or AC separations. You might want to talk with your doctor about the sounds. You might have another shoulder injury along with your broken clavicle.

Hi im a 16 year old boy who broke his collar bone while biking downhill. I was holding my A and W rootbeer when i turned and flew over my bars at high speed. sadly i din’t manage to save my pop and felt alo of pain. this occured june 22nd, the doctor at the ER gave me x-rays and determined it was broken nearest to my shoulder. she prescribeb me some 600mg ibeuprofines tablets and gave a sling. I was then on my way. i had 3 exams this week at school and 6 days into the injury and im feeling better. I get headaches when i stay awake for more then 7 hours. i would like to know if thasts normal. my doctor also said that i should take off my sling in three daYS. The doctor at the clinic i visited said 3 weeks but i dont know who i should listen to. i do alot of sports,v ball b ball track, wrestling etc and dont wanna lose mobility in my keft shoulder. my collar bone also aims higher then my right one and the part of my collar bone nearest my shoulder is not visible. could it be caved in. after 6 days the pain is tolerable i just had those questions because i wanna be safe. i wanna thank laura for creating this site and hope you’ll have fast recorvery’s.

I wouldn't think that getting headaches from staying awake for more than 7 hours is normal. It might or might not be related to your collar bone break. It's something you should talk with a doctor about.

The sling is used to help immobilize your shoulder. While your body is working to fuse the broken bones it's important to keep the break as immobile as possible. But one problem with immobilizing the arm is that the joints don't get used. This can lead to other problems such as a frozen shoulder. When joints are used their range of motion begins to be reduced. Therefore, docs want people to use their joints (shoulder, elbow) as soon as possible so that this problem doesn't occur. Always use pain as an indicator as to how far and how much to move your arm. If it hurts then it's probably too much. I can't suggest when you should stop wearing your sling. It's normally best to follow the advice of your doctor. Talk with your doctor and express your concern about when to stop wearing the sling.

- Hans

I broke my right clavicle June 5 while playing basketball. I think I was intentionally tripped, but who knows. I’m in week 5 1/2 and went to see my doctor at Kaiser today. The bones are not fusing and are actually farther apart! Now I’m being referred to an orthopedic doctor/surgeon. I’ve never had surgery & am really nervous. I also have to go back to work for “light duty”. Any wise words or advice would be appreciated! -Mike

My advice would be to let yourself heal. Don't try to jump in too soon and over use your shoulder. Use pain as your indicator. Pain is your body telling something is wrong. Oh, and listen to your doctor.

Hi, Im in week 1 after breaking my right collar bone playing rugby. i’ve hardley had any pain at all. the doctors said it was quite a bad break but there is only a small bump under my skin. the new season starts on 8th of september, i don’t think i’ll be fit to take full contact by then but it’s really frustrating me already!! any advice on how to speed up the healing process?? Jimmy, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England

There's some good advice on healing spread throughout the comments. Eat right, take supplements, and let yourself heal. Yes, it's frustrating but pushing it too soon and re-injuring yourself will be much more so.

Well where do i start? As i have previously posted on this site I broke my left collar bone on 19th May so I am now in week 9. I really thought I was getting somewhere after my week 6 x-ray showed my bone to be healing ’nicely’. I went with my in-laws on a canaling holiday last week and using ‘pain’ as a guide I started trying to gently excercise my shoulder. Yet again this was a big mistake as by the time I felt any pain it was too late and I have put my recovery back by a minimum 2 weeks! The advice given on this site about pain being a guide does not seem to be correct in my case and I’m getting more and more depressed the longer it goes on! I’m wishing now that I had asked for the operation to have been done at week 3 so at least I could be further down the line to recovery now. I did not break the bone all the way through and was therefore not expecting it to take all this time. I’ve been trying so hard to do NOTHING, but it’s not easy! I’m still wondering if a figure 8 brace would keep it more stable? Should I still consider having the op? Is 9+ weeks normal? It’s now my busiest time at work, harvest and I,m the only employee who knows how to work a paticular piece of grain machinery, so on top of the frustration of not getting better I feel I’m relly letting my work place down, which is making me feel worse. If the mind is positive then I feel it is easier for the body to heal. Any advice would be helpful to try increase my positive mind

I don't know if a figure-8 brace will be of use at this point in time. You mention trying not to do anything but finding it hard. Yes, that drove me crazy. So I performed activities in which I didn't use my shoulder. For example, riding my stationary bike. Rowing was not something I would have considered because of the strain and motion it would apply to my shoulder. You mention feeling you have set yourself back in healing because of the rowing. Was that because of strain on your muscles? It took a lot longer for my muscles to recover from my break than the bone. They would still spasm every so often months later. Massages made the world of difference.

Having a partial break I would hope and think that you would heal quicker. I haven't heard of anyone on this site that has had the operation with only a partial break. Your previous examine indicated your bone was healing nicely. That's a good sign and you are hopefully very close to being recovered. I recommend that you talk with your doctor about your concerns. And speak to your doctor and/or a physical therapist for recovery exercises instead of going at it alone. They will get you going in the right track and you will be healthy again in no time.

Hans I want to thank you for all the useful information on the sight. I,ll be disclosing my story and helpful hint,s in time. But for know I have a question that I hope you can answer. How did Laura Erker,s story ever finish? My injury and progress was almost a mirror image of hers, and her last report was heading out the door for x rays at 8 wks and then nothing after that? Did she find union? regards Frank

Good question! I'll see if I can get some info from her.

Thanks for the tip on side sleeping. I was worried that the weight shift would move my left shoulder down in a bad way since the bone is definitely not bridged yet, but I’ll give it a try. I’m not too worried about how I look, so the bruising, etc. isn’t too big a deal. The poison ivy was the gross part, and that has finally just about healed, thank goodness! It’s a little weird to get stared at whenever I go out, but kind of funny, too.

Speaking of the evil poison oak, I have a few pages of info with my experiences with that nasty plant:

http://www.hanskellner.com/archives/2003/01/14/poison_oak_argh.html

Hi there, this site has been really informative and helpful. I broke my collar bone some 13 weeks ago. I have had two lots of x-rays which apparently reveal that the break has resulted in the bones crossing over and I have a rather large lump. The consultant told me that the x-rays reveal that there has been no change in the bones since the fracture in May. I am due to have more x-rays in October. I have a virtually full range of movement. I’m not particularly worried about the bump though and the pain had subsided considerably. However, two days ago the pain returned and I developed tingling in my hand and a loss of strength in my fingers resulting in me not being able to successfully use a spray can or write properly….i know that when i first went to hospital I was asked if I had pins & needles which I did not and i am somewhat alarmed that this has developed over 3 months later…has anybody else experienced similar? I am a 43 year old female..

What you describe might be caused by a nerve being impinged. I would recommend that you follow up with your doctor and describe your new condition.

Bummer! The front-closing brace arrived, and it’s not going to work. The straps are stiff and cannot possibly be worn comfortably under one’s arms; you’d have to hold them straight out, like a stick person. It also creates downward pressure on the clavicle, which obvoiusly is not a good thing. It comes with a very thick, rounded foam insert that is supposed to go between your shoulder blades, which makes sitting back in a chair or lying down impossible. It is removable, but then the support doesn’t work correctly. All in all, poor design for our needs. I would not recommend it. Guess it’s back to the figure-8 for support, but remaining dependent on my friends’ help. :(

Thanks for posting your review. Maybe I should add a review section for shoulder supports? Or maybe it's time for someone to invent a comfortable and usable shoulder support!

Here’s an interesting story I have a definite broken clavicle bone but don’t remember breaking it. Well thats not completely true I was in a car accident over 6 years ago which all I thought happened to me was just some bumps and bruises. However, I saw a family doctor who suggested that it was a delayed response ????? Does that make any sense to any one else? So one morning in October of last year I woke up felt my collar bone and there it was a pushed out bump. Let me tell you I was freaked out. I am currently trying to make an appointment with a Ortho doctor to maybe figure out this mystery. In your research have you found that this is a bump that I will have to live with for the rest of my life? Sincerely, Jennie

It's rather odd that a collar bone bump would appear so long after the accident. And it's the first time here anyone has mentioned that happening. It's good that you are seeing a doc about the bump. Let us know what the Ortho tells you.

As for living with a collar bone bump, the good news is that the bump tends to decrease over time. Some folks lose the bump while others retain a slight bump. But it all depends on your own body. And having a bump isn't so bad. It really makes for great stories when hanging around the pool.

Hi All I’m a month in now. I have a displaced break nearish to the shoulder joint with the bone tenting on top of my shoulder. It isn’t painful although it can feel a little tight and strange at times. It is troublesome at night and I haven’t attempted to lay on that side. The muscles and ligaments still feel sore from my fall I had although they are improving. My collar bone is not going to go back into place on its own and I don’t particularly like it as it is. I see my consultant in a week’s time after x-ray so will know a little more then. I only have limited movement and strength in the affected side anyway so hopefully I wouldn’t require major metalwork if it needed fixing surgically? Trevor Cambs UK

I don't know if the amount of "metalwork" changes in that case. I would think that the amount would only vary depending on the break itself. Your consultant should be able to give you the answer. -Hans

So I did my left clavicle four days ago. Shattered it. Broken into four parts. Also cracked scapula. The ‘road rash’ and bruises on the right side, pulled groin and wrenched knee are equally as annoying as the immobilized left arm, though. Makes trying to baby the shoulder REALLY tricky! The ER doc was convinced they’d have to do surgery - put pins and plates and stuff. The ortho doc said no though! As long as the pieces are aligned reasonably and in the general vicinity of each other, they just let it all grow back together. I feel like a stem cell experiment! I wish I had video. This has to have been my most spectacular cycling crash yet, and I’ve had some doozies! ps: I have a cracked helmet (and intact head) as a memento. Note: the ER put me in a figure-8 brace. It is supposed to keep the bone aligned and immobilized. The ortho doc said get rid of it. For my break it would not help, and they are questionable value in all cases, according to him. I have blisters on arm and torso from wearing the thing two days. So beware if they want you to use that.

Yes, the jury is still undecided on the usefulness of the figure-8 brace. But I used one and it helped me stabilize my shoulder. I truly believe it helped me to heal faster. Now you indicate having blisters from wearing yours. That's an obvious sign of a brace that is not being used correctly. There are some rather cheap versions out there that don't fit well and have terrible padding. Combine those issues with wearing it wrong and/or too tight and you have problems. In my opinion, if the figure-8 brace is worn correctly and stabilizes your shoulder then it's going to help your shoulder heal. And if it maintains a better posture and alignment while your bones are healing then shouldn't they then fuse back together in a better position? Watch how your shoulder and the broken side wants to droop and hunch forward. If that causes the broken ends of the collar bone to approach at a larger angle and they then fuse at that angle you have now changed the geometry of your shoulder. The only negative others have posted about wearing a figure-8 is discomfort. And that has typically been solved by learning how to correctly wear the brace or finding one that has a better fit. You might want to get a second doctor's opinion regarding the brace. And while doing so get advice on your shoulder. Oh, and if your doctor makes a blanket statement like "For my break it would not help", question it! Ask "why wouldn't it help?" And "what makes my break unique that a brace wouldn't help?".

Hi all I’ve a displaced break (7 weeks and tenting close to the shoulder) that is being allowed to recover on its own. I’m not sure if that is best strategy but that’s what’s happening? The worst part at the moment is the ache at night (elbow to hand) and sensitivity in some of my hand. My little finger does really burn to the touch at times Anyone else had similar? Trevor Cambs UK

Hey Trevor. I remember that tingling and burning feeling. I was told it was a nerve being impinged and can occur while the shoulder reshapes and heals. But, if the pain became severe and/or didn't go away then I should contact my doctor. The ache was also something I went through. A hot shower or soak and some massage would help that. Especially before going to bed. - Hans

I just broke mine on thursday, im just wondering where can i get calcium and boron, and since im only 15 how long should it take to heal, im desperate to get back on my bike plus its the worst pain ive ever experienced. feedback greatly appreciated

You can purchase Calcium and Boron as supplements at your local pharmacy. But you should check with your doctor and parents before taking any supplements. What might be helpful for an adult might not be for a child. For example, if you look here: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-boron.html They note that "Children (younger than 18 years) There is not enough scientific data to recommend the safe use of boron in children". As for how long it will take for you to heal, that is not possible to answer over a forum. Only a doctor that examines you can give you the best answer. Each person's injury is unique. Some heal fast (a month) and some take a very long time.

Hi everyone. I broke my left collarbone in an auto accident on 10/11. I still have a nagging pain, but I’m dealing with it. What were some of the restrictions that your doctors gave you? Mine only said not to do any heavy lifting - I guess I was still in a daze to ask about specific other things. What about driving? How soon were you able to drive?

My doctor wanted my shoulder immobilized so that I wouldn't move the collar bone(s) and thus allow them fuse back together. One of the reasons I wore a figure-8 brace. But he did want me to keep moving my shoulder and elbow sockets so that I wouldn't lose any range-of-motion. And I had no driving restrictions. If you look through the comments you will find others have also provided feedback to the questions you have asked.

I broke my right collar bone Oct.28th, due to a bike accident. At my last appointment with my orthopedic surgeon, he mentioned having me try a Noninvasive electrical bone growth stimulator “of course pending approval of my insurance?” It hasn’t quite been 4 weeks but I’m guessing its due to my age, I’m 41, but I’m in shape and only weight 100 pounds. Has anyone out there tried using this device?

A few folks have left comments about using the device and they have been positive. It's not often covered by insurance so that might be why not many get a chance to use one.

3 weeks ago, I was on my regular Saturday morning group ride when chaos erupted. A rider slightly in front and to the left of me went down, and I ran full-speed-ahead into her bike (~25 mph). Flipped over my handlebars and landed on the back-side of my right shoulder. I got up, dusted myself off, felt my shoulder, and there was the tell-tale sign of a broken clavicle. Quick trip to the ER, and the x-rays revealed a break close to the shoulder. They gave me a simple sling for my arm, and off I went home with some pain meds. Week 1: Went to an orthopedic surgeon who told me to continue resting. Told me not to take NSAIDs (advil, etc), swelling is your friend.. and kept me in the sling. Lots of pain, spent most of the time on my back, on the couch getting really good at xbox. Life pretty much sucked. Week 2: Towards the end of week 2 I went back to the ortho for more x-rays.. seems his advice of staying off the anti-inflammatories worked, the bones have come into much better alignment.. was it the swelling that pushed things into place? Things are looking up for me, ortho tells me that given how the bones have aligned, surgery would be of little benefit. It is still too early for any indication of bone growth. Life still pretty much sucked. Week 3: Things continue to get better. Now at the end of week 3 I find I can stay out of the sling while around the house, but dare not venture outside without it. I’m getting some movement back in the shoulder. The clavicle seems to be getting nice and solid, prior to week 3 I could press on the long piece and it would move. I am also experiencing some strange problems with my traps feeling tight and aggravated. I’m hoping to have my bike back for the shop soon, the fork was destroyed in my crash.. I think I’ll be on the trainer sometime mid week 4. I’m also starting physical therapy in a couple days. Next ortho apt is in 2 weeks. Life is getting better. I feel some kind of recovery every day now. Some FYI stuff about me and my recovery:

• haven’t taken any pain meds, at all
• 1000mg calcium supplements daily + multi-vitamin
• 32 year old make, in excellent shape, no history of health problems, 145 lbs at 5'11"
• no alcohol since the crash
• limit myself to one caffeinated beverage a day
• did not use a figure 8 brace, only a one-arm sling

I am a 44 year old cabinetmaker. After reading hundreds of enlightning blogs, I figured it was my turn. Mountain bike on bmx jump didn’t turn out as planned. I went to the ER and saw the nurse (no doctors for a mere broken clavicle)she said something about a figure 8 but brought me a sling. When I put the sling on it felt like my arm was still in the grinder. I asked to try the figure 8 and as soon as I put it on there was instant relief from the pain. It was uncomfortable but it gave support to the area. It seemed to take all the weight off my arms. It has been a week and I feel good about the progress so far. I saw the physician’s asst. (still no doc)yesterday and was suprised at the range of motion and lack of pain. I am cautiously optomistic after reading many stories of a rebreak in the early stages. I use my arm for almost everything. I am trying not to do overhead lifting or anything heavy. I feel something around the end of the break that is stiffer than normal flesh. I think this is a positive sign - has anyone else experienced this after one week? The bone doesn’t move as much as it did a few days ago. The info gathered here has been very useful. Thank you all.

It's seems way too soon (1 week) for you to be experiencing and feeling any bone growth. I recommend being careful about moving the shoulder and collar bone. It's easy to start feeling better than re-injure it. Give yourself some time. And the best way to know if the bones are actually healing is by talking with your doctor and getting an x-ray.

On New Years Eve i was riding back from one of my big hill rides when the cyclists’ nightmare happened,a car door opened in front of me.No warning just CRASH!!!I landed on my right shoulder & i could feel the bones break in my ribs 4th & 5th right side & right collarbone.Into week 4,feeling much better,can move right arm a fair bit but not game to push it to much.Ribs have healed,which makes breathing alot easier & back to the specialist next week.My break was treated with a sling as it was a clean break & should heal naturally.I am a 48yo male & very active & fit,which i am told it is helping my recovery,but as a surfer,runner,cyclist,skier etc…it is not a happy time.Hopefully can be back a work in about 2 weeks albeit light duties but to everyone each day you do get better.And by the way,take out insurance on your bike.I did not & am out of pocket $4000 as my bike is a write off.

Ouch! Btw - Here in California, the car owner is liable for those damages. I've known some folks here that have been doored and each time the driver's insurance covered the bike replacement cost.

I have now fractured both clavicles, the latest one happened 2.5 weeks ago. It happened playing Rugby, at first I thought it was just some damage in the AC joint because when I fractured my first clavicle it was extremely painfull. ( it broke in 2 places and I have a nice bump to show for it) After getting X-rays the next day, I was told that I had fractured my clavicle right at the end near the AC joint. Apparently this kind of break can be more complicated because of the shoulder joint being so close. It is far less painfull, but very frustrating as it is my right clavicle this time, not to meantion the sling sits on my ‘bump’ which is very uncomfortable. I have another doctors appointment on the 25th, I will find out then if I need an operation or it will be healed… all or nothing I suppose. I plan on going back to the gym today to start doing some cycling, in a vain attempt to build some fitness. When can I start running? the doctor I spoke to said that I could use a treadmill, but was quite vague. I am doing a half marathon in a month and a half so I need to get running asap… anyone have any advice?

I think your doctor is worried about the chance of you falling when running and re-injuring the shoulder. My doc didn't want me on a regular bike because of that reason. It can take just a little force or movement to set back your recovery. The treadmill should be fine for your training until your shoulder has healed more. I know it's no fun being stuck on a trainer/treadmill. But it's far better letting yourself heal rather than pushing it and risking re-injury.

Saw the bone doc yesterday. He still says that evidence has shown that figure 8s and back braces do not work. He also says that taking calcium will not help. He says it won’t hurt. But he said it won’t help, either. He said keep moving it and come back in 3 weeks. I told him his theories are contrary to about every other doctor in the free world. Should I go for a second opinion? This guy is supposed to be one of the best ortho docs in Brevard County.

Yes, I would recommend a second opinion. The research the last I had heard was inconclusive regarding figure-8 braces. I haven't heard of people using back braces for collar bone recovery. Also, moving your joints is important so that you don't develop a frozen socket or elbow. Movement of the collar bone before it has started reconnecting may cause the healing to be hindered.

Hey guys & girls I broke my left collar bone on super bowl sunday..I am also a patriots fan so this was not a good day for me.Before my injury I was into lifting weights and playing sports.Will this effect my lifting when I am healed and when can I resume lifting? Thanks

Only your doctor can give you a go ahead for starting to lift weights again. You may want to be careful about jumping back into exercises that strain your shoulder. Others have left comments here describing re-injuring their collar bone by starting weights too soon. If your collar bone heals correctly then it should be structurally strong enough to resume lifting.

Hey everyone. Broke my left collar bone on Monday (11th). Was playing rugby at my school and after an amazing run (no really!) I was tackled and landed square on my left shoulder. CRACK!!! I knew straight away I had broken it, but when I told my rugby instructor he was stunned and confused that I wasn’t in alot of pain. So he sent me into the school to find a teacher (and continued with the rugby!), and they gave the exact same response. So they got the nurse (finally someone with a bit of common sense!) who put my arm in a triangle sling and gave me some pain-killers even though I wasn’t in much pain. Was taken to A&E where I had to wait for ages (on my own) to be seen to. Got an X-ray taken and then got a pinky-bandage sling and some weak pain-killers and was sent on my way. By now my mum had arrived to take me home. Taking off my jersey was quite a painful experience. It was probably the first time I had moved my arm since the tackle, and to make matters worse it was a long-sleeved jersey with elastic at the wrists. Wasted five minutes of my life! Then came the sleeping. The doctors in the A&E hadn’t gave me any advice on anything so I slept on my back with a pillow under my arm to raise it. Not the best night’s sleep ever but definetly not the worst. Actually would recommend it to those who find it hard sleeping while sitting up. Anyway since the hospital I was first in isn’t anywhere near where I live I got to take my X-rays home. I swear the bone pieces are about an inch apart! So when I went into my local hospital with the X-rays so I could book an appointment they instantly said the break was very serious and suggested that I could get surgery and have a plate put in. No word of any of this in the other hospital! They say it would heal faster this way and there would be no bump. Anyway enough story, question time now! Should I go for the surgery? I am only 16 and am not worried about a scar. Will a plate affect me in any way after the healing? They said it could be left in after the healing. How long will it take to heal without, and with the surgery? Since I have broken it already, will it be more prone to another breakage? I would appreciate it if you took the time to reply to this post, as it tooko me a long time to tpe this with only one hand! Thank you

To go for surgery or not is a difficult decision. Recovery time is around 3 months. And there appears to be a better guarantee for recovery. With surgery there is always the risk of complications such as infection. Being young, 16, you have a far better chance of healing on your own than someone older. I suggest that you go for another doctor's recommendation. Especially when considering surgery. The good news is that if you are generally healthy and young you will probably heal quick and as strong as ever no matter which route you take.

i’m a 17 year old guy, and while i was snowboarding, i broke my clavicle on the left side. The break went all the way through the bone, and so i’m left with 2 main pieces and some smaller chips. The two pieces are overlapping by about an inch. this is where things get interesting. i went to an orthopedic surgeon to see what he thought would be the best course of action, and he said that there was no need to pin the bones or do any type of setting of the bones, which was suprising to me. he said that the bones will heal together, overlapping, and the end of the clavicle will grow outwards to restore the symmetry in length, and that this was possible due to the severance of the artery in the bone. i told him that i was especially worried about motion of the shoulder and such because i play baseball, and he said there was no need to worry about that because i would regain full motion. now i’m no expert, but it seems to me that if the bones aren’t set, then there’s no way that they can grow back in a way that gives me full range of motion. how is this possible that i can get full motion back without the bones being set? and what does the artery have to do with the bone growth outward. i understand the artery’s importance in healing the fusing the bone pieces together, but how can it cause the bone to grow outward?

It's possible there was some misunderstanding between you and your doctor. You might want to talk again with your doctor to clarify these issues. For example, "severance of the artery" would be a traumatic injury that would require immediate medical care. I think what your doctor might have meant was that the blood vessels within the region of the broken ends will help to start the healing process that can lead to new bone. See the "Bone Healing" section of the Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_fracture Normally broken collar bones are not "set". The broken ends are sometimes able to find each other and begin fusing. Material may fill in a gap and also pull the ends together. But extending the two pieces back outward isn't something I have heard about. It would be interesting to hear more about that if that is in case something that can occur. The issue of range of motion (ROM) is more complicated. Even if the bones fuse back together so that the length is shorter than previously, you may still have full ROM. If the change in your shoulder geometry from the injury is extreme enough then there may be issues. And you must also be sure there are not additional injuries that are complicating ROM. I would also recommend getting a second doctor's opinion. Maybe from a ortho doc that specializes in sports related injuries.

All, Can you share your opinions on the best/most comfortable sling you’ve used? My poor boyfriend has separated his shoulder severly and fractured his scapula (it was quite a motorcycle wreck.) Although the injury is different from the collarbone, he also was sent home with the emergency room sling. It is biting into his opposite shoulder and his hand/arm slides back as he wears it. Any opinions would be welcomed. Thanks!

If you search online for slings you will find a wide variety of styles. There are some with wider straps which help with the biting issue. And some have an arm immobilizer that holds the arm against the body so it doesn't move forward or backward. A simple and quick solution for the strap "biting" is to use a small towel as a pad between the strap and the shoulder. Wrap the towel around the strap. Secure the towel by wrapping with some duct tape or some other material.

hey guys, am from liverpool and made up i found this site. broke my left clav on thursday plying rugby. am at the start of the recovery and would appreciate the support. am pissed and on pain killers at the mo so frgive my typing. x

Tough luck there. Sorry to hear about it. You're not alone. There's been a bunch of posts from other rugby players. Let yourself heal and you should be back on the field in no time. Now is the time to work the sympathy angle with the girls. Cheers!

I am 15. I broke my left clavicle 2 days ago as I had a hard fall when I tripped over whilst running. I actually went home and slept on it. In the morning the pain was so unbearable that I went to hospital. My Spring break had only just begun, but now it’s as good as over :( I love the story and I feel for all you other victims out there! This site has had tremendous response and reading it added to my current agenda of watching films! When should I expect to be able to go out again?

Lucky for you that you are young. Generally the younger you are the quicker you heal. But it's impossible to say when you can go out again. That really can only be determined by your doctor. Each person's injury is unique. Give yourself time to heal and listen to your doc. Hopefully you will be out sooner rather than later.

60 years old, mid-life crisis, Kawasaki zzr 600 sport bike accident, left clavical broken, into day 100 with non-union, using EBI bone stimulator for the next 60 days. still wear figure 8, still in pain taking oxyecotin, active exercise and work. any experiences with EBI unit?

A midlife crisis at 60? Nice! :') No experience myself using a bone stimulator. But others have reported success.

There were still a lot of things I wanted to do before I turned 40 this summer…having a distal clavicle fracture of my left shoulder (my dominant side)was definitely not one of them. There was little displacement. A week after the fall my ortho had me doing pendulum movements with my arm. April 15 is the 3 week mark and I also get my 2nd set of x-rays done. The results from that will determine how soon my physio begins. I’m a little anxious about that. A big challenge for me is rest vs. mobilization - How much is too much?

Hopefully your follow up x-rays have shown healing. How much is too much is a common but tricky question. One rule-of-thumb doctors often give is to use pain as your guide. If you are doing something that starts to hurt, stop doing it or back off the effort. But movement is a good thing for the joints to help prevent atrophy. The pendulum exercise is a good shoulder rehab. Good luck on your recovery.

Getting an x-ray for what I thought was shoulder pain due to an old softball injury, I’ve just been told I have a fractured clavicle, but I haven’t had any kind of accident or trauma – just chronic shoulder pain for a couple of months (due, I thought, to that old softball injury). Anyone have ideas about how a clavicle can break without a person realizing it? I don’t see the orthopod for 10 days, and the sling causes more pain than just keeping my shoulder up on my own . . . .

It's hard to imagine a bone breaking without realizing something had happened. Maybe it was broken when you were very young and never healed.

Well, “Spring Break 2008” for me ended up just as the name implies. On the night of 3/27/08, I struck a curb on my mountain bike, traveling at 26mph. Rider error(using very dim headlight) was the 100% avoidable cause of my most nastiest crash to date. I suffered a clean break of my left clavicle, at mid-shaft. Endorphins enabled me to ride the remaining 13 miles back home. The next morning, there was no mistaking I looked just like Quasimodo- after a night of hard drinking!!! After realising I am stuck without anything to do for at least 2-3 weeks…..I often logged 16-18 hour days of pure, restful sleep. I think- at age 44…..this really helped with pain reduction and feeling a more solidness in the break area, just after two weeks. BTW….apples are an excellent natural source of Boron, which aids in assimilation of calcium supplements. Hans, did you ever imagine this site you launched, would ever bring SO MANY people together? I also had my share of initial worries, but thanks to your site- I am now ready to re-enter the realm of ordinary(two-handed) life once again. Remember, bones do heal….for mine was a wake-up call for me to re-prioritize my real objectives, and snap out of a rut of complacency I didn’t realize I was heading towards. In life- EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. At least I have a sexy new bump to prove it all now!!!

I never thought broken collar bones would be so popular. Really glad this site has helped people with their recovery.

Hi everyone, and Colleen Pope, I really feel for you, I do, good luck with your surgery. This site is fantastic, a real find for me, and I have been researching this kind of injury for nearly two years now, looking for information. My collarbone injury has been a nightmare, I am sure some of you have had similar experiences, I was 15 when I broke it, and therefore my course of healing may sound surprising, I am now 17 and it is an ongoing process. I am now post-op 12 days. I broke my left collarbone on May 29th 2006, along with my upper left arm, shoulder blade, 2 ribs and a toe. All I did was fall down my kitchen step, but fell hard, the most stupid accident of my life. Being in England, I am reliant on the NHS and slow, when describing them, is not the word. I, like you all found the pain excruciating and did faint, twice, quite funny in retrospect, I was told I had broken it badly. Two places and the part in the middle fell out, not so good, so I was given the collar and cuff sling, paracetamol and told to go home. I experienced the lovely and rather sexy yellow bruising many of you have also had, and it does go away quickly. Considering the sling I am currently wearing, I would recommend anyone in this position ask for a Lancaster sling which supports the arm, due to the damage done to my neck by the collar and cuff sling. Also, I would recommend if you have accompanying injuries to take some stronger pain killers, such as the ibuprofen and coedine, their strength allows for good rest. I went back to the hospital for x-rays every 4 and then 6 weeks, and it was not healing and the pain was not reducing, so they waited and waited, obviously cautious because of my age. I should have healed being so young, they didn’t want to do surgery on someone so young and also they were concerned I had not stopped growing. So, waited and waited until October ‘06, and they said I had healed, despite the pain, great! So, I went into physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to try and get back my movement which was at 30% and to try and reset my shoulder blade. May I ask, has anyone else encountered issues with their shoulder blades moving to the wrong position, sticking out, a lot, and causing considerable pain? So, physiotherapy I did, but in January, with very little change to my movement ability, they said they didn’t think my shoulder had healed, so I went back to the doctor. He said it was healed, and I then embarked upon a series of tests to establish the cause of pain:

• Nerve conduction studies to see whether there had been an injury to the brachial plexus - very funny test due to the electrical pulses, but no injury
• CT scans which said my collarbone was broken
• Nuclear bone scans in which they inject you with the radiation, which said the bone had healed So, after no conclusive decision over my collarbone, I was transferred to another doctor, who had more experience, another piece of advice, be persistent to get appointments with the correct doctor. In October ‘07 I was told my collarbone was broken and like Colleen Pope I would need surgery with the metal plate and bone graft. Then I waited and waited. May 6th 2008 I had the surgery, only for them to find I have a healed collarbone, although they did clean up the area a little, and have been told I am susceptible to overlapping in the future. Only problem, huge scar, which I don’t mind, why is it that the doctors are more concerned about the scarring than the patients? And, the recovery is almost the same as if I had the metal plate, sling and all. Also, if the pain does not subside, and the physiotherapy does not succeed in stabilising and re-setting my shoulder and shoulder blade in particular then my doctor says we may need to look into setting my shoulder surgically. So, fingers crossed for the physiotherapists. I start physio tomorrow. In terms of nerve damage, has anyone else got considerable nerve damage on the back of their shoulder? And, does anyone have nerve damage around the surgery site from the collarbone surgery? I do suffer with this problem and I recognise there really isn’t a cure, but it is the most unusual sensation! I sympathise with what people have said about the boredom and contempt you develop for your sling. I am already experiencing that after 12 days, although I can promise it gets better, after having been stuck in one for 6 months! In concerns to your other shoulder, if you would like to maintain a reasonably normal appearance, do not carry heavy weights on the other shoulder for a couple of months to prevent sloping shoulders, which I now have! If possible, try and keep your neck mobile during the recovery too, I was advised not to and consequently suffer with shortened nerves and muscles in the left side of my neck, nothing horrific, but irritating nonetheless. I really do wish everyone the best of luck with their injuries. I once read that apparently injuries to the collarbone constitute every 1 in one thousand injuries, and of all of the breaks, between 0.2 and 1% of people continue to have problems and non-union, so the odds are very good for everyone. Some advice I have learned along the way:
• for women, the “pit of despair” issue can be partially overcome with hair removal cream
• getting dressed is a slow issue, and you have to learn with time
• bras for women

I am so glad I found this site. I was on meds for accute bronc and sinus. Didn’t know I was allergic until I was going down the stairs and blacked out. Took a big tumble, neighbors thought it was a herd of elephants. Fotunately I have a roomate that helped me. I figured I had simply dislocated my shoulder so I had her pull on my arm while I pushed back the shoulder. Probably not the best idea. (I have a really high tolerance to pain. As a kid I could get a cavity filled without the novacain.) Next thing I know I’m in shock, in an ambulance and in ER, still in shock. I have very low blood pressure. I was off work for one week, now back in limited duties. I’m wearing the sling. The brusing was incredible. My shoulder is 2" shorter which is worrisome. My doctor doesn’t want to see me until after 6wks. He took a look at the Xrays and said I had broken “the big bone”. What does that mean? Anyway, I’m 58 and 5 days before this accident I got a new dog. Playing with her, exercising her, out of the question. I just hope she doesn’t atrophy like me. Any advice out there? Thanks, Nancy

I'm not sure which bone your doctor indicates you have broken. It's possible it's the clavicle. I recommend that you ask your doctor for more specific information and/or go get a second doctor's opinion. Being a well informed patient is important.

I just want to know the best sleeping position for a broken rib as I can not lie down without intense pain as such that I can not breathe and feel as if I am going to pass out. Sitting is not much better either. Not slept for two nights and my doctor has no advice, asshole.

I've not had a broken rib myself, only the busted collar bone. Have your tried sleeping in a big recliner/easy chair? That's what some folks have found helps them sleep better than lying flat in bed or seated straight up. If you don't have a recliner you can fashion one out of a bunch of pillows on one end of a couch.

Hey thanks for the good stories i just broke my clavicle on the 8th in a motocross race accident that shot me at 30km/h into the ground left shoulder first i didn’t even realize it was broken until i jumped up from the ground and went to pick up my bike. it was alot harder then usual lol i didn’t get last either i got third last whoo lmao my question is what are some suggestions for the rubbing and chaffing from the sling and figure 8 brace?

With the sling and figure-8 I had I found the rubbing was caused by two things: 1. Not being adjusted properly (usually too tight) 2. The cheap narrow straps they use. I solved the rubbing my having someone adjust the straps until it was snug but not too tight. I also found some spare foam padding and placed that between the strap and my shoulder. Duct tape the foam around the strap to hold it in place. A piece of foam pipe insulation also works well.

I am james and i am 10 i broke my left collar bone going down a hill i pulled my front brake after that i couldnt remember much a neighbour came out and asked where due live and up the road so her husbund ran up the hill to get my mum and dad they came down and then the woman called the ambulance they gave me gas and air but i didnt like it because i had pins and neddles but then i got to the hospital and they put me in a sling after that i had an x-ray they said i had fractured my collar bone in two places i could go home they gave me pain killers and said to come back in a week im on my second day now and ive still got terrible pain in my shoulder ive got a stronger sling with more support.

Ouch! Sounds like a nasty crash. Luckily, you are young and should heal soon. Just be sure to listen to your doctor. Try not to move your arm and shoulder too much so that the bones have a chance to mend. Good luck and heal fast.

I broke my right clavicle,my dominant hand.Hate when that happens:P And i was wondering how i’m supposed to at least clean my hair,and i’m extremely not fond of the figure 8 coming off & on,which the doc told me does no good anyways.

Ah yes, all those things we normally do and take for granted become such chores when we can only use one hand. Sprinkled throughout the comments are ideas from people that have suffered as you are doing. Some quick suggestions are to have someone else help with the washing and/or learn the single hand washing technique. Also, it's good to take off the figure-8 now and then. I would do so when showering. And your doc's comment about the figure-8 is common. You can take a hand full of doctors and ask them about the figure-8 and they will each have their own opinion. Some pro, some con, and some indifferent. My opinion is that it helped for my recovery. And if it is used properly it helps to support and maintain posture. Both important while recovering.

Hi everybody, Just following up from my post on July 9. Saw the Orth.Doc today again and he now wants to operate. I will get bone draft where he takes some from my hip and plate/pin the left clavicle. He mentioned that there is danger of losing feeling in the left side of my chest. I could find no info about this anywhere and I’m a little concerned now. Has anybody experienced this problem? I would appreciate an honest answer. The op is on July 22 and I could still chicken out, would prefer the op though because I’m still in a lot of bother after 7 weeks. Thanks in advance, Oliver

I don't recall anyone leaving a comment with the issue you mention. Maybe someone reading this has had the experience and can comment.

Great site! I broke my right clavicle 5weeks ago, got all kinds of nifty hardware 3weeks ago, and ever since been researching rehab measures. Doctors won’t utter a straight answer( law suit/ deniable plausibility), and there is little on the web. Are any of you avid backpackers ? when can I wear a pack, and are there any recommended strap alterations?

I've been able to carry a loaded multi-day backpack without problems once my collar bone healed. But I healed without surgery and hardware. I know others have expressed concern about placing the weight of a heavy pack over the injury site when they have a plate and screws. I haven't read any feedback though regarding this and the possible problems. It's a question better answered by a doctor willing to give the information. If you aren't getting the information you need from your doctor I would recommend getting another doctor's opinion. Maybe you can also find a doctor with backpacking experience.

Hi guys, broke my right clavicale about three weeks ago. The pain is basically non existant and I have not bad motion back in it but I can’t lift it above my head yet. Its broke in two places and it’s actually the second time its happened with the breaks in exactly the same place. First time I fell and landed awkwardly on my shoulder and then I was thrown Judo style and even though I had been thrown like that plenty of times for some reason I just came down badly and it went again. The doctor said it broke in such a way that there was the possibility of no bone regrowth but it feeling better so that must mean there is regrowth?

No necessarily. You can actually "heal" without the bones fusing back together. Your feeling better might also be from the soft tissue damage (muscles, etc) recovering.

Yes, some people have weaker bones than others. There are several causes. For example, low bone mass, osteoporosis, smoking, disease, etc.. You should talk with your doctor about your concerns. Milk is a good source for calcium which helps lead to stronger bones. I believe the current recommendation is 1,200 mg of calcium per day. Along with the calcium one should be getting vitamin D as it helps to absorb the calcium. Please check with your doctor about the proper amounts and forms to take.

No worries about the length of your post. Glad to help. I don't think it's possible to fairly answer your question. There are so many forms of injuries and factors that it's impossible to answer. In Lance's case, which is as extreme as I have seen, the only benefit from the cancer that I can tell was the loss of weight. Beyond that it was his amazing ability to train, mental focus, and being an elite athlete. And don't let the mental aspect of recovery go lightly. I believe that's something can determine success or failure in recovery. Have a positive attitude! :') Cheers!

Is it normal not to be able to lift your arm all the way up after 2 1/2 months? I thought it might be since the doctor said not to move my arm at all and I have been wearing a figure 8-brace the whole time. Just wanted to find out if anyone else had the same problem after two months. I can only lift my arm about shoulder length. I would appreciate any input.

It can take some time to regain full range of motion. But it's also possible that not moving your arm and the joint soon enough has reduced the range. My doctor recommended using my arm and moving the joints early on and use pain as a guide to how much to move. So taking my arm out of the sling and bending the elbow. And slowly raising and lowering my arm. This was to prevent losing range of motion and a condition called frozen socket. That can occur when you don't use a joint and it begins to "freeze up" and not work. I would recommend that you talk with your doctor about starting physical therapy. There are some simple exercises that can help regain your range of motion.

Though it’s been said in many forms here over the past 4 years, I’ll say it again: this site is great. I’m finishing up wk2 after a ‘greenstick’ fracture of the left clavicle after a bicycle accident (probably one of the easier breaks to recover from). I’ve learned lots about human anatomy and biology, to say something positive out of the whole thing (didn’t even know clavicle is the medical name for collarbone before this, as a start). So many things people have written ring true with me, and thank you for sharing advice. I’ve found one-armed living definately has its challenges, especially:

• sleeping (back only - drugs help)
• cleaning/deodorant-applying on my good arm (get help or get flexible)
• driving a manual (not recommended, but I have no choice - use right knee to steer when shifting)
• dressing myself (especially shirts (button-up only) and socks)
• typing (holy pain in my $%% to do this all day)
• staying in the sling (cant do it to sleep)
• ok, just about everything sucks I really found swimming pools very useful in maintaining arm mobility - takes the weight off so you can gently explore and expand your range of movement. I’ve hit the calcium supplements (with VitD) and milk since day 2 when I first discovered this blog, in the hope it will provide my body with the raw materials needed to mend quickly. I found it difficult to avoid paranoia about it healing badly, what with the apparent daily changes in bone shape around the fracture and severe pain when actuating my anterior deltoid (fear that the bone may have subluxated over the ligament), but with time things are looking and feeling better. I think a lot of the changes were a result of swelling changes and muscle tension, but i’ll find out for sure at my 3-wk follow-up. Alright, enough typing for one day. Thanks again for the awesome site and for giving me a place to share this with people who might understand.

Hi, This page is great! I broke my collarbone on Sunday the 17th while riding the bike park in Whistler,B.C. I was given a figure eight sling and arm sling. Anyone know how tight the figure eight sling needs to be? Do I have to sleep with it too? Seems like when I lay on my back the thing loosens up quite a bit and becomes useless? It would be nice to be able to not have to feel the metal rings on my back for 6 weeks..:) I’m also curious how long i should wait until I try working like normal again. I’m a bike mechanic and use hand tools quite a bit. Thanks for any suggestions!

In addition to the figure-8 I also had a sling that had a waist strap and allowed my upper arm to be velcroed to the strap. I would wear that at night instead of the figure-8 since it was more comfortable and kept me from moving my upper arm and shoulder around. When I wore the figure-8 during the day I had it adjusted snug but not too tight that it was uncomfortable. Adjusting the locations of the straps and adding placing extra padding can help. When you are able to work normal again is unique to each person's injury. Your doctor will give you the best answer to that question.

hey…feeling so much better reading your stories. i am 30 year old female and have fractured my left collar bone playing soccer…though it has been 4 weeks, my doc has asked me to continue the sling and restrict movement. so i havent been lucky to put my left hand above my head….guess should push myself to do so…had a few queries…i have a shooting pain below my left shoulder blade and breast…it occurs together…and my left hand is still swollen….just wanted to know if this is normal.

A shooting pain is something I experienced during recovery and others have reported. If it's something that worsens then I recommend checking with your doctor.

I wrote in last January when I broke my collar bone skiing. The displacement was so bad that it required surgery with a plate holding it all together. The doctor said that I had literally splintered the bone. I also received a brachial plexus (spelling?) injury that left my arm numb for two months and even now, 7 months later, I have numbness around the site of the break. My question is this - during the past month the plate has been slowing protruding out from my collar bone area. Is this normal? It was not nearly as noticeable as it has become in the past few weeks.

I don't know why there would be a change. It's possible for the screws and plate to come loose. In rare cases the plate can break. I would recommend a followup phone call with your doctor.

I wrote earlier about the plate on my collar bone beginning to protrude. I saw the surgeon and apparently the surgery done in February resulted in a non-union. The plate has actually bent outward in response to bone placement. Tomorrow I’m scheduled for more surgery to replace the old plate, draft in bone, and put in a new plate. Seven months after the original skiing injury, I’m starting all over again. This is getting very old! I never would have imagined that the clavicle could cause so many problems.

Interesting. First time I have heard of the plate protruding because of that. Let's hope they get this one right.

I’m in week 10 now, the bone hasn’t fused yet, I have a displaced fracture and there is 5mm to 10mm distance between the pieces, with about 12mm overlap. I wear the sling half the day there is little pain now 2/10 unless I do anything or lift anything then its quite painful 6/10. I just can’t sleep in the sling, but the pillow trick really worked at first. The last two times I broke my collar bones it healed in three weeks I was a teenager then but now I’m 30. I’m getting really depressed, the last xray at 6 weeks showed no bone growth. I can’t ride my bike either - the only thing that cheers me up :(. Maybe I’ve been using my arm too much, some people have said there is no way bone will grow over that distance, I’m wondering if I’ll need surgery, my next Xray is in 2 weeks so I’m drinking my milk and taking my calcium pills and just wishing it will heal. Can I ask you guys, if I get a metal plate how long will it take before I can start to live a normal life again? I’m quite worried about having to go through all that pain again. But if I look on the bright side at least I wont have lose bones rattling about! Good luck to all you others and hope your healing goes quicker than mine!

Into your 3rd collar bone break? Ouch, that's unlucky. If you go the surgery route and get the metal plate you are looking at a minimum 6-8 weeks of recovery time and then physical therapy. Hopefully there will be signs of bone growth in your next x-ray and you won't have to get surgery.

Hello All, Broke left clavicle 7 days ago in a surprise ditch while cyclocross training in a field. I’ve not had any severe pain or taken any pain killers. Other than general brusing and some pain if I lift over my head I seem to be lucky thus far which is freakin’ me out after reading others stories. Strange -since I broke same clavicle 15 years ago and thinkin maybe nerves not so sensitive?? I was back on my road bike 4 day after the crash and have ridden 3 times so far for about 120 miles total. Figure 8 has been good but I don’t feel I have to wear it all the time… Either way just wondering if I am doing any damage while riding? Arms are out mostly straight on top of bars and I feel a little tension if a bump comes up on the road. Thanks for the feed back….

After I broke my collar bone I also wanted to ride right away. Especially after building up so much fitness. But my coach and doc talked me out of it. Better spending a few weeks recovering then risking months recovering or possibly surgery. So I think you are really risking recovery by riding so early. You might be really lucky and the bones are next to each other and rather stable. But one good bump or a crash might set you way back. Although it sounds terrible, think about riding the stationary for now to maintain your fitness (also look at the trainer workout I used Trainer Workout). And there's still time left to recover and get in some late season CX racing.

Hello all, it’s been a while since I posted (end of May?) I wrote a story about a month after my surgery about my surgery with a brief history leading up to it. Here it is….

Colleen’s Broken Clavicle

I am female, 38 years old and I broke my left clavicle on August 12, 2007 dirt bike riding with my husband. He was on his brand new Honda CRF450X and me on my not-so-new Honda CRF230F. I was going too fast in the sand over the whoops and my front tire washed out. In a matter of seconds I hit the ground HARD! I got up and wandered around in a daze trying to get rid of the stars I was seeing. I was scared and in shock, but I didn’t cry. I was cleaned up and taken to the hospital. Checking in at emergency, my voice faltered and my eyes watered, but I still didn’t cry. I was x-rayed, put in a figure 8 brace, given Percocets and sent home. The x-ray showed a 3cm overlap, 1.5cm gap and a bone fragment in between.

I was referred to an orthopedic specialist, who again, x-rayed me and told me to continue wearing the brace for up to 10 weeks. Surgery seems to be a last resort and the preferred treatment is to let these things heal by themselves.

Three months later I went back to the specialist and again, no change to my condition. The bone wasn’t healing. He told me that it can take up to nine months to heal and only 1% of these cases end up in non-union.

Three months after that, no healing yet. Coincidentally, he had just read an article about heavy doses of calcium and vitamin D promoting bone growth, so I opted to go that route, rather than going under the knife.

After diligently taking my supplements, I returned for more x-rays, 9 months post-injury. STILL NO SIGNS OF HEALING!!! (I already knew this, because I could grab the bone and move it.) This is when both Doc & I decided it was time for surgery!.I guess I’m in that special class of 1% non-unions.

I am now 4 weeks post-op and on the mend. This is how the surgery went down!

I was admitted to the hospital on June 5th, 2008 at 12:15pm. They hooked me up with an IV right away. It took two tries to get it in my left hand only to have them remove it in the operating room and put it in my right hand. My surgeon thought it might get in the way of the operation on the left side of my body! I guess I should have clued in, but who is going to question a girl (who does this for a living) with a needle in her hand waiting to jab it in you?!

I parted with my husband before I was wheeled off to the operating room where I was greeted by the anesthesiologist and my surgeon. I was scared and I fought the urge to cry, but felt a little better when the anesthesiologist assured me that I wouldn’t wake up before they took the tube out of my throat. The time was 2:15pm. I was asleep in no time. The operation was supposed to take 1 hour, but lasted 2 (partly due to the lack of chisels in the operating room needed to hack a piece of bone off of me). They cut open a 6 inch incision below my collar bone and proceeded to clean up the ends of the bones, which consisted of “rubbery stuff” (I think that was the technical term used). Then they cut a 3 inch incision along my left pelvic bone, pulled back the muscle and chipped away some bone underneath. They packed the bone under my collar bone and attached a plate with 8 screws to hold it all together. I woke up just as they were about to wheel me out of the operating room and into the recovery room. The first question I asked, which I am told is common, is “what time is it?” It was 4:15pm. The next was to ask for water, which they wouldn’t give to me. I felt like someone had taken rough sandpaper and rubbed it on the inside of my throat. I so needed to clear my throat, but coughing was not an option due to the agony in my hip. All they would give me was a not-very-wet sponge lollipop!not the least bit satisfying. This made me want to cry. I got 10 shots of morphine in no time until they were happy with my pain level, then I was wheeled to my room for the night. My husband and father were there to see me right away and my step-daughters came to visit shortly after. I called a couple friends that night and some called me, which I remember, but vaguely. Could my haze have been due to the self-administered morphine drip, which I used every 6-1/2 minutes when the light turned green? Red means no, Green means go! I slept sitting up that night, if you call waking up every 5 minutes sleeping. I couldn’t move around at all, but I wasn’t allowed out of bed anyway. I had my first experience with a bedpan that night. Thank goodness it was a female nurse. I declined the bedpan offer from the male nurse later. I spent most of the night fighting off the urge to spew my guts, mostly because I didn’t want to endure the pain in my hip from the spasms, but also because I didn’t want to disturb the three neighbours I had in my room and because I didn’t want to make a mess on myself! I was given a small kidney-shaped dish in which to heave in if I felt so inclined.

My husband came to pick me up early the next morning and it was about a minute after he arrived that I decided to empty the contents of my stomach!.the previous night’s tea and beef bouillon soup and the morning’s coffee, oatmeal mush and carnation instant breakfast. I found out very fast that, just as I suspected, the small kidney-shaped dish was not big enough for what I had brewing. Thank goodness my husband was there to grab another bigger dish to shove under me as I continued spewing. (He didn’t feel as lucky to be there!) When we got home, I required the company of a bucket wherever I went in the house, just in case. Bending over a toilet was not an option due to the agony in my hip.

My husband was a sweetheart that day. For someone who does not normally cook, I supervised him while he made dinner. He dished out a plate for me and asked if it was too much, I promptly shook my head yes, grabbed my bucket and let loose again. If he never cooks for me again, I will understand. Thankfully, I was able to put the bucket away the next day. It must have been the anesthesia and/or morphine working its way out of my system.

For the next week or two, doing just about anything was painful! I shuffled like an old lady (I’m only 38 you know!), took the stairs one at a time. Getting in and out of the car was brutal. If I dropped something it stayed there until someone else picked it up. I didn’t/couldn’t blow my nose or cough; thank goodness I didn’t have to sneeze. Hiccups didn’t occur either, for which I am truly thankful. Sitting down was awful, getting up was worse, and good luck getting into bed, worse luck getting out. I had to use a stool and my husband. There was one morning when I thought I was going to be stuck in bed even with my husband’s help! I almost cried then. I slept sitting up for a while, spent one night in a chair. I had to grab my pant leg to lift my leg up on to a stool and even then it was a slow, laborious and painful process. I spent a lot of time in clothes with spandex and/or elastic waists. All of this was due to the fact that they pulled that muscle away from my pelvic bone which affected the muscles in my thigh. I did not spend any time in the shower or bath as I wasn’t allowed to get my incisions wet for 2 weeks; soap and a washcloth, no more. I didn’t cry at any of this. I am happy to say that 4 weeks after my surgery, I have been showering on a regular basis, and I am out of my sling as of yesterday (no more one-fingered typing!) and ready to go back to work next week. I still need to take it easy, but feel worlds away from where I was only a few short weeks ago. As much as I hate to say it, my husband and friends were (probably) right!.if I’d had the surgery when the accident happened or shortly after, this ordeal would have been a breeze. They wouldn’t have had to take a bone graft from my hip which seemed to have caused most of my difficulties.

My hip feels much better, but the bone itself still feels a little sore to touch. The incision is placed conveniently where my undies or bikini bottoms will cover and is healing very nicely anyway; my surgeon did an amazingly neat job stitching me up. He was very concerned about leaving ugly scars. Now that my hip and leg feel better, I am feeling the pain in my collar bone now. The bone hurts to touch and the incision area is sore, but the skin all around the incision is numb. I am hoping that the sensation will come back, but I don’t know for sure. I am told by friends that I need to massage the area to get the circulation and nerves working again. I will ask my doctor at my next checkup.

I have found through this whole experience that the only thing that makes me cry is talking about dirt biking, watching other people dirt biking, hearing other people talk about dirt biking, writing about dirt biking and not knowing if my future includes dirt biking. On that note, I will end this with tears in my eyes!

It has now been almost 5 months since my surgery and I am doing very well. My hip is back to normal and my collar bone has finally fused back together. I have perfect range of motion and did not have to go for physio. The plate & screws is noticable since the skin there is so thin and not much meat there either. My surgeon did an amazing job on the incision…it is about 6 inches long but a very thin white line. Most of the redness has disappeared. The skin all around the scar is still numb and not much sign of the feeling coming back. Doesn’t bother me though. Only if something strikes the plate or a car seat belt rubbing across the plate really bothers me. I’m hoping to be able to keep the plate in and not have surgery to take it out. I have the go-ahead to start lifting weights again (if I can get off my lazy butt!) I went dirt biking for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it was an amazing feeling to be riding again. I only hit one tree and managed to make it home intact! lol

Best wishes to all out there….keep the rubber side down!

Wow, an amazing story. Thanks so much for sharing that with everyone.

-Hans

broke mine two days ago by riding my bike into a fence at 30kph. boy is it sore! reading is now going through the roof! any ideas on the best way to sleep?

Pillows saved me! Set them up around you to keep you from rolling around. Use one under your arm to keep it raised a little. Some folks have slept better being more upright. They sleep sitting in a lounge chair or reclining chair. Again, using pillows to help prop up the arm.

What should the medical proffession do trear a dislocated clavivcle

I haven't heard of a dislocated clavicle. You will have to check with a doctor to determine the injury and how to treat it.

I was playing lacrosse and broke y lft clavicle. I want to be able to go back and play in 7 weeks. Can it happen or is it at really serious risk of being injured?

Being able to heal in 7 weeks is possible. There are a lot of factors that effect healing. For example, how well you take care of yourself while healing, if you listen to your doctor's advice, and how bad your injury is. Talk with your doctor and let them know what your expectations are about healing. Be sure they know you are an athlete and that you want to heal fully to the level where you can fully participate in your sport.

I broke my clavicle 9 days ago while snowboarding. Exactly the same way as J.Austin Hunt above. Didn’t quite make it over the flat part after the jump and bounced off. The bone was sticking up quite nastily so I went to a hospital nearby and had X-rays. After 2 wrong X-Rays they finally captured my clavicle and it’s obvious: http://marten.klencke.net/misc/sleutelbeen_square.jpg Anyway, I was put in a sling and sent home. Had an appointment with an orthopedist 3 days later and they also said I wouldn’t need surgery but I should come back in 2 weeks. The first few days were painful but bearable so I didn’t take any pain medication. Now, 9 days after the incident there’s almost no pain (only when raising the arm or trying to lift things) and I have quite some freedom of movement. However, it does still look very nasty and it seems to me that the bone is quite severely displaced. It’s ’tenting’ the skin above my shoulder. I’m going back for X-rays in 8 days, let’s see what they say then. I think they were expecting the bones to more or less realign themselves but I’m not seeing that now. Any experiences like this? Will the bone lower itself after some time? Will the tent on my shoulder go away? :) I am, by the way, quite astonished by how quickly the body is able to cope with such an injury! I expected to be immobile for a few weeks.

Wow, the ends of the bone look shifted rather far apart. But it's hard to tell from the one x-ray. It's possible for the bones to start to realign. It depends on many factors. I would recommend that you get a second opinion on how to treat it. Also, be very clear to your doctor what you expect once healed. For example, be clear that you are active and want to be able to regain full mobility of your shoulder. If that break heals but is misaligned it can hinder your movement. Or if the break is so far apart that the ends can't fuse back together, then you may other problems. Prepare a list of questions before you visit your doctor again. It's easy to forget when with the doctor.

Hey! Enjoyed reading this and it reminded me of when I broke my left clavicle in a car accident in ‘03. My question is this? After years, how is your collarbone now? I’ve noticed that I seem to get arthritis in the break location, cannot carry purses or bags on that shoulder for long, can’t carry my kids on my shoulders for long at all, and after I just got off the carpet after watching tv laying on my left side the area is pretty sore. I was just wondering if yours (or any one elses out there who had the injury occur over a year ago) still gives you trouble like that! :) Thanks for the read!

My shoulder and collar bone feels fine and as strong as ever. Although I do occasionally feel tightness in that shoulder more than the other. You might consider a follow up with an orthopedic doctor to see if there's something related to the original break or something entirely different.

Hi! i broke my right collar bone sledding 7 seven weeks ago and i havent healed yet. My bones are supposed to grow back together but my recent xray a week ago today shows no sign of connection. They’re as far apart as the night i broke them. I get sharp, numb pains down my arm and cant stand for about 15 mins without it burning and bringing tears to my eyes. i recently went and had an EMG Nerve Study test done to see if there was any nerve damage done but there was not. Something else is wrong and i’m freaking out. Has anyone had these type pains from a broken collar bone?!

I had some radiating pain when I was healing. But it eventually went away. The pain you are experiencing sounds extreme. I wonder if it's muscle related? If your back and/or shoulder muscles are strained because of supporting the injured region then they might be going into spasms. In an extreme case that can lead to sharp pain. You might consider using a heating pad or getting a massage to relieve some of the muscle stress and see if that helps.

im a swimmer that broke my clavical a few months ago but i still have some slight pain should i continue swimming? will it affect me?????

The overhead movement used for swimming can put a lot of twist and strain on the shoulder and clavicle. If you aren't healed fully then you might be doing more harm.

The only way to know is to have a doc examine you. Don't listen to anyone that isn't a doctor and hasn't actually examined you. You wouldn't want to jeopardize your mobility and your ability to swim.

This is a great site - glad I found it.

I broke my left clavicle on 5/15 in a charity road ride, but I was particularly aggressive that day and intent on staying with the lead pack. I was into mile 68 of a 75-mile ride with ride average at that point at 23.5 mph. I don’t recall how it all happened, but after that ugly sound of wheels rubbing, several riders went down. Most got up and continued on, some called it a day, and I had to go to the hospital in an ambulance. I was thankful that there was ride support there to call for help and to make arrangements for my bike to be transported back to the ride start point. I had considerable road rash on my left shoulder, left arm, and left thigh & knee. In addition, my helmet was cracked clean through in 2 places. At the ER, I was given a series of xrays at the clavicle, knee, & elbow. Only the clavicle was damaged. Because of the broken helmet, they also took a CT scan of my head - thank God no injury there either. (Quickly purchased a new helmet on sale, though I knew I’d have no need for it for many weeks) Though I don’t race competitively, I do consider byself an avid enthusiast, logging 250 miles per week except in the winter in NC. I spoke with numerous cycling friends who had broken their clavicles, seeking their opinions on course of treatment. I was in immense pain, even with ocycontin, and was biased that surgery would be the best course of action. My friends, all racers, said that even in marginal situations, they would tend to select the more aggressive option of surgery. I saw a sports orthopedic surgeon about 5 days after in crash. He was referred to me by the local hospital. Xrays showed the fracture to be in somewhat complicated geometry, with several loose, but not overly conerning, shards of bone. The doctor said he was not optimistic about the outcome if I chose no surgery. I am 44 and did not wish to take chances with the use of my left arm for the remainder of my life. So based on his opinion, the opinion of friends who had had broken clavicles and experienced both surgery and natural healing, because I wanted the most expediant recovery as possible, and because I wanted the pain to stop, I opted for the surgery. I realize every broken clavicle presents a unique set of circumstances, and that other’s non-medical opinions are simply anecdotal.

The doctor preferred to use an intermedullary pin (a titanium rod hammered into the internal bone canal, joining both sections of the fractured clavicle together) rather than plates and screws. He would have to wait until he got into my shoulder before deciding which method would work. Fortunately, the pin was selected. Sugery would skip the “union” process and allow the two sections to knit together that much faster.

The surgery was done about 1 week later on an out-patient basis. In all, the surgery lasted 90 minutes and was pain-free (at least until the anesthesia wore off). I was on 5mg of oxycontin every 4 hours. That seemed to do the trick. I can leave the pin in for eternity if I wish, or have it removed, but that would require another surgery under general anesthesia. I intend to leave it in unless it gives me trouble in future years. There is a chance that it could work itself out in future years, creating a small “tenting’ effect with the skin. Obviously, I would need to remove it at that point. Even now, there is a slightly noticeable bulge where the pin head is protruding from the bone just under the skin (about 5mm wide). I didn’t notice it at first because the surrounding area inflammation was hiding it. Now that all of the inflammtion has receded, it’s definitely there. It does not bother me - just looks a little funny. I also have 2 surgical scars. One is about 3 inches long and another is 1 inch long. I’m not sure why there were two incisions made. But they are not terribly noticeable and diminishing with each week. I was glad the surgeon used dissolvable sutures - no need to have them removed in a follow-up office visit.

Because the crash was on a Saturday, I was right back to work that Monday. I did miss 2 days of work - 1 for the surgery, and 1 day of recovery.

For the next 3 weeks, I discovered the importance of owning shirts that button. My usual attire was golf shirts or t-shirts. Like others, I had to sleep in a sitting upright position for the first few weeks. I’ve since been able to sleep in any fashion I wish EXCEPT on my left side (the injury side). I was in a sling up until week 4 following the surgery.

I was allowed to get on the indoor trainer at about week 3. I am going crazy being limited to that trainer- I’m logging in about 10 hours a week on it. Yesterday, I had a 5-6 week follow-up xray. To my greatest satisfaction, I was cleared to get back on the bike outside but only under the most controlled conditions (only solo riding, no “balls-out” hammer riding). The doc explained that there is still a great deal of risk - if I crashed again, the treatment will be substantially more complicated and the outcome more uncertain. I will be at the beach all next week and I love early morning solo rides along the coast - so I rationalize that this type of riding will meet my doc’s conditions. I was worried about what the pin would do if subjected to another crash. The doc did not seem overly concerned stating that titanium has some flexibility to it and that it would give a little and then spring back.

I still have good days and bad days with pain. But I can tell that the pain is mostly muscular and limited to surrounding muscles still “guarding” the injury site. I still feel what fells like fracture bone pain when I try to reach behind my back. Oddly, lifting my hand over my head was never a problem, probably due to the quick union that surgery necessarily performs.

Make sure you have good insurance if you go the surgery route. Bills are still coming in - but I project the total cost to be around $15,000. This includes: Ambulance, ER, surgeon, hospital fees, radiography, anesthesiologist, & drugs.

i to have a broken clavicle…but im surprised that people become unconciuos after having their clavicle broken…but in my case it didnt happen.i feel from a bus gng at 60km/hr speed.as i feel i rolled to my left nd getting up i realised i broke my clavicle..then i travelled 25 km to reach home then took some water and went to doctor..after a week my bone went far unable to attach then i was suggested for surgery and had it after few days…after a month i am completely fine with an odd feeling in my left hand…now starting to gain muscle in my left hand…after surgery my left arm muscle reduced..now can any one tell me how to gain my muscle back??..and thank u in advance…

I suggest getting an appointment to see a physical therapist. The therapist will be able to evaluate your injury and provide you with a set of exercises. I don't recommend you get physical therapy advice from anyone that isn't qualified nor hasn't examined you. Otherwise you risk performing an exercise that may hurt you more than help you.

• Hans

i broke my collar bone 4 weeks ago playing soccer was immediately taken to Dr who found my right calvicle boken on X ray and i put on figure 8 as well as arm sling .after 4 weeks i had another X ray which is still showing fracture but the gap has minimized . The Dr has told me to put off figure 8 but wear arm sling for two more weeks and start pendulum exercises .Now my worry is should i take of figure 8 or not and when can i start driving my vehicle ,how will it take to heal completely .My age is 40 years now

It's probably about time to stop using the figure-8 brace. You are far enough along that it's probably not helping that much any longer. I would think that you should be able to start driving, at least an automatic. Might be harder to drive with a manual transmission if you injured the side used for shifting gears. Depends on your level of pain, range of motion, and strength. If all is healing well then you should be getting close to healed. But age is a factor and can cause healing to take longer. Be sure to check with your doctor regarding these questions. They will give you the best information since they will have examined you. And each person's injury is unique.

• Hans

kaiser thanks Hans my immediate worry is that i cannot sleep on my bed for last 4.5 weeks as it is troubling me i am trying to sleep opposite side of my broken clavicle but it really hurts after 1 to 2 hours as i feel whole side soared .when can i sleep normally and how much time it takes to heal completely.

It took me a while before I was comfortable sleeping. I've forgotten now how long that was. But over 6 weeks at least. I did find that using extra pillows for support helped with sleeping. I was place my bad arm on a pillow to keep it raised. And another pillow on my side to keep from rolling onto the bad side. The healing takes time. And there's no way to know how long since each person heals differently.

• Hans

Mr.Hans thanks n for ur replies I am into my 6th week now and there is no sign of bump on my fractured area what does this mean? there is no calcification happening is it worrying and one more thing if I remove sling this week does that mean healing will be slow then. i have already put off figure 8 after 5th week. i am doing exercises for frozen elbow and shoulder
kindly Advice thanks

kaiser

Not everyone gets a bump so I don't think not having one is a bad sign. I would think that you wouldn't need the sling at this point. But you should always check with and follow the advice of your doctor. Each injury is unique and will heal at different rates. Your doctor will be the best source of information since they will have examined you and your injury. But be sure to ask your doctor very specific questions about healing and what you can do to provide the best care to speed up the healing.

• Hans

Hans and everyone else here would like to say THANK U!!!! I broke my left clavicle 2 weeks ago playing soccer and xray that day showed a clean fracture in middle section. Put a sling and rested. Now 2 weeks later new xray shows bones moved further apart about 1.5 cm, 4 pieces with jagged end on one of them….my question is , is it normal for bones to move apart from start of injury? I’m 32 and dr says it might take longer to heal so should consider surgery plate…..should I give natural healing a try first?

Yes, it's possible for the bones to move apart. As your muscles loosen up after the injury the bones can shift. Also, arm and shoulder movement can move the bones. This is one of the reasons people use a figure-8 brace. The brace will help to minimize movement of the shoulder and movement of the bones.

Should you select surgery for recovery? I would recommend that get a second doctor’s opinion before choosing surgery. It’s become more common for doctors to recommend surgery for a broken collar bone. It’s not a 100% guarantee of recovery and there are risks from it. But it provides a method of recovering within a certain length of time.

• Hans

Hi I’m Diego of the Philippines, just would like to share how I’m coping up with my left middle collarbone fracture which happened about 4 weeks ago in the gym. The stories I read here was really helpful as it provides me advance info what to expect on each week of my recovery. Thank you Hans for putting up this site as it provides me the reassurance that I will heal without the surgery because without this rich sources of info I might have undergone the surgery process now. To show my gratitude I would like to share also my experience to motivate others who are recent collarbone break sufferers.

I have a displaced fractured/comminuted collarbone but my ortho advised me to allow natural healing — although he gave me about 60-70% chance of healing at first due to degree of my injury and my age at 40. But after 4 weeks, my doc gave me 90% chance seeing my condition and recent xray. The bones are still displaced just exactly similar perhaps to my first xray but the fragments showed promising development and it seems that it bridges well the gap — there’s probable callus formation at the those fragments. My ortho said that if I will successfully healed my bones will not be perfectly aligned as it was, I will have a permanent bump where the break was. He further said that with therapy and exercises I will be able to regain my range of movement anyway so the bump is the only disadvantage and it is not worth opening me up through surgery.

The good news is that after 4 weeks I am now able to use my arm from below shoulder level. The ortho warned me to not aggressively try to raise my arm above shoulder level to minimize risk of re-fracture. Sleeping is not anymore a problem as I can sleep now without pain. By the way, I did only took pain relievers during the 1st two days of my injury and after that the pain was just tolerable so I did not bother to take any pain relievers anymore. However, I’m still using the Figure 8 brace since day 2 (4 weeks ago) and my ortho advised me to wear it for 4 more weeks. The good thing about my break was that it allowed me to work even after the incident — I made no downtimes with my work. I can say that the Figure 8 brace really carried me from day 1 as it provided me the comfort and support. I did not even bother to use the sling as I don’t want people to notice my injury although my ortho strongly suggested that I wear it. I’m also lucky to have a job that only requires me to handle meetings, presentations, and prepare reports so that’s the reason why I was really able to function well even with my injury. Without the sling most of my officemates don’t even noticed that I injured my self. Well I’m ashamed of telling them that I got a bad injury like this because I’m the Safety Officer of the company anyway. LOL. So only Figure 8 brace with no sling but I do recover well ‘frozen shoulder’ as they call it here but I really made concious effort not to move left arm aggressively.

Thank God, it is really true that broken collarbone heal itself and most likely surgery is not needed. By the way, here’s my advise to those recent collarbone sufferers like me.

1. Consider using the Figure 8 brace from Day 1 (I wore it even when I sleep) but remove it during bath time. Be sure that you observe proper posture after removing the brace to immobilised that shoulder. There are time at the shower you will feel that you are not healing because without the brace you will really feel unsupported and very much broken. But as the days passed I noticed that the bones are now attached to each other but the bond are not that strong yet I can tell. So just be careful especially when you remove the figure 8 brace.

2. If you can tolerate the pain stay away from pain killers (like I did) to speed up bone healing. Pain killers are bone snatchers.

3. Eat foods that are rich in calcium (i.e. milk, cereals, soy milk)- go check the internet on this. I also took 3 tabs of calcium supplements per day at 600mg per tablet. I followed the suggestion that I should intake 2000mg of calcium and food rich with boron (i.e. apples) for proper calcium absorption. It is not a matter of much calcium you take but rather how much you absorb.

4. Made a concious effort not to move your shoulder aggressively – even if it is not painful. If you are not using a sling just like I did, be sure to rest your pocket, to a table, etc. Do not allow it to hang straight as it may displace the fracture even further.

5. No alcoholic drinks, coffe and other meats rich with fats (these drinks/foods are bone snatchers).

6. Maintain a positive mind and pray a lot — all things are possible if you just believe.

Hans, do you have a recommended physio exercises to successfully raise my arm above shoulder level? Thanks in advance and heal well everyone.

Great writeup of your recovery! I'm glad to hear the site has helped and that your recovery is going well.

For my physical therapy I would perform the “finger wall crawl”. Face the wall at half your arm’s length. Extend your hand to the wall and touch it with your finger tips. Now “walk” two of your fingers up the wall as high as possible but stop as soon as there is any sign of discomfort. Repeat two more times. Continue this exercise each day and try to “climb” a little higher on the wall each time.

There are some other therapies you might consider. For example, using small weights and/or therabands (large rubber bands) to strengthen the muscles. If possible try and schedule a visit with a physical therapist. That will provide you with a recovery plan tailored exactly to your injury.

• Hans

Diego here once again. This is just a follow-up, I took off the brace since last night and I feel much better now without it. It feels good to finally free myself of that brace after 5 weeks. I have a good range of movement – can straighten my arm, bend my elbows, and even started to play the guitar again.

I will go to a therapist tonight to have a therapeutic massage my left arm, shoulder and back. I think I can go to work without the brace starting tomorrow. It’s amazing for me at 40 to feel ok after just 5 weeks. I thank God for this.

Thanks by the way Hans for your reply, I just would to ask from what week did you start the physiotherapy that you suggested?

Great news! It's been a while but I believe I started physical therapy 3 weeks after the break. Very simple light therapy that increased with time. I did a quick search and found this information which might help you: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/surgeryrehab/qt/Clavicle-Rehab.htm.

• Hans

hi this is raheel from Pakistan. 4 weeks back i went for shopping, after shopping i caught a rickshaw for getting me home. after 5 mins of travelling my rickshaw tyre badly hit a rock and banggg. The rickshaw has fallen down and so as i . when i got up i found a sharp pain in my left shoulder and my arm is unable to move. i have called to my brother and he took me to the hospital. The doctor recommended x ray and when reports came it shows that i have a clavicle fracture.. the doctor put my arm on sling and i was on sling for 2 weeks. after 2 weeks another x ray was done that shows the mal union of my clavicl. the bone. the doctor has advised me for surgery. i have taken a second opnion from other hospital. They put a plaster on my arm and chest and told me tat my clavicle would be fine. after two weeks of plaster my shoulder becomes stiff and i felt like my shoulder is seperate thing from my body. Also there are sharp pain in my neck and clavicle bone sometimes. i m so worried whther i should go to a surgery or not…

Sorry to hear about your accident. It sounds like your muscles and joints are stiffening from lack of movement. This can cause the symptoms you describe. I recommend talking with your doctor about these issues. Lack of movement can also cause problems for the joints. As for having surgery or not, I also recommend thoroughly discussing this with your doctor. If your condition isn't improving then surgery will be one way to have a better guarantee of recovery.

• Hans

I broke my Humorous and Clavile a year and a half ago, and being a swimmer I got pushed back to the times from two year before even though i still have a broken collar bone, which still hurts I swim, I’ve wondered should I get it fixed, you seem to be experienced in bone breaking .

Hi Sam - If you are still experiencing problems, such as pain, after this length of time then I would recommend you visit your doctor or a specialist (e.g. an orthopedist) for an examination. Be sure to explain that you are a swimmer and need the use of your arm and shoulder for the activity. Detail the pain you are experiencing and what your expectations are. Hopefully they will be able to help. It can also useful getting a second doctor's opinion.