Hans Kellner Dot Com :: a mighty fine website!

Thanks for posting the followup -- glad you're doing better! - Jim

also broke collar bone but told i've got to hav a plate fitted which i don't particularly want. do you know anything re procedure? run a business and don,t have much time for surgery! hope you,re feeling better soon!

Jacqui - I'm not a doc and also don't know how bad your break is but I would recommend *avoiding* surgery. This was the recommendation from my doctor and also from my own research. The need for surgey only arose if the bone had broken through the skin, the bone was pressing on nerves or blood vessels, or the break would not heal on its own. Otherwise, our body is amazingly adept at healing itself and especially broken collar bones.

Be sure to get another doctor's opinion about your break. Also, a doctor that treats sports injuries has probably seen many busted collar bones and might give you some better news.

For now, be sure to keep that shoulder stabilized. The first week is the most important for allowing the bones to fuse back together. Too much movement and you can hamper the process. Then you might actually need surgery.

As for myself, I'm fully recovered from my break and only have a small bump where the ends fused back together.

Best of luck in your recovery!

Hans; Sorry I missed you at the coffee shop. Cynthia gave me your website address so we could chat. Sounds like my clavicle break is very similar to yours. The training program you used is a very reasonable program and your advice is spot on regarding surgery. Allignment is very important. My Ortho has had me in an adjustable shoulder harness from the beginning. The harness wraps around both shoulders and keeps them back so that the bones stay alligned and reduces movement thus which lessens the pain while training, but it is really constricting and difficult to wear 24 hours a day. I've been in it for three weeks now. For the first week I wore both the harness and the sling. But, I still have a bump. Hope to meet you when I'm in SF next, which will be the end of July. John

My son Corey is a Junior in HS and has broken his collarbone 5 times. This is the first time in a football injury. He is ready after 1 week to begin exercises and get to playing again!! Will he be ready to exercise yet? Marcia

Marcia - You really need to have a doctor examine your son. That's the only way to know.

I broke my collar bone by hitting a tree after getting thrown off an ATV (back on Halloween weekend) it is now Feb. and I am still with a broken bone. For some reason it is not healing, WHY??? Im only 32 years old I thought it would have begun to heal by now. My Doctor tells me to wait be patient.What is a girl to do??

Im a 17 year old girl that broke her collarbone from falling off a horse. we went over a jump and we landed really bad. the horse ended up falling too. ive been riding for 4 years and this is the only really bad fall that ive ever had. but anyways...ive got hope for all that are scared that they may need surgery. my right collar bone was broken and displaced. the ends of the bone are now 6 cm apart. and lucky me i have that well loved little bump. i went to the orthopedic and i do not need to have surgery!!! our body does amazing things, just believe in it! mine did!

dear laura i need to read this , i am so upset i have been 4 days with my new broken collar bone a new xray shows the bone on top of each other and i can get no help doed it really matter if the bone is not togather?? i am very depressed i have a race in november......and am trying to believe in miracles suzy

I'm a 23y old male vet student, and managed to break my left clavicle 10 weeks (!) ago. Its in the nasty 'lateral third' category. Im in a bit of a race against time to avoid having to take a year out of my course. last xray at 6 weeks showed no healing, and am going back tomorrow for another xray. Not very hopeful though cos although whilst im standing its in an ok position, when i lie down its sticking up like crazy. does anybody know how much it can be moving and still be on the way to healing??
tried to keep it still, and now my shoulder is freezing up. joy. having physio, but even the physio is scared to move it. Its good to hear from others in my situation! was offered surgery 4 weeks ago but he also said it had every chance of healing by itself and it was my decision. sometimes i wish they would decide the best treament for me!!
Good luck healing,
Tom

I broke my right side collar bone 2 weeks on Thursday, this site helped me through, thanks a bunch!!!! I learned alot from all you guys... I fell over my daughters scooter to break mine(not as exciting as most of you) but the pain is just as bad.... The fiqure eight sling has been a lifesaver, when I take it off now, for too long I begin to ache. I go back for a second x-ray on Friday, hopefully good news. I thougtht 2 days ago I was healed enough to stop taking my pain meds and wearing my sling... boy did I learn a hard lesson , by 2pm, I was in extreme pain, and once your in pain ,its hard to get it under control.... !!! So take my advice control your pain, before it happens!!!! This site really was sooo much help, I felt better knowing I wasnt the only one, and what I was feeling was , what was suppose to happen... so thanks again... I guess time is the only healer for this painful break, I can tell you I have gotten great at using my left hand, In the begining I could hardly feed myself, brush my hair, teeth anything.... its tough... but I am getting better everyday... thanks again, Becki

I broke my collarbone on RAGBRAI, the bike ride across Iowa, on July 28th. One my teammates hit me hard from the left and next thing I know I was sliding along the highway at 30 mph. I got up and checked out the road rash, which was immense, and when I turned to see what was left of my bike, my left shoulder was really loose and moved. I am now 4 weeks into it, my road rash is mostly gone and I was able to stop wearing my sling today. The first week I couldn't move my left arm at all. Now I can move it and eat normally and the constant aching is finally gone. I still feel the bones rubbing and clicking every so often, so I know it is not healed. But at least it doesn't move every time I take a step. I can get my left arm out to the handlebars to ride my trainer but am scared to put any weight on it. So I still ride with it strapped to my chest with an ace wrap. I have been riding my trainer since day four for 30 to 60 minutes per day and feel like I am maintaining great fitness. Things are progressing but not as fast as I would like. I have a follow up visit with my doc next week. I hope to be able to hit the road again in mid Sept. after I get a new bike. My frame was totaled in the crash. Good luck to all of you in your healing.
Marshall

Hi
Help! My 15 year old son broke his collarbone playing hockey (non contact!) four weeks ago. Yesterday the doc said the sling could go and that he could start playing FOOTBALL! As long as there was no contact and that in two more weeks, contact would be okay. This to me sounds NUTS! My son is the Quarterback - TARGET - on his team. Anyone have any advice? I need help as I seem to be the only one worried about him.

Thank you,
Shannon

Shannon,
How bad was the break? What does the X-Ray look like now? I wouldn't think that it would be strong enough yet for football. The first time my daughter broke hers playing Goalie in Soccer 2 years ago. It was a greenstick fracture and healed so well that there was no evidence even on X-Ray that it had ever been broken.However, it was 3 full months before the Dr. gave her the OK to dive on the ground or play as keeper to avoid the risk of breaking it worse.
This time is different. She broke the same collarbone falling off of a trampoline May 26, 2005. She has a displaced lateral fracture. We've moved to a new city and didn't have a Doctor. We got 5 opinions on treatment: 3 said surgery, 2 said not. I read all of the complications that come with the surgery and opted for non-surgical treatment. She had NO pain with this break and I didn't want surgery to cause any and risk complications. Just went to the Dr. today and the X-Ray doesn't look any better than it did 8 weeks ago. The Dr. said to give it 6 more months and that she can play Soccer but not Goalie. Now I wonder if we shouldn't have had the surgery. We're talking almost a year recovery period. She is devastated about not being able to play Goalie for this long. Needless to say that her team has fallen in ranking because she was the only trained Goal Keeper.
I wonder now if I went to another Dr. if it's too late for surgery. We're so disappointed at the rate or lack of healing. She is 14 years old and should heal faster than this.
Any suggestions?
Carol

I do not know what I have done. The right and left side of my neck/shoulders does not match. I have a bump near the center of my chest, but off to one side(right). I also have some discomfort there, but thought it was due to work related phone time. Could I have broken my collar bone and not known it.

Also, I read on another web site about a person that had the same thing, plus his eye browe line was also lower on that side. I have that also, but do not know if they are connected.

Any thoughts???

jan

Jan - It's impossible to tell if you have a broken collar bone. The only way is by having a doctor take a look. Your symptoms are general enough that they could indicate a collar bone break. But they could also indicate a strained muscle. If you did break your collar bone you would recall the accident. I do know that your eye brow line will have nothing to do with your collar bone.

My 12 year old daughter just broke her collar bone yesterday. Playing hide and seek of all things. Instead of just tagging her friend, she tried to tackle her and landed right on her shoulder. Of course she has been in a lot of pain but thanks to the meds she is managing the pain with no complaints. Hopefully I will get her in to see the orthopedic tomorrow or soon after. My question is that this morning I noticed that her left shoulder is higher than her right one. It was the right side that she broke. I've adjusted her splint. Is it normal right after a brake? Should one shoulder he hingher?

Wendy - Having one shoulder higher than the other is common. It can be long term if the bones mend but they don't align the same as before the break. That's one of the reasons it's important to keep the shoulders aligned while waiting to heal.

I hope your daughter recovers quickly.

hans, thanks for this workout schedule. is this week 1 as in 7 days after the break, or several weeks after? i broke my right clavical in a cross race crash on saturday. hurts to even walk around the block right now. and i was just getting into cross!! thanks!

Kimberly - Dang, sorry to hear about your crash and especially that it happened during a CX race. I began the training program above about a week and half after my break. Be sure to sit upright for the first two weeks or so and not put any strain on your shoulder. I wore my sling during my workouts. You will have to wash it afterwards or you will get stinky sling and then nobody will hang with you :')

Riding the trainer is also a good time to catch up on movies. Pop one in the DVD and then do your workout. Really helps with the boredom. Oh, and if you want to ride a virtual CX race, download some of my videos and watch them:

http://www.hanskellner.com/videos/cycling.html

Have a quick recovery!

Still looking for any comments from Sept. 21st entry. The Doc doesn't even want us to come back until Jan. If the bone doesn't heal together, will she ever be able to play Goalie? Can't get a straight answer from the Doc. Is it worth going to a different Doc at this point?
Any views?
Carol

HI I AM A BODYBUILDER AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING SHOULDER PAIN FOR A MONTH OR SO NOW. IT KIND OF HURTS WHEN I TRAIN MY CHEST DONING BENCH PRESSES AND THINGS RELATED. THE PAIN IS ONTOP OF MY SHOULDER NOT IN MY SHOULDER. ALSO WHERE MY CLAVICLES MEET INT THE FRONT OF MY BODY,,LIKE ABOVE MY CHEST ONE IS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THE OTHER. IT ONLY HURTS WHEN I TRAIN CHEST BUT IT USUALLY TAKES TWO OR THREE DAYS FOR THE PAIN TO GO AWAY IS THIS A SEVERE AC JOINT SEPERATION I DONT RECALL EVER HAVING INSTANT PAIN WHEN TRAINING IT JUST KIND OF HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Carol - If you aren't comfortable with your doctor then get another's opinion. But be sure you are not searching for the answer you want vs. the answer you are getting. Also, does the doctor you are using understand athletes and their needs? If not then look for an orthopedic doctor that specializes in sports related injuries. They will understand the needs of your daughter.

Brian - Sorry to tell you but the only way to know is to have a doctor evaluate the injury. I haven't heard of anyone breaking a collar bone through weight lifting but I won't rule it out. As I recommended above, you should seek a doctor that specializes in sports injuries. And continuing to work your chest might be making the injury worse. Scale way back on the weight or stop until you get evaluated.

I broke my left clavicle about three weeks ago. I was playing two-hand touch football with some eighth graders. I slipped and feel while trying to tag one of them. I heard the bone snap. There was no doubt in my mind; I knew immediately that I had broken my collar bone. I went to the emergency room right away. After about three hours of waiting, I was brought to radiology and had x-rays taken. There is about a 1 inch gap between the displaced bone. I made appointments to see a couple doctors. I have seen an othopedic specialist as well as a sports doctor. They informed me that my left clavicle will be "S" shaped after the 1 inch gap is filled with calcium to stabilize and join the displaced bone. My left shoulder has dropped and will heal that way. The sports doctor has given me a rope and pulley system to begin stretching the arm so that the shoulder joint doesn't lock up on me. It seems like in today's high-tech would that we would have devised a way (other than surgery) of putting the displaced bone back into place. For now, I am using a sling and enduring the pain like the rest of you unfortunate souls with fractured clavicles.

I broke my left clavicle 5 weeks ago playing football. Went up for a header and got tackled in mid air! came down full weight on my shoulder, heard a huge crack and ended in hospital. Just as other people have said the pain was terrible.I have great sympathy for everyone who has done the same.Its not easy being able to do just about nothing, especially when your normally so active. After hours in A&E the doctors decided i didnt require surgery which was a big relief. They told me it was a standard break i had and to keep it in a sling until i came back for more x rays in 6 weeks time. The bone is showing under the skin at the moment. Will this go down after a while or be like that forever? and are there any exercises i could do to start strenghting my shoulder again?

hi, although i considered myself quite an accomplished boarder, i broke my collarbone in a magnificent snowboarding wipe out on new year's eve(2 days ago)in the beautiful swiss ski resort of crans montana. even though it was an exciting tour down the mountain in an orange body bag through ice and slush, sitting in pain in Sion hospital new year's eve, not speaking much french, hearing the fireworks and laughter outside was torture, plus the worry about competing in triathlons again this summer - i was just starting to improve my swim and win my runs, do i need to start training from scratch?i am worried because i was 39yrs old a month ago too, all the above patients sound younger though i would declare myself as equally fit:)it's therefore day2. i have no indoor bike trainer what can i do to help ease my way back to fitness. in great pain now and worried about the length of time it will heal and the aesthetics afterwards. the hospital only gave me a rucksac brace to wear, no sling,should i ask for one? i have read the suggestions to take calcium supplements,so assume this is a good start. how long do i need to sleep with the pillow under my spine?i can sleep for about 4 hours but then wake with intense back pain. i also experience pain when i move my jaw, is this ok?appologies for the poor writing style - i'm not usually a left handed person! right-handed Zoe ps. my thanks to enrique for coming down off the slope, collecting me from hosp and shopping at co-op for the smoked salmon, marinated king prawns and moet plus 12 seedless grapes, to bring in the new year a little less painfully!!

Zoe - Sorry to hear about the crash. What a rotten way to bring in the New Year! Although, if sounds as if your friend set you up in style.

If you haven't had a chance to read through the other two related pages here on my site then go and do so. There's more feedback from people that should be helpful. The links are back near the top of this page.

A sling is helpful in relieving the strain on your shoulder. But, it's important that when you use one that you also remove your arm and bend the joints occasionally. Otherwise you risk stiff joints.

Finding a comfortable way to sleep is unique per person. I found lying on my back with a pillow slightly supporting my arm and elbow helped. I also used a brace that held my upper arm close to my body.

Your jaw pain is probably independent. If it continues to bother you then be sure to have a doctor take a look.

As for getting back into fitness... Do you have access to a gym? If so then you might be able to use a staionary bike. Or even a stairclimber. But, give yourself a week or so before training again. You won't lose much fitness in that amount of time and you really need to give your body a chance to recover. The first week or so is the most important. Keep the shoulder stable. No movement during that time. Later, ease into your workouts. Look at the program I used above and adjust accordingly. Note how easy it was at the beginning.

Heal fast.

great, many thanks hans for the advice, will let you know how i get on :)
best regards
zoe

hi i'm trish
broke my collar bone the day before my 21st in a car accident
midshaft right side. am in the navy and was supposed to be doing a changeover to Physical Training Instructor early feb. Had surgery four days after the accident and seem to be healing well! Not being able to do any fitness is killing me!! Just want to get down and smash out 100 pushups... when can i get back into doing pushups?? Unfortunatly have to spend all summer watching everyone else surf... when can i get back in the water? Still in a sling but often wake up without it on and my arm is outstretched!! ooops!!!

Trish - You can keep up your fitness with a stationary bike. No impact on the shoulder and a very good workout. That's what I ended up doing and was back racing within 6 weeks. When can you get back in the water? Each person's recovery is unique. Listen to people's thoughts but stick with what your doc says. Otherwise you risk screwing up your shoulder and going back to day one.

i had met with an accident & my right colour bon had broken , and it heeled in step

hello i'm luca from italy.on 28 march(two day after my 29 birthday) i broken my clavicle and other bone in a terrible car incident.the clavicle fracture was the worst.the doctor opted for a figure a 8 because surgery was full of complication.after two month my clavicle wasn't healed so they give me a bone stimulator.i was desperated for my clavicle and for the disability.i can't work.what a nightmare!but after three month there were some sign of union and after five month the bone was healed!today 10 month after the accident i have again a little pain and some movements are a little unconfortable but my shoulder strength is to 100%(i'm an olimpic wheightlifer and can to lift a 360 lb barbel overhead)so don't worry too much it is a long process but if i'm retourned to a full life also you can!good luck to all(excuse for bad englih)

Hi Hans, Zoe here, I'm doing ok and hopefully my rucksack brace can come off next Monday (subject to X-rays). I am left with a bit of a bump - it looks like a pyramid on one side of my neck - this is awful, will it 'go down'? Also, what do you recommed for exercise for the arm when the brace comes off, I've taken the brace off just recently on a couple of occasions and the muscle and arm definitely feels very weak, maybe it's because I'm being very cautious. How do you suggest building up it's strength again? It seems strange to think at this stage that I may be strong enough to compete again and do everything I used to do. The point of the bone hurts too. I guess it's still very sensitive, but what do you think? How long will it be before the danger of breaking it again is reduced somewhat? Many thanks in advance of your feedback Zoe

Zoe - Lumps are part of broken collarbones. In some cases they reduce in time. Because of all the variations of breaks and people's bodies, it's impossible to say if yours will change.

You should speak with a physical therapist about getting your arm and shoulder back in shape. Each person's injury is unique and one exercise might be good for one person but not another. You don't want to risk more injury. But I do recommend you try to move your arm and shoulder while you are recovering. Otherwise you risk getting something called a frozen socket. Movement should only be to the point just shy of pain. Again, I recommend speaking with a physical therapist.

While I was healing I would occasionally feel pain at the site of the break. It would normally subside after taking a pain reliever.

How long before the danger of breaking it is reduced? You are sure full of the tough questions! Honestly, that's another question that only your doctor can give a fair answer to. Each person heals differently. I was lucky and after two months my shoulder was very solid. But others have taken a year or more to heal. Wish I could be more helpful there.

In any event, heal fast and don't worry, you will be back up to speed soon enough.

can I just say... sand boarding rocks!!! lol.. ica, peru an amazing place to visit if you're a traveler, backpacker or anyone who would love to sand boarding in these amazing dunes. the best part were the dune buggies. but the dunes were where my accident took place. . so my brave little ass and by little I mean 5'1, 105 pounds. ..k. I decided to take the biggest hill and started coming down pretty fast, like an idiot I waxed my board. first mistake. second I started losing control of my board towards the end of the hill when.. I totally ate it. and landed on my right shoulder. yes, lame, I know. but overall an amazing time and I got to meet a lot of interesting people along the way. ok this might sound a bit odd... but I wish my left clavicle would have broke instead of the right. since that is my dominant side. but after just 2 weeks I'm surprised how well my arm feels. a book you guys might like to read during your healing time : between a rock and a hard place by aron ralston. I loved it. and I would like to thank everyone who posted their unique stories. its helped me a lot today.

xoxo

It is nice to read the posts about broken collarbones. Two weeks ago I was in a metric century and crashed breaking my left collarbone. I was on the back of a small paceline and stood up to reposition myself when my left foot came unclipped. I lost control and went down hard cracking my brand new Giro helmet and breaking my collarbone. I got back on the trainer last Thursday and have spent 30 minutes a day since then. Reading these posts has given me a positive outlook, thank you for that, particularly the post that said by week 4 you were able to use both arms on the trainer. This one arm stuff is tough. I have some long rides coming up at the end of April first of May including a three day 250 miler. I have enough time right?

Hello fellow collarbone breakees! I broke my collar bone a month ago today. Unlike the rest of you, mine was self-inflicted. It was my work leaving-do and I got completely w*nkered on cocktails. Managed to fall down a load of concrete stairs landing right on the shoulder. I woke up dazed, confused and in pain at the local Accident & Emergency. It still hurts and comes at a bad time as I'm relocating. X-rays have revealed it is healing well. I suspect I'll be 'out of action' for a couple more months yet. ***Can anyone advise on or describe any exercises I could do to get the things going again, now that it is healing? I'm scared to move it too much, if I stretch out I get a sensation of pressure build-up, so I try and avoid moving it too much as a result. ***Could this be a nerve problem?

Hi:

I broke mine 3 and 1/2 weeks ago skiing. I also am a cyclist. I have not been on my bike since. I stopped wearing the sling after day 6 or 7. I use my broken side until it nearly hurts then stop using it. The sling and figure of 8 brace are terrible to wear for long periods of time. My dr said that it would take longer to heal without the sling or brace but too bad for me. I find having use of my right arm and hand to outweigh a two week acceleration in healing. Also I read lots sbout slings and braces on the net and there are mixed views. I like the one that starts getting the arm back in action quickly. I figure that if I wear the sling all the time then when everyting is healed I'll have about 2 weeks of rehab time on the bad arm side so to me it's a wash except I get to use my arm and hand a little. It is painfull especially the first few weeks. Now it's a nuisance as I get teased into doing something only to have to stop doing it and using my left hand and arm again. I have another x ray in a week so we'll see how my strategy is working.

hi I'm 25 and broke and displaced my right collarbone 4 days ago on my motorbike. I have had no pain since the first night so I don't take any pain killers. I wear a sling but take it off when I lie down (which is most of the time),I stretch my arm out on a pillow and sleep and rest with it straight. Is this ok?? I have an important motocross race in 4 weeks but after reading these posts I might have to give it a miss.:( I too want to take my sling off after a week. (I dont want to get a frozen shoulder) I have walked around for a bit with it off and don't feel uncomfortable at all but I know I should keep it on for awhile, so I will be interested to see how Mikes x rays went.

Karyn, it sounds like you are doing a lot better than I was doing. I could not move my arm for about 10 days without it hurting. I am at 4 weeks and 5 days since I broke my left collarbone. Everyday now I can do more and more with my left arm. These posts have been great because I used some of the timeframes to set goals for myself, like getting both arms on the handlebars while riding on the trainer. With four weeks to your race, you would be about the time where I am now. I feel great but I could not ride a motocross race this weekend, but I am also 39 years old and you are a lot younger. The one thing I have read numerous places about broken collarbones, is that the first week is crucial in keeping your collarbone still so the healing can start. Good luck in your recovery.

Thanks for the reply George, Its funny I was thinking about getting my arm on the handlebars of my trainer as well today but lucky some common sense kicked in before I did.I'm so glad I found this site, The info is great, its like being in our own club. I'm now on the 8th day of recovery, I still have no pain but I can feel the bones shift (or maybe thats grind) a little when I walk but not like when I first did it. I also tripped and fell over on the weekend. I landed on my knees luckily but I hope the force of it didn't set me back. I'm dying to go have another x ray done just to see how its all going but I think I should be patient for at least another week.

I went Friday for x-rays. Mine was a complete break with the two halves overlapping each other. The x-rays looked the same as it did the day I broke it, still not contacting each other. I was discouraged at first, because it has been 5 weeks!!! The doctor told me that it was OK and that I could get back on the bike whenever I felt I could. I am dying to get back on the road and plan to do a small ride this week. I start PT tomorrow. I am out of the sling all together and I can move my arm 1000 times more than I could even 2 weeks ago. I just can't get my arm over my head yet, but I heard that in PT they are going to put my arm over my head whether I can do it or not. Any pain I have now is not from the break but all the muscles in my shoulder and upper arm. Even though I was doing exercises, I think I was starting to get a frozen shoulder.

my mom sent me this link of good sholder exercises:
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/booklet/view_report.cfm?topcategory=Shoulder&Thread_ID=19

Hello,

I'm a cyclist and I broke my right clavicle 12 years ago now. The break is near the shoulder end of the bone. My injury never really healed so I have a "Floating clavicle". This has affected my life quite a bit. I have to be careful how I sit. Too long leaning forward and my neck and shoulder just kill me. If you think about how many things that require you to lean slightly forward you will start to realize how big of a problem this is.

Cycling has always been a challenge. Short races are OK, but long rides are very challenging. I did a 100 mile ride last year and about 2/3 the way through the pain was almost blinding... I'm thinking about going in for surgery now. I keep reading about people that say to not go for surgey, but I can not imagine that being worse. Does anyone have stories about good vs bad surgey experiences?

Hello,

I'm a 56 year old off road racer who broke my clavicle 3/19/06 in a motorcycle crash that also broke 2 ribs and separated my shoulder. By far the collarbone hurt the most, after emergency room visit, then family dr visit I finally got to see an orthopedic dr on 3/29. I told him I needed to be ready to go by 4/23/06 and he indicated that it would not be a problem after viewing the healing that had taken place by comparing ER xray with that days xray. The next Saturday after wraping my self in two figure 8 braces and a rib race I needed to test a change I made to my motorcycle - so I rode it carefully with no problem. Then I got brave and took it out again hit a bump and heard a SNAP and was in extreme pain for about 5 min, after that I was in pain all the time. I just got out of th Dr. office today and the xray showed that the bone did break again and it dropped down half an inch from where it was on the previous break. The encouraging thing was the doctor said todays xray already showed signs of healing.

I know this was a long post but I felt compelled to write to tell everybody who breaks a collarbone how important it is to heal for the first three weeks, the less you move it the better off you are. Because of my bad judgement I prolonged my recovery, went through unnecessary pain, and deformed my body more than it would have been. Now the dr wants me to wear braces and sling for two weeks straight.

SO PLEASE DO NOT GET IN A HURRY, LET IT HEAL, your commitments can wait!

I'm 20 years old and I broke my right collarbone two years ago playing high school rugby. I was told that it healed perfectly and that the only problem was that I would have a larger than normal bump where the bones fused together(in an overlapping position).Last fall, the pain in my right shoulder felt like it did when I originally broke it. I didn't think I did anything to re-injure it, so I x-rayed it to be sure. X-rays came back and everything was alright. But I didn't feel alright. I got a second opinion, and recieved the same results...IT'S ALRIGHT. So I decided to deal with the pain and keep on workin'. Three months went by and I couldn't lift my arm over my head without intense shooting pain in my neck, shoulder blade and arm. I went to see a orthopedic surgeon and he requested another x-ray. X-rays came back and showed a non-union of the clavicle. He looked at the sets of x-rays I had taken in the fall, and those too showed a non-union. For some reason the radiologist didn't see the break. I am now waiting 6 to 8 months for surgery to have a plate and screws put in. My company I work for wants me to come back ASAP and I am not recieving any workers compensation because it was a previous injury that had nothing to do with my job. I am not sure how long they will wait before they terminate my employment. I am wondering if anyone has experienced something like this and whether or not there is a case for medical malpractice? I don't want any money, I just want the damn operation right away so I can get back to normal.

I am 24 years old and i broke my collarbone some 6 weeks back. I was driving on a motorbike all drunk, made a turn, couldnt see the road, my bike swerved and i hit the road divider, fell on my left shoulder and broke it along with injuries on my elbows: though i managed to pick my bike up and go home. Totally Not Necessary. Rule 1) DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!.

Next morning had an XRay which showed a break. Luckily the cracked bones hadnt displaced too much, so it was not that painful. I was prescribed to wear the 8-Ring clavicle support along with an arm sling to reduce mobility. The second day itself i was able to move around without much pain and decided to loiter around with my girlfriend. On the third day i was trying to read the newspaper when i tried to squat on the ground, placed my left knee on the floor forgetting that i had an injury there. As soon as i did that, my left arm (injured one) by reflex caught the side of the bed and i had a searing pain due to the impact. Now it was paining! I spent the whole night in pain not knowing what to do. Then i visited the doctor who tightened up the 8-Ring which gave me immediate relief. I immediately decided to rest completely and did that for 2 1/2 straight weeks. Just slept all day, watched TV, ate and slept more.

There was pain initially while getting up and lying down. Also changing clothes was a big pain in the bum. All of it went away in 3 weeks and by the 4the week, i was feeling very uncomfortable wearing the sling, so i removed it. Went to the doctor after 6 weeks whereby he told me that the join was strong and i could remove the Ring and do some shoulder exercises.
Moral 2) Make sure you rest for the first 3 weeks. Rest! Rest! Rest! and eat a really healthy diet rich in calcium and protein.

Now in my 7th week, i can drive my bike again comfortably. Only i cant lift my hand properly straight up which i think i would be able to do in a few more weeks or so. I sincerely hope i would be able to hit the gym again ( of which i am very fond of).

Just dont forget to consult your doctor whenver u feel somethings up with ur shoulder or theres some pain. Rest well, eat well and it would get perfect in a jiffy. Yeah the first 3 weeks is crucial.

thanks for this website.....have been enlightened on the good, bad and the ugly of the clavicle break. when you are active in all facets of life, others do not quite know the distress we breakees are in, nor would they understand why we type without capital letters. i broke my left clavicle 9 days ago. flipped off mtn. bike after taking my hands off the handle bars for a split second. was on gentle downslope, on pavement...so i can't begin to figure out what went wrong. this is my first broken bone disabled list assignment - being able to learn from others has been a key to sanity. i have learned more from others than i did from the er doctors and the local ortho. i live in a fairly isolated part of nor cal - mendocino - so am going it with my sling, a lower riding, waist band sling thing that velcros my wrist to my stomach and my elbow to my side. as you all know, any progress is good, but it is incredible how one can start to feel a little better, only to go back to quite a bit of pain again. i am an avid surfer, a tennis player and by recent profession, a furniture maker. so, this is tough. thanks and good vibes go out to all of you/us. p.s. anyone have any thoughts about icepacks 9 days later.

Paul - Icing 9 days after the injury seems a bit long. I have heard of using ice up to 3 days. It really depends on your injury and the swelling that is occurring. If you aren't having issues with swelling then it might be wise to stop icing. You should check with your doctor.

The following site has some information about how to ice an injury:

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sprainsstrains/ht/iceinjury.htm

It notes that the effect of icing diminishes significantly after about 48 hours. Here's a related article that contains more information about ice and heat treatments:

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sportsmedicine/a/iceorheat.htm

Just a follow up on my break since this site was so helpful to me. Today is 10 weeks after my cycling crash and I am doing fine. The break does not hurt but my shoulder still does from time to time when I sleep on it wrong. I was back on the trainer after 1 week, back on the road riding at 5 weeks and now at 10 weeks, I have logged 570 miles since I got back on the road. This Friday I leave for a bike ride from Myrtle Beach SC to Washington DC. (600 miles in 7 days) When I first broke it I was concerned that I would not be able to make this ride but now that it is here, I know I can do it. Keep you sprits up and good luck to you all.

A follow up on My April 5 post. Last week April 23 I was able to race my m/c, this was 5 weeks after original break and only 3 weeks after a rebreak, not bad for 56 year old. Doc said you can ride just don't crash again hmmm, well I fell down three times because I was going to slow, race bikes don't handle well going slow! The main thing is I made it through the race and received a finish. Today is 6 weeks plus one day and I feel fine, no soreness and full range of motion in right arm. I feel this was a remarkable recovery considering how bad the break was. I do not want to go against any Dr's orders but, I wore the brace continued to work (not to physical) and removed the brace for 2 hours a day starting at week 3. I increased time without brace every 2 days with minor exercise to prevent long recuperating time. I tried doing exercises that worked the muscles without straining them, on weekends I would fish instead of ride my bike. At week 4 I did 20 min light work out on eliptical treadmill, once I started these workouts I could felt better on a daily basis. The only other thing that I might mention is I doubled my daily dose of vitamins from week 1 to week 5 (multiple vit, fish oil vit, vit E, vit C). One last thing, think positive about your healing and just will yourself to getting better. Good luck and good bye!

This is Paul again, now 3 weeks since my break. I am now to the point of going crazy, sleeping on my back, wanting to do more with my damaged side, but not being too sure of how much to push things. I have been able to hit the trainer, take vigorous walks, start to push the arm and shoulder into some range of motion "actions." Just what is frozen shoulder? I feel that mine is somewhat locked, not wanting to let my arm/hand raise up above just below shoulder level. Sometimes, when I go for a longer walk, all the muscles around the break seem to seize up, which they probably are doing. I have a follow-up x-ray next week (wk. 4). Do you think I should wait until this x-ray before I keep "pushing" for more mobility? I know that comfort level, not time since the break, is probably the answer to this question. Oh well. Since I love to surf, it has been comforting to see fairly poor and windy conditions since my break. My doctor told me 3 MONTHS until I could surf. This seems like a long time. Does anyone out there have experience with coming back from the clavicle break and getting back out on a surfboard? I am a fairly mellow longboarder. Thanks again for your site. - Paul

i broke my collarbone 25 days ago.the pain has gone away and my hand can make more moves than before.i went to the doctor and he told me not to get an xray because from what he show it was fine.i made an xray elsewhere after 25 days and the other doctor told me that there where no signs the bone is sticking back together and that it had moved a little bit from its original position.i showed the xray to my doctor and he told me that i was fine and tha the fact i can move my hand in everyday routine is an indication that it is doing fine and healing.what do y think????

I'm 37 and broke my collarbone about 6 1/2 months ago playing hockey. I got checked into the boards and my shoulder took the brunt of the impact, shattering the left clavicle. The x-ray showed at least 4 distinct pieces - the doctor thinks there may have been several smaller fragments we couldn't see. The first couple of months were really miserable, but the doctors assured me that the bone would heal without surgery. I was able to start moving my arm again after about six weeks, but even after 18 weeks, the x-rays showed no sign of bone growth. I was told that there was some fibrous tissue that was holding the bones together, but that the bone may never fuse. One doctor, who had originally recommended no surgery, even changed his mind after the first two months, but I decided to give it more time, just in case. There was a lot of uncertainty for a long time. Even though I'd regained all my mobility, I still had a pretty sharp protrusion from under the skin and I didn't feel very good about the idea that the bone may never heal completely. However, I had another x-ray at the 5 month mark and *finally* there was clear evidence of bone growth. Since then the point has started to round out and is slowly forming into a bump. Despite how bad the break was, I've regained full mobility and am looking forward to getting back on the ice in another month. The moral of the story is, I guess, be patient. It does eventually heal - and even though at the beginning you might think that things will never be the same again - the mobility does return. If it weren't for the bump, I could easily forget the injury ever occured. Hang in there, it may be slow sometimes, but the human body has an amazing capacity to repair itself.

I am back for a follow-up! Now its been 11 weeks since i broke my clavicle. Recovery has been complete. I have full range of motion in my shoulder. Theres still some deep embedded stiffness in the muscles which i think will go away with time. I have returned to the gym finally, have been exercising for a full week now. Back exercises, triceps curls and leg exercises are a breeze but i am still not comfortable with the Bench Press and i can do heavy Biceps Curls with dumbbells. For shoulder exercises i was only able to lift 8 pounds dumbbells but not more than this :-(. I think full strength would return in a few weeks or so :D. So dont get down, its get okay people! Patience!

@paul: looks to me you are quiet anxious to be back to full steam again. You just need to be a lil patient. I have never done surfing, but i can imagine what kind of strenght and shoulder motion it can take. My shoulder still cant take sudden jerks without a little pain but i think this is due to less strength in the shoulder muscles, which will improve with exercise. Also i wasn't able to lift my hands above the shoulder level from the front even after 7 weeks!. I was so frustated at times that i thought this will never become okay. But it did, i did the shoulder exercises (link is given above) and slowly in a week, i could lift my hand up. Now i have full range of motion.
So it will take time, if it takes 4 weeks to rest give it that or if it demands more, then give accordingly. A few weeks of No Surfing in return for a strong shoulder is a good deal and dont try too much to "push for mobility". That will come with patience and exercise.

I broke my clavicle 2 days short of 4 weeks ago. I am working. It is physical. I have no real choice at this point. There are days where I have to move my arm and above the shoulder is pinchy and a little painful. This has been the most unorthodox recovery because I can't just sit and let it heal. I do have the sling on most of the time and wore the figure 8 for about the first 2 weeks off and on. I never took pain meds because I wanted at all times to know where I was at with the injury and because I've been using it. I wanted to know the exact points at which I was straining it to a place of no return? This being a 1 to 1 1/2 centimeter displaced break on my right clavicle, assuming that it is healing, is there any real danger in 'wrong' but not jerky movements. There is no clicking any more and there are no major pains with the exception of soreness or if I do something that is sudden.

I know this all sounds pretty wacky but I am in a wacky situation.

Please give advice as to how I might deal with using my arm at moments yet being sensitive (as much as I can be) to the healing process.

Yeah I broke my left collar bone on 4/20/06 playing baseball, its now beggining to heal, but i was wondering how long it might take for me to start swinging my bat again. Hopefully anyone who has ever played baseball can help. And also what kind of workouts should I be doing? Tips, suggestions would be appreciated

JB - Pain is always a good indicator of something wrong. If you are doing movement that generates pain then you are going too far. The problem with moving the shoulder during recovery is a double-edged sword. Movement helps to keep your shoulder from losing mobility. But it can hinder the bone healing process. A good physical therapist or orthopedic doc should be able to give you better information based on your particular break and the current level of your recovery.

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David - It's been a long time since I played baseball. I would think that once your shoulder and brak has stabalized then you should be able to begin swinging the bat again. How long that takes depends on too many factors. I recommend you have a good sports doc do your evaluation and provide recovery workouts. There isn't one set of excercises that work for all people with a broken collarbone.

Oh man, I just found this website after breaking my right clavicle on 21 May, and now I'm worried. It has now been 11 days since I broke it. It is a full break with the two sections of my clavicle overlapping one another. My doc (a sports medicine doc) did not sling me, said I could use my arm letting pain be my guide, just don't fall on it, and come back for an x-ray at week 3. After consulting with him several days later to confirm that getting back on the bike was OK, I was on the bike trainer on day 7, on my road bike on days 8 and 9, and have gone back to bike commuting. Now I read this stuff!!! What should I do? See another doc? Either my pain receptors are all screwed up or I've just been lucky as though I have experienced pain it has been very tolerable. After breaking my clavicle going over the handlebars 1/4 of the way into a MTB race, I got up and finished the race and only needed painkillers the day I broke it. Perhaps I'm now doing damage that I am unaware of???? Recommendations please!!!!

Adam - Well, I would stay off the bike just a bit longer. It really sounds like your sports doc is taking a very lax attitude dealing with broken collar bones. Keeping the break immobilized for the first two weeks is really important. That helps to allow the broken ends of the bones to find themselves and begin fusing. Movement can disrupt and break those bonds that are forming. The first two weeks are when the body tries the hardest to form the bonds.

You might be lucky in that your break might be such that the bones are staying rather immobile. But I wouldn't risk it. Stay off the bike or only ride a trainer (off the bars) until you get the follow-up x-ray. At that point you will get some indication on how well you are healing.

As for your lack of pain, you are lucky. Each break is unique and each person unique. There are many factors that determine the level of pain. No pain is a good thing. But no pain doesn't mean your break is healing correctly.

Thanks Hans! After speaking with my physcial therapist and reading here, I have scheduled an appointment with another doctor that in a conversation last night recommended a taping regime to keep things in place. The appointment is for Monday, which marks two weeks since; hopefully I haven't missed (or screwed up) this 2 week window of opportunity.

i need some help i have broken my clavicle , has been broken for 4 weeks now i still have some pain when i lift my arm straight up in the air or move in fast in one direction is this a normal thing to happen or could thier be something else broken aswell, i looked at my x- rays today and it looks like thier is a little crack at the top of my shulder iam not realy sure. it isnt a break right thru. this was done during a football accident.
thanks carl

Just to update my situation. It seems different breaks require different levels of care. I saw the second doctor, he took one look at the x-rays and totally agreed with the first's diagnosis and after-care treatment. Apparently, with the main two sections of my clavicle overlapping one another and another little piece wedged in their there is very little room for the bones to move around -- it would in all likelihood take a good jolt to get things to budge. So back on the bike! Woo hoo! Good luck to all of you and I hope this information helps some others out too.

Carl - Shoulder pain is common. There might also be some soft tissue damage. I wouldn't recommend trying to read your x-rays. It really requires a specialist to see what is and isn't wrong. I suggest following up with your doctor and explaining the pain and issues you are having. It might simply require more time and probably some physical therapy. But follow up with your doctor.

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Adam - Great news you lucky dog! There are going to be a bunch of jealous people here reading your comment. Now just don't go crash on it and then have to come back here with a bad report. :')

Hello all. I've been reading everyone's helpful comments. I am inspired to go back to the gym now that it's been a week after my clavical break. Slippery train tracks on Market St in SF are hard to avoid on a bike! But there is one thing I need advice on that wasn't covered in the comments on this page. My clavical bone is broken into four pieces. I have two conflicting doctor's opinions. One says I have 60% chance of natural healing, and if it does I will have a sloping shoulder, a pointy bump (it almost cut through the skin three days ago but the pieces keep moving around), and I will have 80% mobility with a loss of overhead mobility. He suggests getting the plate, but he also suggested getting a second opinon. The second doc says it'll heal naturally, no need for surgery, the bump can be filed down later. I can clearly see two bumps now, one behind the other in a verticle alignment. Eek. I concerned that a sloping shoulder may lead to over compensation somewhere else in my body, like lower back pain, resulting in problems that may arise later in life. The sling has been on since day 1, I've stopped taking the pain killers and my left hand is learning new tricks, but I need help with deciding surgery or no surgery. Thanks. Tammy

I'm in my mid 50's. Around three weeks ago I took a bad fall that produce a banged up rig cage along with a broken collar bone. During the first week after the fall I saw the local MD twice, once for the broken bone and again for some breathing problems. At the moment everything would seem to be healing up except for the clavicle break.

Anyway, what I'm thinking about is how long should I wait before going back for another x-ray to check progress with the break. Also, I have an orthopedic surgeon that I've seen before with good results. I'm thinking that maybe I should go to him instead of my MD in the general premise that he would have more experience with this sort of thing? And of course I could always go to a doctor that specializes in sports medicine.

So, anybody have any ideas about this?

John

John,

First off, see an orthopedic specialist. My orthopedic doc has me coming back at 3 weeks post-injury to take another x-ray to see how the healing is progressing.

Tammy,

Don't know how to advise as far as surgery or not but I do have some of the same concerns as you as far as over-compensation. I'm planning on seeing my physical therapist about that.

Good Luck to both of you!

Tammy - Yes, Market street is a nightmare for cyclists. Oh, and I've kissed the pavement because of the cable car tracks over on Columbus. Luckily I only left some skin on the road.

Surgery or not is such a tough question. I am biased towards no surgery because of the risks involved. But others have had surgery and have had great success. I would recommend getting more than one doctor's opinion. And it's important to be very clear about your expectations and how you use your shoulder. Someone that rock climbs versus someone that is sedentary will have very different needs for their shoulder. If a doctor doesn't know your needs then they might suggest the wrong treatment.

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John - Yes, Adam is correct in suggesting you see your orthopedic doctor. Getting a second opinion is important and getting one from a ortho doc is even better. As I mentioned to Tammy above, be sure to explain your expectations and needs for recovery.

I broke my right clavical 4/11/06. Wore the figure 8 for 8 weeks. Using bone stimulator for last 5 weeks. Definite improvement on use of right arm but I still can't lift it higher than shoulder level. Started PT last week so doing painful excercises that I see are helping w/mobility. I am starting to think surgery might be the way to go...Has anyone regained full mobility going the natural route after 12 weeks??? or even longer....???? Thanks for any info...Geneen

Thanks Hans for providing a great site! I am not a cyclist, but I am a fellow athlete who has also broken their clavicle. I broke my right clavicle while playing rugby two years ago. Anyways, I healed up really quick (about 6 weeks), and I was back to my normal activities without any discomfort. I had a huge bump at the break site and was told by the orthopedic surgeon that as long as it didn't cause any pain, that there was no need for surgery. No pain was a result of it so surgery had never crossed my mind. That was until March of this year, where I began to notice severe discomfort when reaching for things above my head, lifting heavy objects, etc. Since I had a very labour intensive job (oil drilling rig), I figured that there was no way I could keep on dealing with the extreme pain I was left with at the end of each shift (burning in the shoulderblade, weakness in the arm and lower right back pain). I had the problem checked out by an orthopedic surgeon, who stated that I had a malunion and that my collarbone had never actually fully healed and that it was only being held by fibrious tissue and was a result of the severe displacement when the original fracture occured. I was puzzled to say the least because this was the first time I had complications since the break in the spring of 2004. Now I had the pleasure to deal with this great inconvienence that has put my professional life on hold. I talked with the surgeon about the best possible procedure and he highly recommended a plate and screws with a bone graft to fix the problem (based on my job, age-21 and overall health). The big day was on May 16 at 10:00am. The procedure lasted two and a half hours. It is exactly 1 month post op and I can already feel the difference stability makes. My shoulder does not droop down anymore and my arm doesn't feel like it weighs 200 pounds! So my advice to anyone with a clavicle fracture is to take things slow to prevent complications from occuring in the future. Plate and screws may not be for everyone and you should discuss your needs to the doc. Good luck to everyone. I am concerned however, that I will not be able to perform my job the way I used to as a result of my added hardware (doc says back to normal but he hasn't had a broken collarbone or a physically demanding job). If anyone can assure me that Im talking crazy, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
P.S : Also, has anyone had this procedure done and how long was it before you were able to work again. All this time off is causing me to go nuts!!

ontheshelf,

Just curious ... at what points after your clavicle break did you have follow-up x-rays taken?

Adam,
I had xrays taken the same day of the break and at two weeks, four weeks and at six weeks. I was also asked to come in at 6 months after the break to get another set taken. I went over the final xray with my doctor and by what I had seen and what he was telling me, it was clearly a union. My question as to what happened has not yet been answered because my GP could not provide one. My ortho surgeon assumes I broke it again without realizing and that the fiberious tissue seen on my xray this spring was it trying to heal again. I find it hard to believe this theory because I cannot recall an actual incident where I might have done such a thing. It is kind of scary to not actually know what caused this.

I broke my right collar bone 3 weeks ago. Drinking too many beers and riding a bike turned out to be a bad combination. People call me a dare devil, and I admit that I'm a active person. The doctor told me it would take 6 - 8 weeks for it to heal. I freaked out! I live in Sweden, and everyone who has been in sweden knows that we sweedes live for the swedish summer. Summer pretty much started the same day when my bone was broke, hence my frustration. Two days ago I went wake boardning with my mates. Turned out well. I had to use my left arm only. Didn't do any massive jumps or anything... Couldn't even do 180's coz my right arm wouldn't hold the rope.

It was a good wakeboard session! My shoulder is pretty sore now though... Well, you live and learn I guess.

Hans or others -
I broke my collarbone cycling on June 10...

Q: What can you do to promote a full union after week 2? And what's the story on desk work and sitting/typing? I see encouragement for immobilization and have found that even staying home "resting" doesn't equate to immobilization since you can't set/cast the bone; there are always needs to get up; move; cook; read sitting up; pay bills; go to drs appts for this accident and a skiing accident I had earlier this year (!); live. the first week every time I laid down or got up I could feel it move (with the result that trying to 'rest' felt worse than walking around!)

Reading this site I think I pushed it too hard over the last few weeks. The drs took it pretty casually & everyone I had talked to said they were cycling within 5-6 weeks & on trainers by Day 2 or 3. Originally the pieces were perfectly aligned, but as of Day 10 the part next to the shoulder had descended so there was a partial lineup but not perfect alignment anymore. Dr says this is still fine, the pieces are close together. I was in a sling/working part time Days 1-6, resting mostly out of sling days 7-9 (now reading this site I think this was crazy), and have been in a figure 8 since Day 10. The dr says I don't need to wear a sling ("overkill" sinc I'm in a figure 8).

I love this site and I confess some stories provokes worries that neither dr did (both have been very positive)

Kristen - I was sitting/typing a week after my break. I would slide my arm out of the sling and use the chair's arm rest for support. But I had to be careful not to start leaning on that arm and applying pressure into the shoulder. Additionally, I would continue to wear my figure-8 sling. Since it was difficult to extend my arm forward I raised my chair and slid the keyboard closer to my body. This allowed me to get my hand/fingers close enough for typing. A little akward but it worked.

I wore the sling along with the figure-8 since it helped when my arm/shoulder became tired and provided support. My doc wanted me taking my arm out of the sling several times a day. He also asked me to bend the elbow and shoulder joints to keep them limber. This reduced the chance losing range-of-motion. But he did stress not to do any movement to the point of pain.

To help promote healing I tried to keep the shoulder on the broken side immobile as much as possible. Wearing the figure-8 most of the time, sometimes even when sleeping, really helped. Then I took additional supplements, calcium, etc..

I hope this helps and that you recovery quickly.

Hans - thanks - this is encouraging. BTW I am a fellow-Northern-CA-er (Bay Area)

BTW The most ruefully hilarious thing is that my natural reflexes still think my arm works -- when I start to drop something my right arm instinctively reaches out to grab it even though I broke my right clavicle (ouch!). I suppose we could all keep adding to these lists. I cut a slit in the neck and back of a t-shirt today to get into it....

I took the keyboard totally off the desk and placed it in my lap. That was a VOILA realization!

Hello, I broke my collar bone on June 4th in a motorcycle accident. I new it was broke because I could see the bump on my clavical...and it hurt! I was hurting for a couple of days. I went to see the orthpedic three days after the accident and got an x-ray. The break was about an inch apart. My Dr. recommeded that I have surgery otherwise it might not have healed due to the large separation. So, I opted for the surgery. However, it was not a plate and screw surgery. The Dr. used a Rockwood pin to align the bones back together. After surgery it felt better. I'm now on week three after surgery. The only downfall with the surgery is that you will get a scar due to the incision in order to put the pin in. I have another x-ray apt. in a week to see how things are healing. There are new alternatives that make it better to opt for surgery then letting it heal on it's own. But definitely talk to your Dr. about this option. Happy healing to all!

Well, I just found this site while looking for a broken clavicle "how long does it take to heal" search. I figured I would let you know about my experience with a broken collarbone.

It happened March 4, 2006, while motocrossing in the deserts of Las Vegas. I was riding by myself, although other dirtbikers were nearby, and I went over an unfamiliar hill. Well the other side was more of a drop-off than I expected, the bottom had no width to ride down and back up, and the other side was too far to jump over the span. So I ended up crashing into the upward side of the hill. My right shoulder smashed into the inclined hill. Crack...and an immediate bump on my right upper chest...yeeeeouch!!

I could tell something was wrong and could feel some pretty serious pain there, along with a sharp part of the bone trying to push its way out of my skin. I managed to lay there for a while until a couple guys on a quad and another motorcycle showed up. I stayed on the ground because I had to get the air back in my lungs...haa. Once I stood up I was seeing stars and finally everything went white. I couldn't see but I could still hear, but I stayed standing. I was told later the "white" was pain...haaa.

The guy on the quad wanted me to leave the bike there and he would take me back to my truck. I said no way was I leaving it out there. I finally had one of the guys lift my bike up and start it for me and I rode it back to my truck, about three miles in the desert. That was fun. I went home, dropped the trailer/bike off and drove myself to the hospital.

X-Rays comfirmed it, it was broken into three pieces. I saw the X-Rays and thought "how is that ever going to get back together?" The bones were completely misaligned and there was a big space between the pieces. I was given the surgery or "heal on its own" option. Because they had already placed the figure 8 on me I was already experiencing the joy of wearing that thing. It was extremely uncomfortable. I seriously was leaning toward surgery. They told me not to take the figure 8 off. They said it would have to stay on at least 6-8 weeks if I didn't have the surgery. There was no way I could wear that thing that long. Besides, I needed to get back to work.

I chose surgery. My injury happened on a Saturday. On the following Wednesday (March 8) I went for the surgery. It went well. They put about a 7 inch plate and about 8 screws through it to hold it on. One screw was needed to attach the third piece to the bone shaft. It doesn't go through the plate at all.
I didn't have to wear that figure 8 anymore and only had a sling I could take off if I didn't feel I needed it. The sling was to control pain. I was given a prescription for pain meds which I was able to stop taking in about 3 days, and then only for a couple more nights so I could sleep. The scar was about 8 inches long.

Once I removed the bandage, after about 4 days afer the surgery, I was horrified. The scar was a bright purple strip and was about 3/8 of an inch wide. What I didn't know was what I was looking at was a skin glue, Dermabond. Designed to reduce the scar visibility. The actual stitches were placed under the skin and were the type that absorb into your skin with time. No Frankenstein stitches are there, only a line. The purple Dermabond eventually pealed off like strips of rubber. It wasn't as bad as it initially looked.

I went back to work May 20th. I was light duty but at least I wasn't burning up my sick time.

After the surgery I have had monthly visits for X-Rays. Each month showed progress. I could see the fusion working. I just had my last X-Ray and Dr visit June 29. I am healed!! I don't have to go back and the Dr said I can resume normal activity. That's cool. Because this has been a painful reminder that I'm not a young guy anymore at 45. There is no bump, I don't have to worry about a non-union or an eventual surgery to fix that. The scar is almost invisible with my tan and with the exception of the occasional numbness of the skin below the scar, I'm pretty happy. The numbness came from cutting the nerves to do the surgery, which is one of the possibilities of having surgery. Another is infection, which I didn't experience. My mobility is about 90% and only because I need to start stretching it out and rebuilding strength.

One thing I think I should warn everyone about is when the DR says don't take the figure 8 off, listen to him. Pre-surgery I was at home alone and felt the figure 8 should be a little tighter. I decided to try and tighten it myself. Well I got the straps bunched up in the locking device and had to take it off to fix it. After my shoulder had been held back for 2 days and I took the thing off, my shoulder spazzed and moved forward pushing the broken part of the bone out and against the skin and it was trying to push out....I was dying!!! It took some serious mental concentration to stop the spaz and the pain and move my shoulder back. The figure 8 went back on...and I left it there...haaa.

If you are having a hard time trying to decide the surgery or not route, I would suggest looking at the distance between the bones and the angle they are in. Too much space or too much angle will be a tougher healing process and, from what I've read, a greater loss of mobility. There is always a possibility you may have to have the surgery later to correct a non-union if you try to heal without surgery. That is a lot of wasted time if it has to be fixed that way. Then you have to wait again after the surgery for that to heal.

Just my two cents...if it happens to me again, gosh I hope not, I know which route I'm taking.

I know this is long. Hope I didn't bore too many of you. Take care. HD.

Kristen - Hey there fellow NorCal-er. NorCal is such a great place. But it sure sucks to be busted up here since we have so many outside activities to miss out on.

Your comment about reflex grabbing busted me up. Once I reached for a glass that tipped over but the pain stopped my grab. The glass fell and spilled the drink on my lap. So I ended up with a sore shoulder and a wet lap.

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HD - Thanks for your story. Dang, that crash sounded bad. Yeah, I can relate about not wanting to leave your bike. It's the same reason we jump up from a crash and check the bike before our own bodies. How many times have I said "Yeah, but how's my bike?" :')

On July 1st I took a nasty tumble in a bicycling race and snapped the right clavicle in two places.
This is my 3rd fracture.
The first urgent care I went to gave me a two-strap sling and lateral immobilizer and said to check back with ortho.
I went to the ortho as dictated and he said that he would do nothing until bone was protruding through the skin even though you could see the skin "tenting" through the swelling.
This ortho gave me a different style sling to wear.
About 5 hours later I was in the E.R. because the bone had scraped away so much skin that I was bleeding under the skin: the same ortho was called and he maintained his stance.
After a little research, I found out there's a better method than plate&screws and "let nature take its' course and hope for the best": the Basamania procedure.
On the recommendation of the ortho who fixed my knee 8 years ago, I saw a different ortho who specializes in shoulders and elbows.
I'm going in for a variation on the Basamania surgical procedure today at 2:15 PM.

On june 21st, I broke my left collarbone in a fall on an icy patch while hiking alone in the local mountains.Although my arm was in considerable pain, I hiked out and drove home.

My daughter drove me to the Emergency where an x-ray confirmed a break on the distal side, about 2 1/2 cms. from the shoulder joint with about 1/2 cm. displacement.

This came as a real shock since I am an amputee, and although healthy and active at the age of 54, I depend entirely on the arm that is supposed to be immobilized for healing.

In any case, I booked off work for the month, and have been trying to use a sling although I can't avoid using my hand for the basics.

Like another personm who posted here, I'm using pain as an indicator for limiting my arm mobility and have thus far have experienced more discomfort than pain. The swelling and bruising now seems to be subsiding and I am actually recovering most of the mobility although I'm still not lifing anything heavier than a teakettle and using using the arm only in bent position, close to the body. I could actually do without the sling but am still trying to use it for a few hours a day.

However, being already past the critical 10-14 day "gluing stage" I'm worried just how much the use of my arm, as well as my age, may be delaying the fusing of the ends of broken ends of bone.

Advice?

Nick - I just did a little research on the procedure you mention. I found this interesting article:

http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2001/04/collarbone420.html

And Dr. Carl J. Basamania's site at Duke Health:

http://www.dukehealth.org/physicians/F389C81B5DCEAC8985256DFD006A9302

It sounds like an interesting procedure and a heck of a lot better than a plate and screws. It would be great to hear how your procedure turned out.

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Fred - Yup, I hate to tell you but age is against us when it comes to healing. It's true the first two weeks are a critical time for healing. But the healing doesn't stop then. The body will keep working to heal the bones. In some cases, if the body can't fuse the bones back together, it will create a fibrous union. That can sometimes provide enough stability.

I would recommend you keep using your pain indicator for use of your arm. Just take it slow and work up to more range of motion and heavier objects. You might also consider a consultation with your doctor and a followup x-ray around four weeks after the break.

What a find this site is.
I broke my right collarbone on May 13, and it's been 2 months of fear, stress, rehab, and finally just yesterday, good news. The fracture is showing signs of healing, and my doc said I won't need surgery. He said it's creating a fibrous union.

I'm an athlete, in my early 40s.
The bikeride I made that day was the best I'd done since last Fall.. I rode about 15-20 miles, even stopped halfway to run steps at a local stadium. 3 blocks from home I made a left turn I've made a thousand times. Problem was, there was an oil slick I didn't see in time.

The wheels went right out from under me like I was on a sheet of ice. I was falling to the left then sharply overcorrected and lunged to the right. I tried to roll at impact, but my entire body weight landed on my shoulder. I still managed to roll a few times and ended standing completely upright. I knew it was broken. Not too much damage to the bike, just a twisted handlebar and seatpost. I walked the 3 blocks home and my buddy took me to emergency. Out in less than 2 hrs with only a sling.

3 days later to the ortho.
He said it was aligned well and should heal, but that there was a 10% chance of surgery. 3 weeks later still not healing well, so he ordered me a bone stimulator and I was to wear the sling 1 more week, then start rehab.

That was 5 weeks ago.
Thing is, it's been a struggle with rehab. Something not too many people have mentioned here. I have to do 2 sessions at home everyday. About 12 or so different exercises. Half using a stick. (I'm a person who did 50-100 pushups, chinups, pullups, dips, not to mention the weights, and 1000 various situps and crunches for strenthing 3 times a week. Biking and running another 3 days.)

I still have pain, but never with the bone. It's more in the frontal area of the joint. It's one spot that I describe as a "speed bump". An area that I have to pass through every time I move up and down. Once I get past it, I can move well. Has anybody else experience this? The doc says keep doing the rehab, and it will eventually fade. He says it's because the rotator muscles are weak.

Also, any info on a fibrous union?

Any advice would be much appreciated.
George in Ohio.

I almost forgot -
My doc told me yesterday that I could ride again! And do light jogging. But no pushups, chinups, etc, and definitely NO weights. I see him again in 2 months. I don't get it. The pressure on the handlebars for a long period can't be much less than doing pushups. These are the sorts of things I couldn't think to ask him in the office. (You always remember these things on the ride home from the office!) ;-)

Anybody have any similar experiences or advice?

One more thing, I promise!
Does a fibrous union ever harden and calcify into bone?

George, sorry to hear about the healing not going so well.
This my 3rd broken collarbone and the previous 2 healed up pretty good.

Since someone inquired, my surgery didn't quiote go as planned.
What should've been a 1 hour procedure (Basamania) was abandoned after 2 hours of trying to get the pin in.
The ortho opened the top part of my shoulder because he figured he would just have to re-set the bone.
Here's where he hit a snag.
In addition to the two very visible breaks, one end had slammed so hard that it had multiple smaller fractures that created a Y-formation.
Any attempt to tighten the pin would've caused splintering, so the doc had the O.R. re-setup and repositioned me for plates and screws.
The next day sucked because they had me on morphine the entire time and the prognosis is: 1 month minimum in a completely immobilizing sling, 3-5 months for bone fusion, and the plates and screws will have to stay in for a minimum of 1 year, but more likely 15 months.
Absolutely no riding for at least 3 months!
Oh well, time to join that great sport...walking!
The missus is really big into homeopathic healing and has bought this gunk from the Dr. Christopher line that's supposed to be really good for tissue and bone damage.
http://www.worldhealthdepot.com/index.mhtml?sp=1&category=product&page=product_display&product_category_id=15&product_id=1814
The meager amount of research i've done seems to indicate that comfrey is supposed to be really good for breaks, perhaps it may also help inthe solidification of a fibrous union.(?)

Nick
Sorry to hear that the surgery wasn't a perfect slam dunk - best wishes!!!

All
It's hard to believe it's now been 4 weeks and 4 days (I'm counting) and about 2 weeks since my last entry. My next x-ray is 7/19. I am looking forward to it so much, hoping for a good prognosis. It feels like the bone has stabilized now (I don't feel it moving anymore). I believe it is healing in an overlap now - I can feel the end of the break near the skin on one side, and the point beyond the break seems lower. Has anyone else healed through overlapping bones? (Has anyone else become obsessed with feeling the bone to guess how it is healing???!) The first week I couldn't even look at myself in a mirror because I didn't want to catch sight of the protruding bone, now I am checking constantly! (Has it gotten more "normal" in the past 8 minutes?!)

I'm still wearing the Figure 8 diligently although I take it off for a few minutes during showers - I have 3 that I wash and rotate. I assume that is OK (?!) - the X-Ray will tell all...

Hans
Yes, I can't believe that it is so gorgeous here lately, and I am not cycling. I am hanging out with cyclists who are going out on this ride, that ride...I confess the indoor biking isn't the most thrilling adventure I've ever done in my life.

George in Ohio,
My dr. told me to practice my range of motion with my arm (letting pain be my guide). So I now actually have excellent range of motion (although a week ago I couldn't raise it even level with my shoulders). I definitely experienced the clicking in my shoulder at first but it's lessened considerably. I've been told not to push, pull, lift anything, or drive still. I find it surprising that my dr. told me to start gentle range of motion movements after about 3 weeks. It's paying off in the arm mobility; hopefully my break will also heal well!

All,
A very sad story - a cyclist (Pat) died in the last week. That, in combination with my accident, are big lessons in the importance of absolute focus and attention to safety, even when riding a route you've done 1000 times or a place that seems so easy its boring. That's how my accident happened, and I've definitely heard a lot of similar stories (like the one above) where the accident happened in the territory of the familiar.

Kristen, thanx for your input. Some days the range of motion is better than others. Now they've said I can add light (1-2 lb) weights to my workouts. Still hitting that pain point though while standing and lifting the arm to level. Everything else is going great.
The trouble is with short arm movements.
For instance, if I try to brush my teeth, the shoulder locks up and I have to bend my head down to reach my hand. But if I bend forward toward the floor and relax my arms, then the affected shoulder sort of "pops" into a looser position, and I can then raise my arm to brush my teeth, wash my hair, wash underarms, etc. But then it's on the way down that I hit the pain point again, as I lower the arm. Shortly before my hand is at my side, my shoulder hits that point, and I flinch slightly as the joint reestablishes it's "lock" position. One way I can lower the shoulder smoothly is to point my elbows outward as I lower the arm like a chicken wing. Then it lowers without hitting that pain point.

Is this, in fact, the symptoms of a locked shoulder I'm describing? Anybody with a similar feeling out there? I can curl 10 lb weights with no problem...
...I guess the old adage is true - "No pain no gain!"

Sorry to go on about this. Just looking for someone to commiserate with.

George in Ohio.

George:
I broke my collarbone two years ago and I was told after 12 weeks that it healed, but is was a fibrous union. My doc told me that usually this causes no problems and that possibly over time, it would calcify and turn into solid bone.. In my case he was wrong. I lived a normal life for one year post fracture until one day, POP! It turns out my fibrous union was really weak. This pop caused my collarbone to twist - yeah twist. So instead of my fibrous union being in an overlapping position, it was now shifted 180 degrees downwards. This caused extreme pain with day to day activities. I saw an ortho right away - it was now referred to as a non-union with severe displacement and a floating shoulder. It was highly recommended I have surgery right away - so i did. I had a bonegraft done with plates and screws to correct the problem. I am exactly two months post operation and things seem to be going alright. Still pain and my range of motion is not that great, but I feel like I am better off. I see the doc on the 19th, should now more after xrays are taken. I still may need another two - three months before I can go back to work, though. This has been the worst experience of my young life - I am only twenty years old. The doc said I will probably always have discomfort in my right shoulder, which is my dominent side. I hope your fibrous union will hold up, because mine sure didnt. I have read many stories of people - young and old - able to live a normal life with a fibrous union, so there is hope. One day I feel great like nothing ever happened, the next day Im in a doctors office discussing surgery. Not a pleasant experience if I must say so. Good luck with your healing process everyone.

Hey guys, I broke my left collar bone about 5 weeks ago during school. We were playing football in Phys. Ed and I went for a diving catch in the N-zone, although I scored the winning point and was the un-official hero of the game, sadly, I broke my collar bone by landing on my shoulder with outstretched hands. By now of course I'm feeling much better and feel very confident about using my left shoulder and arm to do things, I would estimate that I've recovered to about 80 - 90% movement thus