Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

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stevecassidy
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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby stevecassidy » Fri Jun 19, 2015 8:09 am

I saw the physio pretty soon after the operation, I trust him and wanted to get some advice about recovery (he's a cyclist - Ben Go at Macquarie Sports Physio). The surgeon was quite conservative with what I was allowed to do, I probably did more than he wanted a bit sooner but everything seemed to be going very slowly. I'd say go to the physio if you have one you trust.

I had no form when I crashed, I was just getting back to regular racing after a break. My goal at Heffron that day was to finish since I hadn't managed that before in C grade there - it was all going well until the crash.

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Pedaling » Fri Jun 19, 2015 9:58 am

I really appreciate your replies Steve.
Your advice is consistent with my other mates advice, so thanks mate.
Heffron is a weird and wonderful beast, which will teach us how to corner at speed two or three wide, or hide from/force others into the wind.
Say g'day next time you see a bloke in RBCC kit and an orange Colnago.
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dalai47
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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby dalai47 » Fri Jun 19, 2015 10:16 am

Definitely look at getting movement back ASAP with the physios direction.

I had mine plated last year. Ended up close to 9 weeks in a sling (happened just before Easter so took 2 weeks to get a second opinion and then operated on) then another 6 1/2 weeks till I saw the surgeon again. By that time my shoulder was well and truly frozen, so surgeon kept me off the roads another 6 weeks!

I was on the trainer sitting upright arm in a sling within 2 days of the crash and again after the operation. But when I got the news to start physio but not being allowed back on the bike proper I stopped using the trainer, as riding upright cradling the arm rolling the legs over Z1 was doing my head in. I was allowed to run so at least was able to exercise outdoors a little!

16 excruciating physio sessions later (physical manipulation to increase range) over a number of months I finally had full range. Just happy to be able to ride again, I didn't get back to racing till 8 months later! Took a number of races to get comfortable bumping shoulders again...

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Pedaling » Fri Jun 19, 2015 1:57 pm

Wow Dalai! No bloody way!
two weeks in a sling, then the operation. Then 9 weeks in a sling, that is a true test of patience mate.
Thanks for sharing your story, hopefully I can learn the easy way.
I have spent most of today (day 6) out of the sling, but still supported, and trying to gain as much movement without pain.
The first race back seems so very difficult, mentally and physically.
Do you know of any literature on clavicle recovery, or did you lads go on what medical experts personally evaluated?

Thanks Gents
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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby dalai47 » Fri Jun 19, 2015 2:11 pm

Was close to 9 weeks in total - 2 weeks before the operation and 6 1/2 after which was long enough...

Found the mental aspect very difficult. For me it wasn't so much the fear of crashing itself (its not the first crash I've been involved in) rather the length of time not being able to exercise properly! I've been active in sports my whole life and really struggled being inactive and then weight gain.

I followed the surgeon and physios directions. Though should have seen the physio earlier than only after my post operation meeting with the surgeon which was 6+ weeks after the knife.

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby cancan64 » Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:31 pm

I havent broken mine but I did dislocate it the right Clavicle on the strenalus side. It was back in 96 playing rugby. they said I could have it operated on and put back in place but it is dangerous so they left it out... my neighbour was a retired physio so a lot of visits to her and swimming and I was good for the grand final 6 weeks later, well I though I was but they wouldn't let me play... then in 2008 I knocked it back in again playing Rugby and 2010 popped it back out again... funny enough playing rugby once again.... thinking I might give tonights game a miss now. I did get a bit of pain from 96 until it went back in and now I dont have any or notice its out.
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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Pedaling » Fri Jun 19, 2015 8:08 pm

Dislocated clavicle?
nice trick.
Seem as though this bone injury is fairly common, but varies depending on the type of injury.
It is coming up to a week dealing with this injury, and I am thinking, "How am I going to last?"
I am marshaling down at Heffron tomorrow afternoon, so I'll just need to keep myself busy.
if you are heading down, please say hello.
I also need to watch my weight also. At least the dog will be very well walked next week.
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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Pedaling » Tue Jun 30, 2015 10:31 pm

Hi all,
Quick update; Third week into my recovery and I have not worn my sling for a week.
My left hand is needed (left collar bone is broken), as I have a broken right wrist and thumb as well.
I had concerns that my left shoulder may freeze and I may end up with some restricted movement, although I no longer have these fears as my arm is having to do a lot of moving.
I attempted to go for a ride late last week, but the plaster cast prevents me from changing gears and braking efficiently.
Therefore I will need to dream up some type of exercise routine to stop me losing all form, and gaining excess weight.
Ideas of any types of exercise a man with my limitations could do would be very much appreciated?
Thanks

Darrin.
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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby moosterbounce » Tue Jun 30, 2015 11:11 pm

trainer ride?

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Machoman121 » Fri Jul 10, 2015 11:44 pm

seeing so many shoulder - collar bones issues - is there any type of exercise that will strengthen the collar bones? what about dips or military press?

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby CKinnard » Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:49 pm

Machoman121 wrote:seeing so many shoulder - collar bones issues - is there any type of exercise that will strengthen the collar bones? what about dips or military press?
before or after breaking?
before - the idea is to increase compressive and torsion forces. This will help to reduce Calcium resorption from the bone due to eating too much meat and dairy. (yes, eating too much protein makes your bones weak).
compressive exercises = pushup, bench press, forward fly, cable pulley tennis forehand.

torsion exercises = anything taking your arm above your shoulder from below and vv ... cable pulley machines and dumbbells are best for these. though pull up and dips aren't too bad though dips compromise your shoulder capsule and rotator cuff.

though the best thing is preventative measures. ride with more situational awareness, and learn to read risk better. Too many guys I see smash it where I perceive risk they obviously don't.

our culture unfortunately buys into the medical illusion that doctors can 'fix' things. this is highly exaggerated. but don't take my word for it. learn by experience!

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Machoman121 » Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:05 pm

CKinnard wrote:
Machoman121 wrote:s dips compromise your shoulder capsule and rotator cuff.
ah...I've always enjoyed doing dips and the idea of dips - and was thinking about getting a dedicated dip stand (another toy for the garage). But if bench pressing is better (without the shoulder issues with dips as you've said) than i'll stick to benching then...

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby fatherofmany » Fri Aug 14, 2015 8:53 pm

Did mine after a highside down a large hill when about 16.

Youth means you heal quicker but I did push the limits a bit.

No surgery but did have a sling and pain for a couple of weeks. Started taking it out (not when at school of course!) after the 3rd week.

Seeing as though the brakefail that caused it ripped out spokes, bent my front wheel and forks (old steel malvern star) with slight damage to the frame, I had to wait a while to ride again. Like I said, I took it out of the sling to build a new bike. I think I was riding again in about 6 weeks but in retrospect that was a bulletproof (almost) teenager thinking that he wouldn't come off again.

I've come off a few times since but haven't done another clavicle. Yes though to ribs, wrist, fingers and a whole lot of missing bark including grinding my knee down to the bone. Rode 90km 2 days after breaking ribs & wrist but that was a whole world of pain which I wouldn't recommend. I still love fast downhills, It hasn't affected that, although I know some people can't quite push it as hard after an off.

Just know that the longer you wait (within reason) the stronger the knit and the less likely it will re-break if you come off again. Weigh up the risk. Heal well & get back on the bike.

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Robgr » Tue Aug 25, 2015 8:53 am

Well I broke my collar bone just over 5 weeks ago, along with my scapula, 4 ribs and I also had a Pnuemothorax to my right lung. I spent 6 days in Hospital and from the start they told me they dont like to operate on collar bones anymore. I have a feeling this is just the public system policy now even though I think surgery would improve my long term mobility.
Going back again on Friday for another xray and review and I am going to push for the option of surgery as I cant even wear a seatbelt over my right shoulder so there is no way I would be able to commute to work with a backpack.

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Dreams V Reallity » Tue Aug 25, 2015 9:10 am

I broke mine in M'bike crash 27 yrs ago. Have a lump where one bone sits over the other. Could only read the first couple of posts, as it made me go all sweaty and clammy.

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby dalai47 » Tue Aug 25, 2015 11:34 am

Got the same response when first got taken to emergency at a public hospital. So ended getting a second opinion and ended getting it plated self funded in a private hospital.

Note getting it plated isn't the golden elixir that I thought it was. Bone is nice and straight now BUT...

Consider the risks of getting it plated. Surgeon should go through these with you. This includes loss of feeling in the shoulder as nerves run across the collarbone and the usual risks of a full anaesthetic operation.

I ended with a frozen shoulder (thinking combination impact and lack of mobility with time before and after surgery) meant I was off the bike for over 14 weeks as I couldn't move my arm enough to ride! 16 excruciating physio sessions later I could finally move my arm close to normal range of motion. Sensation of shoulder to touch still doesn't feel quite like my right shoulder 18 months later.

Bought an over the shoulder courier bag for commuting because I couldn't use a standard backpack on my left shoulder due to the pain plus was wearing my scar raw. Only around 12 months later was I able to start wearing a light daypack again!

Now 18 months later any shoulder massages the ligaments can catch on the screw heads so is uncomfortable.

Still in two minds about getting the plate and screws removed.

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Robgr » Tue Aug 25, 2015 11:54 am

dalai47 wrote:Got the same response when first got taken to emergency at a public hospital. So ended getting a second opinion and ended getting it plated self funded in a private hospital.

Note getting it plated isn't the golden elixir that I thought it was. Bone is nice and straight now BUT...

Consider the risks of getting it plated. Surgeon should go through these with you. This includes loss of feeling in the shoulder as nerves run across the collarbone and the usual risks of a full anaesthetic operation.

I ended with a frozen shoulder (thinking combination impact and lack of mobility with time before and after surgery) meant I was off the bike for over 14 weeks as I couldn't move my arm enough to ride! 16 excruciating physio sessions later I could finally move my arm close to normal range of motion. Sensation of shoulder to touch still doesn't feel quite like my right shoulder 18 months later.

Bought an over the shoulder courier bag for commuting because I couldn't use a standard backpack on my left shoulder due to the pain plus was wearing my scar raw. Only around 12 months later was I able to start wearing a light daypack again!

Now 18 months later any shoulder massages the ligaments can catch on the screw heads so is uncomfortable.

Still in two minds about getting the plate and screws removed.
So how long after the initial break was the surgery? Did you bones fuse together at all before the plate? Sorry for the questions but this is all new and pretty scary to me.

My next option was to get a second opinion and try the self funded private option. If you dont mid could you PM me roughly the total cost for the op?

To me it does sound like the plate needs to be removed from yours and it just makes me more unsure of what I should be doing. :cry:

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby dalai47 » Tue Aug 25, 2015 2:01 pm

Surgery was two weeks after the break as it was just prior to Easter so took a little time to get the appointment with the surgeon and then a spot on the operating table. Surgeon came by and felt my collarbone as I sat waiting to go in for the operation - hadn't even started to fuse.

Pre surgery

Image

Post surgery

Image

Just checked the paperwork. Hospital (stayed overnight) and stainless plate plus screws was around 4.7K. (This plus some of physio was covered by my Cycling Australia insurance).
Surgeon, Anaesthetist, Surgeons assistant plus x-rays etc came to just over $2.3K of which I got a bit under a 1/3 back from medicare.

Definitely pros and cons for all options. If yours if reasonably aligned and can fuse successfully leaving it heal normally it will be the strongest! Plate in more likely to break either end of the plate, take it out every screw hole is a weak point...

Each case will be different - with my shoulder it was the one injury other than contusions from the impact (full somersault over another rider on the velodrome at 55km/hr landed on my shoulder) but perhaps being 44 also affected my recovery? Definitely get a second opinion, but you may find out healing naturally is the best option. In hindsight given the extended time off the bike I may not have had it done - I was expecting to be back racing after 6 weeks! Main point that swayed me to operate was if left aone and it doesn't fuse properly, it is a much bigger job to fix later.

Best of luck with it. Your injury list is far more impressive than mine!

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby fenn_paddler » Tue Aug 25, 2015 2:59 pm

Robgr wrote:Well I broke my collar bone just over 5 weeks ago, along with my scapula, 4 ribs and I also had a Pnuemothorax to my right lung. I spent 6 days in Hospital and from the start they told me they dont like to operate on collar bones anymore. I have a feeling this is just the public system policy now even though I think surgery would improve my long term mobility.
Going back again on Friday for another xray and review and I am going to push for the option of surgery as I cant even wear a seatbelt over my right shoulder so there is no way I would be able to commute to work with a backpack.
I had a similar (though worse) injury last November. I had a tightrope operation (a thread holding two buttons on the bone together) carried out on my distal clavicle fracture, but there was no way this was going to lead to anything but a non-union unfortunately. Fast forward to this July, with the non-union leading to ongoing discomfort and mobility issues - both on and off the bike. I got another operation done on the clavicle five weeks ago - this time a hook plate + bone graft off the hip to facilitate healing. It's all gone pretty smoothly so fingers crossed the bone is fusing. The surgeon did say that this would have been a much more straightforward op if done back when I broke it, rather than eight months later.

Based on my experience I would suggest getting another opinion and considering surgery if you can. I had months off the bike back in november then another couple of months now (best case scenario). It would have been more convenient to combine both convalescent periods & have had it all repaired properly in the first place. You aren't going to be doing too much until the ribs heal properly, so you may as well spend that time recovering from a shoulder op too.

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Robgr » Wed Aug 26, 2015 12:39 pm

At this stage I am going to get a second opinion, so any recommendations on an orthopedic surgeon on the south side of Brisbane?

I think my collar bone has started to fuse together but there is an awfully big lump where the bones overlap a little. The public doctors say surgery is only an option if the bones fuse shorter but as mine are overlapped it must be shorter?
To top things off I have now been diagnosed with influenza B.

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby dalai47 » Wed Aug 26, 2015 3:16 pm

Best of luck whatever you decide to do Robgr. Just remember things will get better!

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby danny the boy » Wed Aug 26, 2015 7:43 pm

I did this one nearly 2 years ago.

Image

Went to emergency at public (have low level private health), was told by ortho on duty would need an op. Having broke 2 before but just what they call greenstick breaks where it is still connected, I wasn't sure what to think about getting an op. Waited a week for re-xray's and was told by a different ortho it would heal by itself. Both ortho's gave the same story that there is a lot of nerves around that area and if possible not to operate is best unless you're in a hurry to get better, ie: pro athlete. Was road riding again at about 6 weeks, stayed off the MTB for a few months. For 3 moths after I thought I had taken the wrong option, I had pins and needles feeling in the palm of my hand, general discomfort with my shoulder, whether it was a different undiagnosed problem I don't know. After about 6 months I was fine, now I cant notice anything. Some people say that shoulder appears to be more open in my stance than before, as in it has less curve around when i am standing straight but I haven't had issues with this.

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby mikesbytes » Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:05 pm

When I broke my collarbone the ends were meeting and it looked like it would be a simple heal. But a few weeks later an xray relieved the worse, the ends were 2.5cm apart. At 8 weeks it was clear they would never heal so I had it plated and was back riding a few days later.
If the R-1 rule is broken, what happens to N+1?

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby dalai47 » Thu Aug 27, 2015 11:16 am

danny the boy wrote:Went to emergency at public (have low level private health)
I had none naively thinking CA insurance coverage would cover things... Did get Private Health Insurance whilst heading into hospital for the operation - choosing a plan that had no waiting period for physio which I made good use off. 8)

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Re: Broken Clavicle (collar bone)

Postby Robgr » Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:41 pm

Yep, I found out pretty quickly how useless the insurance from CA is. Luckily I have income protection insurance through my super fund.

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