[Closed] Clavicle Fracture.....great!!

mines similar, except it was in 3 pieces. its fused together with a pokey-oot bit. took about 6 weeks to be able to use it, then 6 weeks of physio before i returned to work

I share your pain! I didn't see any improvement to mine until 8 weeks, and it still looked mostly broken, but with a smudge of new bone formation.

Wishing I'd pushed to get it plated, I think if you lead any sort of halfway busy lifestyle with work and kids then it's impossible to keep it immobilised long enough for a good heal : (

Still, 12 weeks seems about average to be back on bike etc.

I’m returning to the surgeon this Friday after 6 weeks.  I’m crossing everything that it’s made progress. Do you mean they didn’t confirm the bone is healing / not healing?  Good luck with it.

I went to see a private physio after 2 weeks, which has helped massively . I went from “can’t move it at all” to almost full range of movement in less than a week. It almost feels like it hasn’t fractured it terms of range of motion, although certain movements can’t be done with strength.

All the best.

go see physioclinic.net they've done great things with recovery when I've broken collar bones.

Have they offered surgery?

Cheers all, the ROM is getting there, doc said that the spider up the wall is the next thing I should do, but I still get pain at the site of the break. I slinged it for 3 weeks, then a figure of 8 brace for 2w, last week I took it out as it was so hot and my arm was aching so much due to lack of movement. So in the last week, its improved interms of movement but I expect thats just a musculer thing. No surgery advised, he said 85-90 chance it will heal as is and the risk of plating brings its own issues at this time, but then rambled on about 2 types of non union, one where there is pain, and the other no pain, I got the impression if its a non union and no pain they leave it, I need to read up as that doesn't make any sense.

So next steps, Physio for 3 weeks then another scan, I am signed off for 8 weeks, so that brings me to the end of that.

Luckily or unluckily I broke my arm in same crash. They plated both and recovery was quick and no lopsided shoulder 🙂

A surgeon cycling friend swears surgery is not needed he broke his and was riding on chain gang week later !! Guess it's all down to pain threshold/confidence too.

I broke mine in August last year and pushed to get it plated on the basis I do a lot of competitive track running, cycling and weight lifting etc. The list of sports I was reeling off didn't seem to bother them until I got to rock climbing.

Seems to be that sports which involve your hands being below your shoulders = not a problem (from their point of view, although I beg to differ)

But sports which need strength with your hands ABOVE your shoulders = grounds to consider surgery.

Total time from break to back on the bike riding Coed-y-brenin was 10 weeks including referral time etc.

This is my break for reference, doesn't look too bad from this angle but most of my displacement was front to back, not vertically.

[img] [/img]

Had you had good bone joining by 10weeks, yuo scan looks similar to mine, straight on looks okish but the tilted up shows the issue? I guess age could be against me being 40.

I have done sweet FA for 6 weeks, sat on the sofa watching TV!

I did mine a smidge over a year ago, I took my time with it as i was in pain for weeks.

Have full range of movement now but stayed off my MTB for a fair while. It was a simple break with no plating required but it took 8 weeks before my surgeon was happy that it had knitted together.

Like sprinter the surgeon was a bit concerned about climbing but he just said give it a bit longer to heal and rebuild the muscle before getting back to it.

Everyone heals differently, I have a high pain threshold [proven in a research study i was a participant in] but I couldn't look at my bikes for weeks

Had you had good bone joining by 10weeks, yuo scan looks similar to mine, straight on looks okish but the tilted up shows the issue? I guess age could be against me being 40.

I have done sweet FA for 6 weeks, sat on the sofa watching TV!

Like yours a small piece in the middle broke out which was too small to plate, so they just plated the main bones where they were supposed to be and allowed my body to 'fill in' the gap so that I was anatomically correct.

By 6-8 weeks the x-ray was showing the bone had grown back into the gap, but at that stage would not have been fully hardened so I was still taking it very easy while riding as a crash could have deformed the new bone if I'd gone down onto the shoulder/right arm again.

Well another xray at now 9 weeks and it shows no healing/joining what so ever. So been referred to the consultant for a discussion about surgery. Getting a range of movement now with physio. Not ideal though.

Think I'm at 12 weeks, missed an 11 week follow up as I was ill, seeing them next week instead.

My worry is that I have something small and loose at the back of the break, the main bone feels fine, can lift baby now and have ridden to work a couple of of times (45 minutes each way), but if I move in a certain way, usually extending arm forward or lifting it too high, I get the same sharp pain at the back of the break, and I can definitely feel something 'crunching' and 'squelching' under my fingers where the pain is.

Am really hoping it's just something to do with the shoulder being out of position due to muscle wasteage, but it feels suspiciously like a small loose fragment of bone or something...

To my shame sent a grumpy letter to the out-patient department last week, was just annoyed at having seen three different doctors in three different appointments, the first a consultant and the second two fairly young looking registrars who managed to contradict themselves and each other whilst giving me no confidence whatsoever in their verdict. Probably a black mark against my name but at least I've been very polite to the departmental secretary who I've spoken with plenty now...

I’m in the non union, no pain club. Did mine 4 years ago and after 12 weeks it was obviously not meshing. Took advice of 2 different consultants and just left it. Had no pain and perfect range of motion, so couldn’t see point of surgery which could leave me with a poorer range and pain. Was given a 12 month open appointment just in case but never went back.

Has never affected my riding or any other aspect of my life.

same here 3 appointments had and 3 different docs all slightly say different things.

Was mentioned today it can join with fibre rather than bone so a CT scan was mentioned.

Only started physio last week so hopefully once the muscle pain reduces hopefully the range of movement I have will be enough for them not to risk operating as I don't fancy pins. I guess thats the next discussion topic.  Told me not to lift anything heavier than a cup of tea on the side of the break.

I broke mine and had it pinned a week later. Was back on the bike in around 5 weeks . My shoulder was weak for a good few weeks later and the ligaments took ages to get stronger. The other down side is I get pain from th epin in cold conditions . My son has broken his twice in a year , no pin each time and back to full strenth in around 8 weeks ech time.

Broke mine early in June and separated my AC joint so not given much say in surgery, plated at two weeks...another 8 weeks and I’m finally starting physio in a couple of days (they were late sorting appointments) so hopefully will gain back that last bit of movement I’m missing. It came back quite well initially but I’m starting to struggle with the last bit.

Haven't ridden the bike since except on the turbo to try and keep ticking over. The clavicle break was right at the end leaving not very much bone to screw into, they didn’t share my enthusiasm for getting back on the bike at my last follow-up.

Hoping for a more positive response next time!

I'm back commuting again, haven't been signed off by the doctors but taking the bus into Edinburgh every morning was killing me, an hour and a half door to door instead of 45 minutes on the bike.

So far so good, I'm only on the road and cycle paths so no jarring, and I can get out of the saddle so long as I don't haul on the bars too much.

Hoping I can build up the hours gradually and start getting out at weekends again, CX racing might be optimistic, first race October 7th...

Latest diagnosis - it still hasn't healed, X-Ray shows two ends of bones with a great big gap in between them.

On the plus side, little to no pain at the moment, to the point where I overdid the commuting last week after three months off the bike, and upset my famously hyper-sensitive knees instead. Still, can ride the bike again once the knee settles down, mixed blessings!

While the consultant didn't commit to a diagnosis, I'm guessing if the bone hasn't fused, but I've got stability and no pain, that might mean a fibrous non-union? Will just focus on strengthening the shoulder with my physio, which happily the works healthcare will pay for. Still not back to doing proper press-ups, or at least, not many of them...l

Iirc the clavicle doesn’t actually do much so as long as there is no pain or movement issues I don’t see why surgery would be needed

I was in the painful non-union clavicle fracture club and had surgery. Turned out there was muscle wedged between the bone hence the pain. Plating didn't work so they wedged it with bone graft from my pelvis. Think pelvis, hammer, chisel...It was touch and go if it would heal, in a sling for 8 weeks, but thankfully it did. That was a long time ago.

If both bits of bone move together when you move your shoulder, you'll be fine despite the X-rays.

That's pretty much what the consultant said, we'll have another follow up in six weeks which is conveniently after my first CX race of the season, so a good test.

Basically he said if no symptoms then no need to operate, but if at a later date it becomes an issue, we can still operate.

edit: that sounds painful i-did-dab! Consultant mentioned 4 weeks mandatory in sling post-op which was enough to put me off, wife has been pretty patient with my non-baby-lifting or bathing for three months, but another 4-8 weeks would cause strife...

Well had my latest Xray and a consultant visit. Still not healed 3 months in. He said its showing signs of healing so no surgery yet. Got to go back just before Xmas, e said it will all be healed by then....heard that before! Told to lift nothing heavier than half a kettle of water until Dec.

Blimey - no offer to fix it ?   I opted for no surgery for an unstable spinal fracture. OK - 6.5 weeks on my back in hospital but it was healed enough to go home.  Back on the bike (gently) after 4 months.

That's no-where near knitting together.

Nope not offer to fix it, they said the bones are in the ideal place for healing. I think it just looks better due to the angle of the photo compared to the one in my original post. He said there was a shadow inbetween that showed healing, but I couldn't see anything new on this one that wasn't on the first one. My movement is OK just not strength. So that biking out of the window until next summer I reckon.

Did mine 4 weeks ago and had surgery after 3 so will see how it goes

wife has been pretty patient with my non-baby-lifting or bathing for three months,

I did did the same on my first ride out after our 3rd was born.

Broke mine in 2002. After much faffing had it pinned on Bupa. Wasn't pleasant after op. Has been fine ever since.

Going here next week to give pulse treatment a go. Anyone had it?

https://www.physioclinic.net/treatments/

Yes, many many years ago after breaking bones racing at Mallory park, i was racing again 3 weeks later at Donington.. I was rubbish..... but i could ride 🙂

So did my session in Ipswich so waiting for next scan in December.

In the meantime last Tuesday ended up on the floor with back and leg pain.  Persevered until Sat when the wife took me to A&E(Sat night croydon..more police than patients) as I was screaming pain and she didnt want my 6yo and 4yo to learn so many swear words. Managed to get an Xray and MRI on a sunday which showed L5 and S1 herniated disc pushing on main S1 root nerve. So spent last week on a hospital bed on a shed load of painkillers, gabapentin,diazapam,diclofenac,dihydricodeine and morphine.  Sent me home with a worlds supply of drugs said no op needed get on with it.

2018 is sodding great year.

L5/S1? Join the club, think that's the most common one to herniate!

Don't let it get you down, first time I did it was much like yours, bed bound with heat and ice packs almost in tears (not from the pain but from the immobility, genuinely scared I'd never do any hiking/biking again at the ripe age of 30).

Fast forward and I've done more awesome stuff since my first L5/S1 episode, you just get used to looking after your posture and core including more stretching and adapting your lifestyle (e.g. I work in an office so now have a sit-stand desk to change position during the day. I also always look for an opportunity to walk to meetings instead of taxi, etc.).

The pain you feel is muscle spasm, not the disc or the nerve (I think the nerve pain sort of radiates up and down the leg). My spasms (had a few minor ones since) can be overcome fairly quickly by keeping things mobile, e.g. walking and even light cycling. Heat packs seem to help, if only because they feel good. Funnily enough a little bit of horizontal yoga with the wife always seems to help as well 😉

Also, you need olympic weight lifter type form when lifting and playing with the kids! My last spasm was due to throwing the wee man up in the air and catching him, he's having a great time while I'm furiously concentrating on sucking the belly button in and keeping the back straight!

You might find with the discs that they settle themselves down - but pain / numbness continues. I had something similar (although not quite so much pain) and I had to have a cortisone injection into the immediate area under ultra sound to settle the nerve down. Since then it’s been manageable - although occasionally my back gets really tight / throbbing around the area if I push too hard or haven’t done a good amount of stretching before starting doing some sport.

See the two threads I've started recently about this having also broken mine 9 weeks ago. My consultant is dead aginst surgery; he says the risk or anaesthesia, combined with the risk of a bone infection and the possibility of the plate becoming an irritant means it's better to wait and see what Nature manages to achieve.

My BIL is a retired hospital CEO and he says orthopaedic surgeons take a lot more care to avoid infection because they know a deep low-grade bone infection is so difficult to treat.

I've just had my 5th physio session this morning and the physio reckons the bone is knitting OK despite what I fear (see threads passim) and I'm doing OK for 9 weeks in. Hope he's right.

The physio is excruciatingly painful but I do feel better for it.

For what it’s worth I’m in the fibrous non-union club as well and in addition to no issues with cycling or lifting heavy stuff I also go climbing with the kids occasionally and have no problem hanging my 100kg off that arm ( at least until my grip gives out!)

Before the massive pain episode the osteopath thought it was disc or piriformus syndrome as feels like my glut and hamstring want to rip out of my leg. The numbness only came on last week which is why I went to the docs. Over all ia getting easier but when it hurts its still a 10 on the pain scale. Trying to do 10mins walking and 50 on the bed and build it up. Phyiso walked me for 25mins yesterday and said yep good to go home...fked off and left me on the bed for 4 hrs in agony and they had to give me morphine. Great eh. So small steps. So not only collar bone now this..  mentally I will still get back to doing all the biking etc just need to ensure I prepare the core etc to cope. My issue is one doc says this....physio says that. ..consultant says something else. Who do you actually listen too......google right 😂

Agreed! Between collarbones and herniated discs it always seems to be the varied quality of advice that gets most frustrating.

Unfortunately it always seems to be the advice you least want to hear that is correct, usually along the lines of 'be patient, it will get better eventually' etc.

Beware quick fixes with the herniated discs, I explored a few when I lived in Canada, and since medicine over there is still mostly privatised (despite what Canadians would have you believe) there were a lot of shysters and snake oil salesmen out for your money. I've started seeing some of the stuff they were promoting being sold over here too.

To quote the discharge note

A significant right paracentral disc bulge is seen at L5-S1 level causing impingement of the right S1 nerve toot with deviation.

A significant central disc bulge is seen with subtle left sided predominance which lies close to the left L5 nerve toot however results in no deviation of the nerve.

Diazepam, dihydrocodine , diclofenac, gabapentin and oral morphine.

So that reads to me 2 knackered discs, 1 causes issues the other doesnt.

Pain is getting under control but whether that's just drugs or actual swelling decreasing who knows. Hopefully see a consultant next week.

Been living with a non-union now for 13 years and I ride lots for a living. Had been fairly painless for most of the time but had quite a bit of numbness at night and pain on long audaxes. I thought id just live with it until last summer when the pain became excruciating. I started to get worried that it might cause disability and pain in older age so I went back to my GP. Now waiting for surgery which is not without its risks but I feel will be worth it. Sod’s law though, now pain is gone! I’ve had an NHS referral to a private hospital in Brighton and the surgeon comes highly recommended. Should be getting fixed up early December. Hope to be back in shape for early spring by staying active and easing into turbo sessions after a couple of weeks. Going to be a tough winter with no riding though!