I fractured my collarbone almost a week ago.

Can anyone offer any suggestions, or share experiences about exercises, rehab and recovery times please?

I want to get back on the trail/mountains in sensible nick if possible!

cheers

Jim

Mine was four weeks, then several more weeks to get back to full strength. Depends how you have done it, is it still in one piece? Mine snapped and overlapped by about half an inch. Consultant said it would be fine. I was 20 yrs old and accepted what he said. 20 yrs later my head always pulls to one side and my neck on that side is always tight. Turbo trainer will be your friend I’m afraid, very very dull, but does work in keeping you strong, or in my case actually improved my climbing ability!

My shoulder is permanently screwed after I did mine. If the bone is overlapping or is in more than 2 bits, see about getting it fixed surgically.

Dr Costa is well practiced at getting risers back in the saddle within 2 weeks!

I feel for you, I’ve had it twice; if it happens again I’ll try these guys out:

Home

Discussions here:
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/that-physio-in-ipswich-that-does-the-magnetic-stuff

1st time had surgery after 6 weeks – indescribable pain, 2nd time didn’t need it, but was still off the bike for a few months and on a turbo – LAME!!

Both times: developed quite a codeine habit 🙂 Great stuff, but it turns your poo to stone and you’re not in the best state to be forcing.

Two types of cyclist. Those that have broken their collar bones and those that have yet to.

You can’t short cut the healing process. It will takes as long as it takes but as others have pointed out it depends on how badly broken it is.

Overlaps are not great news and the NHS’s non interventionist stance until it’s failed to heal over six weeks is understandable from a cost issue, but not from a patient care one!

Both mine a plated now and both meant a minimum of six weeks off the bike.

I fractured mine when I was 12 iirc. I had to wear a sling for 3 months I think. I just have a small lump on my collarbone where it was.

It seems to vary a lot. I was off the bike for about 8 weeks when I first did mine, but at the time a lot of folks said things like “Och, I was wrestling bears a fortnight after I did mine and I felt fine”.

About 8 weeks after I started MTBing after breaking it, I broke it again. 🙁 I got the all clear from the fracture clinic about 4 weeks later that time, though.

I’d look into getting physio for it. The fracture clinic doctor told me that it was unnecessary but my fracture shortened my collarbone by a bit and the muscles for my left shoulder have never adapted properly, so it is much more prone to aching than the other.

I did mine in February this year, it was not overlapping but had a triangle shaped bit floating around. Doc’s didn’t seem worried, they had a look, put it in a sling and told me I could come back in 3 months if I wanted to. Same for the Physio.

Had horrible shooting pains in my fingers where I damaged the nerve – worst pain I’ve ever had (and that includes lots of breaks and several massive poos). That’s gone now thank god.

I made the mistake about 3.5 months after breaking it, when I had forgotten about it, of giving our son a shoulder ride. He wiggled around and something clicked and felt like it moved a bit but did not hurt. It still clicks and feels as though something is moving if i rotate the shoulder through 360. Anyone know what this might be – does it hurt if you break it again where it was broken?

Lots of different scenarios here.

I have done my right shoulder 4 times now and just accept it slows me down for a few weeks.

Turbo trainer will help maintain fitness, but you have to do approx 30 mins several times a week….I suggest outside if possible for ventilation and temperature regulation.

If you become a codeine junkie, start taking laxatives and lactulose (not on prescription, approx £5 for 500ml/7 weeks supply).

You will need to rebuild your arm and shoulder muscles again and that will take several weeks of strenuous effort.

It is all worth it in the end…you could come back stronger than before.

PaulD

get physio and lots of contact with the docs if you can. listen to the physio and DO THE EXERCISES.
don’t keep it in the sling when you’re sat around at home. keep elbow and shoulder mobile.
if you’ve not already seen a physio ask to see one asap. if you’ve seen one try and get to see them again in a couple of weeks. you probably have a follow up xray due?
first time i did mine i kept it immobilised, basically. shoulder still clicks and creaks and i have a restricted range of movement compared to prior to the break.
when i did the other one i knew a bit more about what i was doing. this break was worse but recovery time, range of movement, shoulder movement, all better despite my shoulder being a bit nearer my neck than it was!

exercise. may just mean walking the dog but i think it helps. i was walking my dog in and out to work every day – about 2 hours in all.

they do vary, but just get as much contact as you can. being pro-active and looking to get fit again does not equal being a nuisance!
anti-inflammatories (sp?) are fine early in recovery but try and get off them after a couple of weeks as they impede bone healing ( apparently ).

get well soon.

I saw the consultant two days ago. He is confident that no surgery is needed at this stage. I will get my hands on a turbo trainer! In the meantime thanks for the advice and sharing of experiences. No doubt I will post for more help in a few weeks…

thanks

Jim

Done my right one twice now, my advice would be get it fixed. As soon as its operated on all strength comes back to your arm and although the bone is still broken you can get your arm fully moving again and dont take as much time to recover. I had the plate removed in oct last year then broke it again 5 weeks ago at the Aberfoyle round of the SXC I had it plated again a week after and I managed to race at the Forfar SXC last weekend although my fitness was not what it was my arm gave no problems. Was only off the bike this time for 2 weeks.
I’ve seen guys that leave it alone and have alot problems for months afterwards and for it not ever to be right. Push the consultant to fix it as they are more than happy just to let you get on with it without telling you the benifits of the op.

Not broken mine but I’ve seen a few who have with horrendous overlap spikes and the NHS telling them its fine, **** that, google around for.the French preference (iirc) of putting it in a figure of 8 traction sling to realign it so it heals in line. Good luck.

Just done mine today, no overlaps which is good, just patience and gentle rising for the moment

Did mine 6 weeks ago, broke it into 4 peices, had surgery a week later, doing the classic weekender next week. I think it totally depends how bad it is. Apparrantly it’s better to have surgery, the pain after is immense though

qwerty – Member
Not broken mine but I’ve seen a few who have with horrendous overlap spikes and the NHS telling them its fine, **** that, google around for.the French preference (iirc) of putting it in a figure of 8 traction sling to realign it so it heals in line. Good luck.

I got a figure of 8 from a french doc, and I still have a big overlap 😥

I’ve just spent a week in the Alps with nothing but bruises and my poor 2 year old daughter broke hers whilst i was away falling out of her bed. Docs just seem to want to leave it though.

When i did mine about 2 years ago, they again just wanted to leave it, much of it depends on the type of fracture, number of fractures, whether there is an overlap, distal or radial end, danger to top of lung etc, so each case is different, some 4 weeks, some surgery?

I’ve just spent a week in the Alps with nothing but bruises and my poor 2 year old daughter broke hers whilst i was away falling out of her bed. Docs just seem to want to leave it though.

When i did mine about 2 years ago, they again just wanted to leave it, much of it depends on the type of fracture, number of fractures, whether there is an overlap, distal or radial end, danger to top of lung etc, so each case is different, some 4 weeks, some surgery?

My X-ray had a big X where the 2 parts of my collarbone crossed! French doc gave me a sling and said go away with drugs!! Luckily I have private healthcare through work, and the uk doc plated it last week.

5 days post op I have full movement and the only annoyance is the cast on my fractured wrist!!

I broke my right clavicle near the joint last year. i was in a sling 4 weeks, riding gently after 6 weeks but told not to go MTBing for 3 months. The doctor warned that if I re-broke the bone before it was fully repaired the situation would become much more complicated and I’d need surgery.

Just broken the left side but somewhere near the middle . Painful, but the docs have left it unsupported and said it should heal ok on its own. More concerned that I broke a vertebra too, so will be in a neck collar for 6 weeks instead.

Having broken one and had surgery I’d push for surgery if it’s at all borderline. It’s not much fun but the end result is normally better

I was off the bike for about 3 months when I bust mine. It’s sore, it’s sucks breaking it, but just give it time to heal. You’ll be back on the bike in time for summer… whenever that arrives…

I did mine 12 weeks ago,a cleanish break in the middle,slightly out of position,I kept it disabled for 3 weeks then started physio which I would highly recommend,I had good movement at around 4-5 weeks,back golfing at 6 weeks with no major issues and back riding on the road at a similar time,and now I feel pretty much 100%,physio is the key I would’ve said,it was Lee Martin in Huddersfield I used.