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Broken Collar Bone Recovery Time

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Broken Collar Bone Recovery Time
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flag IronHyde
Posted: May 17, 2011 at 18:26 Quote
Here is my break from 3 weeks ago.

The first Xray is an hour after the break, second xray is 9 days after. My bones are still moving but it feels like the cartilage must be formed since they are somewhat moving as one unit.

photo

photo

The first week I was in a figure 8 sling only to make sure i didn't get an overlap. Then from day 9 i had a figure 8 sling and a regular arm sling to hold my shoulder up to make sure the bones were snug together. Next visit is in another week and a half which will be over 5 weeks since the break.

I can't wait to be able to stretch and sleep properly! And of course, ride!
flag Duds2k
Posted: Jun 4, 2011 at 13:43 Quote
^^^ How are you managing to keep the sling on, I got annoyed with mine after about a week.

At 6 weeks now, basically feel perfect. Follow up x-ray on Tues but expect to be back on a bike seconds after it.
flag Equinox
Posted: Jul 12, 2011 at 13:52 Quote
I broke my left clavicle 3 days ago. I didn't get a copy of the x ray but it was only 1 broken bone. The ER doc said that I will be feeling good in 2 weeks but to see a physiotherapist and wait 3-4 weeks before getting back on my bike.

When I read come here and read about injuries it concerns me because it seems like a lot of people are out for much longer. My family doc says I have to judge the recovery time on the amount of pain.

3 days into it I can move my forearm no problem but I feel pain when trying to lift my arm (i am move my arm out a bit but i can't lift it over my head or anything yet) and I can feel the bone moving around when I move in certain directions. I'm also not wearing a sling or anything.

I guess my question is.. if it was a bad brake would I be in more pain ? I really want to be on my bike asap (within a month) trying to get an idea of how long the recovery time will be =\



Thanks, Kevin.
flag Downhill340
Posted: Jul 12, 2011 at 14:19 Quote
don't get one your bike too early give it time until you feel 90-100 percent because if you don't you might crash and you will just aggravate the injury! Then you will be out for even longer!
flag Internetbiker
Posted: Jul 12, 2011 at 14:19 Quote
Equinox wrote:
I broke my left clavicle 3 days ago. I didn't get a copy of the x ray but it was only 1 broken bone. The ER doc said that I will be feeling good in 2 weeks but to see a physiotherapist and wait 3-4 weeks before getting back on my bike.

When I read come here and read about injuries it concerns me because it seems like a lot of people are out for much longer. My family doc says I have to judge the recovery time on the amount of pain.

3 days into it I can move my forearm no problem but I feel pain when trying to lift my arm (i am move my arm out a bit but i can't lift it over my head or anything yet) and I can feel the bone moving around when I move in certain directions. I'm also not wearing a sling or anything.

I guess my question is.. if it was a bad brake would I be in more pain ? I really want to be on my bike asap (within a month) trying to get an idea of how long the recovery time will be =\



Thanks, Kevin.

I'm pretty sure you should be wearing a sling or the bone won't have enough time in one position to start re attaching itself, maybe go see another doctor or something.

My recovery time was seriously increased by the wrong type of sling being given to me at the start of the whole process, everything felt allot better once I had the correct sling!
flag Equinox
Posted: Jul 12, 2011 at 14:25 Quote
Internetbiker wrote:
[Quote="Equinox"

Thanks, Kevin.

I'm pretty sure you should be wearing a sling or the bone won't have enough time in one position to start re attaching itself, maybe go see another doctor or something.

My recovery time was seriously increased by the wrong type of sling being given to me at the start of the whole process, everything felt allot better once I had the correct sling![/Quote]

Well both the ER doc and my family doc said that a sling would just be for my own comfort. And it feels better just resting then being held up in a sling. Honestly just want to heal so I can go back to work and start phyiso


for example I can sit at my computer and type using both arms. I rest my left elbow on my chair and only use the forearm for typing movement. I can move my left arm in small circular movements but can't lift it very high.
flag SantaCruzin27
Posted: Jul 12, 2011 at 16:53 Quote
I broke my collarbone 4 weeks ago. I had an x-ray done yesterday and the bone is still badly displaced. Iv been told that I need to keep the figure of eight brace on for another 2 weeks. I was never given a sling.

My advice to you (having gone through this kind of break two times now is this: Rest the affected arm compleatly for the first 7-10 days. Watch loads of dvds Smile After that you should try gentle exercises on the arm, I have a mark on the wall and each day I try to raise the arm a little bit higher. There is nothing to gain from trying to rush the recovery process, you will only make matters worse. I also started on the exercise bike at the beginning of week 3 - I just keep my arm as still as possible.

The doctor told me yesterday that I shouldn't even think about going back on the downhill bike till 3 months after the crash. I'm really hoping I will be back on it before then. I've read up a lot about broken collarbones recently and a lot of people are back on it within 10 weeks, for others its months. I guess it just depends how bad the break is. Unfortunatly I fell from quite a height so its bad...

Good luck Smile
flag Equinox
Posted: Jul 12, 2011 at 17:23 Quote
SantaCruzin27 wrote:
I broke my collarbone 4 weeks ago. I had an x-ray done yesterday and the bone is still badly displaced. Iv been told that I need to keep the figure of eight brace on for another 2 weeks. I was never given a sling.

My advice to you (having gone through this kind of break two times now is this: Rest the affected arm compleatly for the first 7-10 days. Watch loads of dvds Smile After that you should try gentle exercises on the arm, I have a mark on the wall and each day I try to raise the arm a little bit higher. There is nothing to gain from trying to rush the recovery process, you will only make matters worse. I also started on the exercise bike at the beginning of week 3 - I just keep my arm as still as possible.

The doctor told me yesterday that I shouldn't even think about going back on the downhill bike till 3 months after the crash. I'm really hoping I will be back on it before then. I've read up a lot about broken collarbones recently and a lot of people are back on it within 10 weeks, for others its months. I guess it just depends how bad the break is. Unfortunatly I fell from quite a height so its bad...

Good luck Smile

How badly did yours hurt when you first broke it, were you able to move your arm around at all ?
I'm just trying to judge the severeness of the break. Like I said both the ER doc and my family doc said that a splint would just be for my own comfort, neither of them even mentioned wearing a brace.
flag SantaCruzin27
Posted: Jul 13, 2011 at 14:42 Quote
I broke it real bad. I was doing a wooden drop-off at the local bikepark and well, who knows what happened next as I still cant remember.

I had my 4 week xray done yesterday and the two ends of the bone are nowhere near fixed. However when I broke my other collarbone two years ago the 4 week xray showed the bones coming together and I got to take the brace off. Two different breaks, two different recovery times.

All I suggest is that you keep it real still to begin with because even if the break is minor, the two bone ends still need time to fix and join together.

Are you in a lot of pain just moving? For me the car ride home from the hospital was torture for me, every bump in the road we went over made me scream...it was another 10 days before I ventured out in the car again - by which point the pain wasnt so bad. I needed help to stand up, sit down, go to bed ect. But I also had wiplash so that could have had something to do with the level of pain I had.

make sure you sleep upright - I know its agony but its essential. Just take sleeping pills. It worked for me.
flag Equinox
Posted: Jul 14, 2011 at 9:48 Quote
SantaCruzin27 wrote:
I broke it real bad. I was doing a wooden drop-off at the local bikepark and well, who knows what happened next as I still cant remember.

I had my 4 week xray done yesterday and the two ends of the bone are nowhere near fixed. However when I broke my other collarbone two years ago the 4 week xray showed the bones coming together and I got to take the brace off. Two different breaks, two different recovery times.

All I suggest is that you keep it real still to begin with because even if the break is minor, the two bone ends still need time to fix and join together.

Are you in a lot of pain just moving? For me the car ride home from the hospital was torture for me, every bump in the road we went over made me scream...it was another 10 days before I ventured out in the car again - by which point the pain wasnt so bad. I needed help to stand up, sit down, go to bed ect. But I also had wiplash so that could have had something to do with the level of pain I had.

make sure you sleep upright - I know its agony but its essential. Just take sleeping pills. It worked for me.


I'm not nearly in that much pain. The car ride to hospital wasn't to bad. I don't feel to much pain if I move my arm (unless I make a drastic movement) I can sit up and lay down on my own, when I do this I can feel the bone moving but the pain isn't THAT bad.
Today is my 5th day of resting and the bone is still sticking out like a motherf*cker and I can still feel it moving around like it hasn't fused together yet.
flag CalSonic
O+
Posted: Jul 21, 2011 at 13:11 Quote
Just read all 23 pages of this thread. Some great advice.....

I am 2.5 weeks into an oblique extra articulate distal clavicle fracture. Just using a sling and relying on the NHS for now. Pain has gone but still suffer from the horrible clicking/poppign sensation.

I have BUPA cover but can't really see what else they can do for me at this stage. My two bones slighty overlap and are about 0.5cm apart. At 35 yrs old I am slightly paranoid about a so called mal or non union. Taking calcium & vitamin supplements.

Keen to avoid surgery but equally tempted as I wont be charged for this with my BUPA medical cover and believe it will result in better long term results.

I shall see what my next xray looks like,

I found thus site very useful http://www.hanskellner.com/archives/2004/05/20/what_to_expect_from_a_broken_clavicle.html

Keep the posts and healing vibes coming. Keen to here from any cats in their mid thirties who healed under 9 weeks to keep my mojo up !
flag dmckiwi
Posted: Aug 1, 2011 at 2:14 Quote
CalSonic wrote:
Just read all 23 pages of this thread. Some great advice.....

I am 2.5 weeks into an oblique extra articulate distal clavicle fracture. Just using a sling and relying on the NHS for now. Pain has gone but still suffer from the horrible clicking/poppign sensation.

I have BUPA cover but can't really see what else they can do for me at this stage. My two bones slighty overlap and are about 0.5cm apart. At 35 yrs old I am slightly paranoid about a so called mal or non union. Taking calcium & vitamin supplements.

Keen to avoid surgery but equally tempted as I wont be charged for this with my BUPA medical cover and believe it will result in better long term results.

I shall see what my next xray looks like,

I found thus site very useful http://www.hanskellner.com/archives/2004/05/20/what_to_expect_from_a_broken_clavicle.html

Keep the posts and healing vibes coming. Keen to here from any cats in their mid thirties who healed under 9 weeks to keep my mojo up !

Don't rule out surgery to fast, I broke mine in a motorcycle accident 2 months ago and after 3 weeks got the specialist's recommendation to fix it, luckily we did the surgery as there was ligament damage so if we left it I would have ended up with a buggered up shoulder. 4 weeks after the surgery its coming along pretty good and with some physio it should be pretty good long term. I'm mid thirties and know how much recovery sucks but a good specialist and phsyio goes a long way.
It does hurt like a mega bitch after the surgery which isn't that much fun, but you can't have everything.
flag CalSonic
O+
Posted: Aug 2, 2011 at 15:50 Quote
Cheers.........got the "all clear" to take my sling off today after the broken collar bone debacle. 2 xrays and some physio and I was semi- discharged. Final physio and final xray to follow in 6 weeks... Over the moon as I expected bupa surgery & another 12 weeks of no right arm / sling hell. Simply could not be happier. Owe so much to friends and family. Good 2cm overlap and nice knitting after 30 days. Stay Strong fellas !!!
flag Equinox
Posted: Aug 6, 2011 at 10:19 Quote
4 weeks today was my accident. I pretty much have full movement in my arm. it just needs to be strengthened up. Hoping to get on my bike sometime within the next week. Possibly some dh the following. only thing that worries me is that the bone is still sticking out.. a lot. Will this go back into place over time ?
flag h4rtmanjakob
Posted: Aug 8, 2011 at 2:58 Quote
I broke it 10 days ago, and I am almost good, I can move my arm freely, do everything with it (some stuff slower), is that like normal'n stuff?

 


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