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Broken Collar Bone Recovery Time

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Broken Collar Bone Recovery Time
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flag Boyan1984
Posted: May 30, 2018 at 7:02 Quote
I was in total rest, no exercises and little arm movement. The figure 8 was pretty tight and seems that helped the bones to heal so good. Did lots of hiking and still am.
No supplements, only good natural food. I ate what I eat plus fruits (strawberrys and bananas), no sugar, just some honey with sesame tahini once a day, soft unsalted cheese (from a local farmer) and that's it. No alcohol, I am a non smoker.
Rest and sleeping is very important. Eat meat.
Pure natural healing.
flag asctlc
Posted: May 30, 2018 at 13:43 Quote
Just got back from surgery this morning and walking off the residual anesthesia. Doc said all went very well. He left the "butterfly" chip floating, said digging around for it wasn't worth the risk to nearby vessels.

I think he said about 4-6 weeks to stay in sling even though I might feel fine and want to use it. I'll find out tomorrow from doc better idea on recovery plan.

I won't drink alcohol while going through this, and don't smoke either, just good healthy eating through it (I eat fairly decent anyways).

So now it's an exercise in patience to leave it unstressed until healed...the back at strength training and mtn biking.
flag atticus
Posted: May 31, 2018 at 10:17 Quote
Hey guys I had post injury update from my doctor who says bone is very good aligned and it will heal but here is my problem, the two pieces of bone move too much they are in good position only when I lay in bed, as soon as I try moving bone get displaced and starts poking my skin... I can't even sit on a chair for 10 min to eat without having this problem...I noticed they have given me an arm sling size L and I am no where L, I wear M and sometimes S... is it possible to become.e worse from a larger sling because that is how it feels after 2 weeks
flag Boyan1984
Posted: May 31, 2018 at 11:16 Quote
Arm sling? Figure 8 brace is your best friend now. The first doc I saw also put me in an arm sling ans after a week wearing it the fracture was badly siplaced. Another doc sai I should wear the figure 8 brace and 4 weeks after I my bones are fine and I even started physio today. Took the brace yesterday. Maybe you can post a pic of your fracture?
When did it happen?
flag atticus
Posted: May 31, 2018 at 11:55 Quote
I have been wearing figure 8 and a sling for 13 days now but still a lot of movement on the broken place. I visited the sling manufacturers website and according to their sizing I should wear S sling not L, going to my personal doctor tomorrow morning to ask if it's okay to have bigger sling.
Ps: I don't have the original photo but I have 3d scan on 12 days, I will post picture in my profile
flag atticus
Posted: May 31, 2018 at 11:59 Quote
https://m.pinkbike.com/photo/15960244/
flag Boyan1984
Posted: May 31, 2018 at 12:14 Quote
It's normal to feel movement, mine stopped to move on the late third week. Just keep it still as much as possible and you won't believe what will happen until week 4. I also couldn't believe lifting my hand above my head today but that happened. Of course my arm is very weak and my muscle hearts when I do all that stuff I did today at the physio and I had the feel that my bones are going to unglue, hahaha, they al laughed there. Doc was amazed at how quickly I gained strength. Just stay positive and keep calm, it will heal.
flag atticus
Posted: May 31, 2018 at 12:20 Quote
I guess it normal to move but what I am worried that it shifts 5-6 mm compared to when I lay and when I stand up I also starts poking me badly under the skin , hope it's just me getting anxious and it will heal straight
flag Boyan1984
Posted: May 31, 2018 at 21:24 Quote
5-6 mm is not normal to me and poking the skin? WTF man, better go there and see another doctor.
flag Mugged
O+
Posted: Jun 2, 2018 at 9:22 Quote
@dub-up: read your story and maybe mine can help you.

Broke mine 7 weeks ago, pretty large gap in the middle of the bone and double break. ER doc said you will need a plate for sure. As I knew in Holland they do not operate unless it is life-threatening ie skin puncture or lung puncture risk I was quite surprised. Decided to get a second opinion but same conclusion, large displacement and surgery highly recommended. Also I would be back at work much earlier. I did have a similar collarbone fracture in my teens ( 45 now ) that took a long time to heal naturally and still have a large bump wich helped my decision for surgery. Thus surgery planned 6 days later.

About 4 days pre-op I started to feel much better, no pain at all. This is when I started to doubt my decision to have the plate and called my specialist again to have further info. He said it was my own decision but if it was his collarbone he would have no doubt to operate ( and he is surfer and mountain biker himself ). Surgery done, doc said I have strong hard bones but break was worse than what the X-ray showed initially but they fixed it with a plate and 8 screws. Intense out of this world pain for 24 hours but felt quite good after that. Two days sling and started light physio. With some ups and downs all was going well and even thought I might be able to ride some trails soon.

Last week had the 6 week post-op check and confident all was fine and he would clear me for more intense physio and some weight training. But X-ray showed the plate had moved and the collarbone tilted in a V-shape. Also no new bone growth visible. Big disappointment off course and honestly I had some rough days mentally. I now know that my bike season is over and need to accept a longer recovery. Exactly the opposite of what was intended with the surgery. Doc ordered 3 weeks no physio and minimize movements so the plate stays put. New check in 3 weeks, if plate is in the same position then we move from there. Do not want to think about what happens if the plate is not ok.

It's easy to say afterwards I should have tried the natural route as that might have put me in a worse situation than I am now since there is no bone growth yet anyway. But I have come the the conclusion from reading tons of info on the web that 1.every break and person is different. 2. There is big disagreement between doctors on the best treatment.

But honestly I think I should have listened to my gut feeling and let my body do the magic...

Good luck with your decision.
flag Mugged
O+
Posted: Jun 2, 2018 at 13:04 Quote
No need to worry based on my story, Doc told me is that is not uncommon for the end of the plate to lift up slightly because of the leverage of the bone. Not a problem per se as long as it's not tearing out the screws.

I was doing some light cardio and roadbike trips about 1 week post-op with some basic arm swings and elbow exercise just avoid stiffness. Then 3 weeks post-op I had a bad day when the pain was similar to a fresh break and it felt as though the plate had moved. It probably did at that point and somewhat settled in a new position. That lasted two days and all was fine again. Next 3 weeks the PT started to loosen the shoulder joint and introduced some exercises where I would go above 90 degrees, that's the point the collarbone really starts to move. No pain at all. In hindsight that probably was too soon and I should have waited until the doc cleared me for that.

To be honest, I think I was doing to much but since they told me that pain would be my guidance so thought I was ok since I had no pain at all. Still no pain but paranoid about doing to much hahahaha

Wat you describe with the clicking that stopped that sounds exactly what I experienced on the other side and may be the bone growing together. Sounds like your doing just fine.

The waiting between the checks sucks I know
flag asctlc
Posted: Jun 3, 2018 at 6:28 Quote
Seeing you guys a few weeks ahead of me is damned helpful! My surgery was this past Wednesday. The day after hurt like a SOB but then right back to pre-surgery level pain (= very manageable with minimum meds).

My doc has warned me to keep using the sling for at least 6 weeks as a reminder not to just start using my arm because it's gonna feel fine quickly. Reading your loosening screw experience hits home pretty good for me as the last thing I want is to loosen screws before the site callouses up good to hold things more stable until grown together good.

My Ortho specializes in sports med so I'm listening intently to his guidance while seeing how it lines up with your experiences as well.

Cheers and quick healing to you guys.

Before
photo

After
photo
flag dub-up
Posted: Jun 4, 2018 at 19:52 Quote
Mugged wrote:
No need to worry based on my story, Doc told me is that is not uncommon for the end of the plate to lift up slightly because of the leverage of the bone. Not a problem per se as long as it's not tearing out the screws.

I was doing some light cardio and roadbike trips about 1 week post-op with some basic arm swings and elbow exercise just avoid stiffness. Then 3 weeks post-op I had a bad day when the pain was similar to a fresh break and it felt as though the plate had moved. It probably did at that point and somewhat settled in a new position. That lasted two days and all was fine again. Next 3 weeks the PT started to loosen the shoulder joint and introduced some exercises where I would go above 90 degrees, that's the point the collarbone really starts to move. No pain at all. In hindsight that probably was too soon and I should have waited until the doc cleared me for that.

To be honest, I think I was doing to much but since they told me that pain would be my guidance so thought I was ok since I had no pain at all. Still no pain but paranoid about doing to much hahahaha

Wat you describe with the clicking that stopped that sounds exactly what I experienced on the other side and may be the bone growing together. Sounds like your doing just fine.

The waiting between the checks sucks I know

I totally agree that no two collarbone injuries are the same. You combine that with the disagreement among the medical community and it's clear why there is such a wide range of experiences reported. I honestly think i should have just gotten a 3d scan from the start as i dont think we ever really know exactly what's going on in more complex breaks from xrays alone.

I just wrapped up my 8th week post injury and went on my first run Saturday. Didnt really feel much pain during or after so i hope that's a good sign. My fear is that im simply adjusting to the broken bone and the xrays end up looking pretty much the same at my follow-up next Thursday. I might request a more detailed image if progress radiologically doesn't match the progress i feel daily.

Im definitely going to need some chiropractor visits and deep tissue massages as part of my physical therapy. My body just feels out of alignment. I get through the day feeling pretty good but at night it catches up to me and my back and shoulder remind me im still recovering.

 


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