mapleleaf Posted January 12, 2015 Share Hi there, I broke my collar bone in 6 pieces in September last year and had a ti plate immediately afterwards. I have now made a full recovery and I am booked for surgery to have the plate removed this week. To all of you who have had collarbone surgery and chose to have their plate removed: How quick is the recovery?How quickly were you able to ride on trails?Any horror stories with rebreaking the collarbone shortly after the plate removal? My surgeon told me that the holes from the screws will take some time to fill up but do not make the bone temporarily weaker. I found that almost too good to be true. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Foil Posted January 12, 2015 Share Be sure the bone has healed 100%Had my plate removed after 6 months after 3 operations and the bone snapped the next day when leaving the hospital.Have the plate now for two years, too scared to remove it!???????????????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WrightJnr Posted January 12, 2015 Share Was back on the indoor trainer the same week and on the bike the following week. Stronger than new. I had a single break no complications. I'm sure each case is unique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DieBees Posted January 12, 2015 Share You broke it in 6 pieces? Do whatever the doc says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted January 12, 2015 Share Why remove it? My doc says that out of the hundreds of clavicle plates he has put in he has only removed 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mapleleaf Posted January 12, 2015 Share Why remove it? My doc says that out of the hundreds of clavicle plates he has put in he has only removed 3.The plate is in the middle of the collarbone. I was explained that if I was to have another big crash, the bone would either break near the shoulder (bad) or break towards the throat (very very very bad). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mapleleaf Posted January 12, 2015 Share Be sure the bone has healed 100%Had my plate removed after 6 months after 3 operations and the bone snapped the next day when leaving the hospital.Have the plate now for two years, too scared to remove it! wow... it must have been a seriously messy break Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TALUS Posted January 12, 2015 Share New op, new risks. Don't play with the lion's ghoens. I would wear it like a (internal) badge of honour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCD Posted January 12, 2015 Share Broke mine in September last year into four pieces, but was lucky that all was aligned well so it could heal without surgery. The first days were horrible but once the callus had formed everything remained in one place. Was out of the sling in three weeks and on the commuter bike in four weeks. Back on the trails after eight weeks. All very carefully and purposefully increasing the load to slight pain level avoiding any bumps and risks (which there are). Theory was to promote strength buildup by stimulation. The problem with the plate is that it gives you a lot strength right away and your body is not forced to build a new strong bone. Bone grows where it is required and structural stress levels are a trigger for the body to promote this growth. The plate is making sure everything is at the right place but partly removes this stimulus for the self healing process of the body.Now removing your plate is leaving your bone behind somewhat weakened. It now needs a lot of stimulus to build up that old strength again, and small accidental overload like a fall can break it easily.So yes you have to do some exercise and put load on that bone to create that stimulus. That can be physio or riding your bike. Just be extra careful. Take it easy and enjoy your riding :-)..all the best!(....The above is my take on the topic from my engineering background mixed with some healthy living principles and a lot of googling. It is probably not medically all correct but it was my experience and it worked for me...). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TALUS Posted January 12, 2015 Share Edit. Double post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TALUS Posted January 12, 2015 Share Broke mine in September last year into four pieces, but was lucky that all was aligned well so it could heal without surgery. The first days were horrible but once the callus had formed everything remained in one place. Was out of the sling in three weeks and on the commuter bike in four weeks. Back on the trails after eight weeks. All very carefully and purposefully increasing the load to slight pain level avoiding any bumps and risks (which there are). Theory was to promote strength buildup by stimulation.The problem with the plate is that it gives you a lot strength right away and your body is not forced to build a new strong bone. Bone grows where it is required and structural stress levels are a trigger for the body to promote this growth. The plate is making sure everything is at the right place but partly removes this stimulus for the self healing process of the body.Now removing your plate is leaving your bone behind somewhat weakened. It now needs a lot of stimulus to build up that old strength again, and small accidental overload like a fall can break it easily.So yes you have to do some exercise and put load on that bone to create that stimulus. That can be physio or riding your bike. Just be extra careful. Take it easy and enjoy your riding :-)..all the best!(....The above is my take on the topic from my engineering background mixed with some healthy living principles and a lot of googling. It is probably not medically all correct but it was my experience and it worked for me...).You would have passed the question reasonably well. The main purpose of the plate though is to obtain and maintain reduction of the fracture. Strength is secondary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Fish Posted January 12, 2015 Share The plate is in the middle of the collarbone. I was explained that if I was to have another big crash, the bone would either break near the shoulder (bad) or break towards the throat (very very very bad). New op, new risks. Don't play with the lion's ghoens. I would wear it like a (internal) badge of honour.I was always lead to believe the same as you - take it out as second break with it in will be worse.But given the person it came from (guy who cycled over my dog & had just had his taken out & was currently sporting a new break...thanks to my dog... Or more accurately him cycling like an idiot - his admission), I'd honestly go with Talus' recommendation.His avatar is misleading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurch the stalker Posted January 12, 2015 Share I had a plate removed in May last year, then took a tumble in December and re-broke it the same surgeon did the op and the first thing he said to me was, "you;re really lucky you didn't still have the plate in when this happened or it would have been much worse"I had the previous plate in for a year, 6 months sounds a bit soon to me but hey I'm not a doctor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swart Kat Posted January 13, 2015 Share Ek het my bionic skouer nou al vanaf 29 Des 2010 en is trots op my scar! Ek het geen probleme wat okal nie en gaan hom beslis inhou. Sien nie weer kans vir daai pyn, hulle se dis baie seerder om dit te verwyder. dink net hy bietjie sterker met die plaat! Sonder kan hy maklik weer op ou fraktuur breek..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurch the stalker Posted January 13, 2015 Share hulle se dis baie seerder om dit te verwyder. dink net hy bietjie sterker met die plaat! Sonder kan hy maklik weer op ou fraktuur breek.....I disagree - I have had one put in and removed before the one I have now and it was a lot less painful having it removed and also quicker recovery time after surgery.The bone isn't actually stronger with the plate, it hampers movement and you run the risk of the plate snapping off if you do any contact sports - for example, the surgeon expressly forbid me from training in the martial art I do while I have the plate in, and as I stated in my previous response, he said it was a good thing I didn't have the plate in when I took this fall because the damage would have been worse. I do agree on the second part about it breaking in the same place again because that is exactly what I managed to do because it is definitely weaker...you can ask anyone who was on that ride when it happened, it really wasn't that bad a tumble, but because of the weakened state it broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeridaHFS Posted January 13, 2015 Share I've had my plate in now for 4 years and to date have not had any issues on this side. The other side that was injured and operated on +-15 yrs ago (also shoulder op with screws removed after 6 months) have now started giving me issues.. Picked my daughter up at a funny angle and now sit with something that feels like a pinched nerve.. Go figure. Will probably just need to do some strength training on the upper body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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