Broken Clavicle - Your experiences

[TyronLab]

With "Breakin' out of Hell" from Airborne blasting on my internal HiFi I was bombing down the Telkom Tower dirt track in Heidelberg (for the first time), doing my best Atherton impression on my stiff HT XC bike. I met a ditch at 48kph.

 

The cautious thing to do was drop the anchors and grind to a halt with another 100m of sweet descending to do, or pull off my best bunny hop to date.

 

Needless to say some seconds later I was lying in the dirt, winded, sore, yet somehow still stoked. I was still under the impression that I would be riding home after a sip of water and a rest.

 

1hr late the ER doctor showed me an XRay with my clavicle split obliquely through 80% of its thickness.

 

Two weeks down the line my clavicle and surrounding tissue seems fine, but my opposing wrist, rest of the affected shoulder's muscles, inter-rib muscles and mental stability less so.

 

Has anyone else experienced their opposing arms and other muscles taking strain when your dominant arm has been in a sling for two weeks? Any experiences to share on how long it took you to get back on the road and subsequently on the dirt with a fractured clavicle?

 

I didn't realise how much cycling had become part of my life, and what a massive mood booster the fun and fitness it brought me was.

[tinmug]

Whatever I did apparently looked spectacular. My clavicle broke into three pieces.

My fingers reached below my knee cap. A friend – who could not drive – fetched my bakkie then drove me to my sister (who could, more or less, drive). She burst out laughing when she saw my shoulder.

 

First patient at a prominent CT hospital's new emergency ward/desk/whatever. They cut up my t-shirt, gave me something to swallow and the power went out. No really, the whole ward lost electricity (back when Eskom still had excess). The generators never did kick in and I was treated under candle light.

 

Long story short: I needed an operation to set things right. Even that didn't go to plan as the surgeon lost the middle bit of my clavicle (after some digging around they found it way south of my heart). After the op he told me they inserted some titanium. Which needed to come out weeks later (no mention of this beforehand). After they pulled the titanium out they told me the operation was pioneering and highly risky (drilling blind next to aorta, or something like that). For the next 20 years I had discomfort carrying a backpack/scuba tanks out the water etc. 

 

Now that I am old and difficult everything is back to normal, except I don't do spectacular things on a mountain bike anymore. But I can shoulder a backpack.

 

What did you want to know again? 

[DJR]

Ai tog, I'd love to offer a long piece of advise, but I struggle too much typing with my left hand.

 

Basically, the best insurance for a full recovery is the right physio and exercises. Make SURE you do that.

 

I know all about it as I broke mine about 5 years ago and just 2 weeks ago went and broke the same shoulder again, but this time part of the scapula, not the clavicle. I'm still very grumpy and NOT looking forward to many weeks of recovery and no riding.

[Patchelicious]

Firstly, welcome. Breaking your collarbone while cycling is a right of passage.

 

Broken my left clavicle twice. First time it splintered into 6 pieces and took about 10 days to get back in an IDT and two more weeks to get back on the road. About two months to hit the dirt again.

 

Second time the break waste as bad as the plate held it together, back on IDT in about 4 days and about 2 weeks for the road. Only did handful of MTB since.

 

Most of the issues is back related. Having the my arm in the sling caused my muscles to get all screwed up. Took about 3 weeks of physio to come mostly right.

 

Still have back issues and still go to physio to try and help. But I don’t do my exercises, which is what will solve it.

 

Listen to your doctor, best advice I can give you.

Edited March 12, 2019 by Patchelicious

[MDJ]

Broke my right clavicle about two years back - went OTB going down a MTB trail with a cyclo-cross bike in the rain. I still remember the loud crack during the wipe-out thinking that I'd probably broken something on the bike and cursing ... only to get up and find I was unable to lift up my right hand - at least the bike was fine 

 

Headed to the ER, X-Ray showed the bone fractured in three, but luckily the ligament was still holding on. It was too fractured for a plate so they opted to wait and see vs. putting a hook contraption into the shoulder joint.

It worked out ok in the end - I was careful for two weeks, even sleeping with the sling. Then bought myself an indoor exercise bike, had to get a friend to come over and assemble it for me.

 

Anyways getting to your questions. Yes my left hand/arm took strain for the first week, but it got better/stronger over the two months  - I still use it way more today than I used to before. My left-hand writing improved to the point where other people can almost read it .

 

I was on the indoor bike after about 2 weeks, but taking it easy. Other than getting on the bike before the 'advised' time - I did all the exercises. My physio was really awesome - she inflicted pain during our sessions, but it made sure I did the exercises. I was back on a road bike after 8 weeks. The shoulder healed quite well in the end - I have still have a slight bump on the shoulder, but its fine in terms of mobility strength etc.

 

So yeah hang in there, invest in an IDT just to get your legs moving again and avoid a huge fitness drop off, it will also help you fight the urge to go out to soon. I'm sure your doc told that the main thing to avoid is another fall while its still healing in those first 6 weeks. It feels like ages, but its worth following the advice imho 

[TyronLab]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

@tinmug that's a horrific yet captivating story!

 

@patchelicious I've heard that on a few occasions. It was my first serious OTB so I'm assuming its par for the course.

 

@DJR That's a bummer dude. I'd be even more depressed than I am if I had an awesome commute (and commuter bike) like you have.

 

@MDJ Solid advice. I'm actually in the process of selling my PS4 to buy an IDT for those exact reasons. I'm entered into my first Trans Baviaans with some very strong family this year (a sub-10 TB Savage nonetheless) so this has put a serious knock in my training plan. Let's hope my IDT shenanigans can at least get me started again.

[Mudsimus]

Broke my left one twice. Second time I was back on the bike 3 days later, no op. Its a pretty minor cycling injury. ????

[SCD]

All breaks are different. So all stories are different. Position of fracture and the location of your shoulder will guide the need for an operation to insert a plate or to let it heal naturally. Don’t jump on the OP too quickly and discuss the options with your surgeon. At the end it is important to get the shoulder back at the right place for your long term enjoyment of life.

 

I found that my doctor recommended the OP a bit too quickly. I queried it and then he supported me to proceed without the OP. Retrospectively I am very happy with that decision. The initial recovery is slower without OP but you don’t need a second recovery period and cost after the plate removal OP (which not all medical aid will pay). And the body is amazing how it heals, as long everything is straight and lined up. It grows bone where there is stress. So do your physio

 

Don’t rush in getting back on the bike. Let common sense guide you. If it feels right do your IDT thing. Wait until you can do push-ups without pain before hitting the mountains again . I started commuting after about 4 weeks (slow riding, not training) but decided to wait 3 months before MTB.

 

Some advice to the cost of the exercise (based on my experience with Discovery)

1) It is NOT an emergency. So the cost of the trauma treatment and your choice of aftercare (OP or not) depends on your chosen plan.

2) My medical aid authorized the OP and would have paid the full cost.

3) my choice to not do the OP meant that it was not a hospital procedure but out-of-hospital treatment so I had to pay it from own pocket. My medical aid was not impressed by my argument that I saved the scheme R15000 for that OP in exchange for R3000 worth of doctors visits.

4) the OP to remove the plate would not have been paid for with my plan. So ask.

 

Good luck and recover well

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JJDT]

Broke mine about 5 years ago and in hindsight there was a couple of things that I would do differently.

Most of the points raised already I was not informed about e.g. Physio and Exercises. The surgeon on duty at the time of my fall was actually specialising in feet as opposed to the full monty. Today my "alignment" is somewhat out looking in the mirror and compare my left shoulder against my right shoulder there is a difference in posture. I do not have pain but my power in the arm has drastically declined.

 

To summarise: choose a good surgeon who did this kind of thing before, go for physio and lastly do the exercises although it maybe boring but it will help towards full recovery.

[MTBeer]

Firstly, welcome. Breaking your collarbone while cycling is a right of passage.

 

Broken my left clavicle twice. First time it splintered into 6 pieces and took about 10 days to get back in an IDT and two more weeks to get back on the road. About two months to hit the dirt again.

 

Second time the break waste as bad as the plate held it together, back on IDT in about 4 days and about 2 weeks for the road. Only did handful of MTB since.

 

Most of the issues is back related. Having the my arm in the sling caused my muscles to get all screwed up. Took about 3 weeks of physio to come mostly right.

 

Still have back issues and still go to physio to try and help. But I don’t do my exercises, which is what will solve it.

 

Listen to your doctor, best advice I can give you.

now why did it take 4 posts before someone called it a collar bone?

[MTBeer]

broke mine in std 6. Playing flyhalf, I tackled the 8th man. Didn't realize the rest of their(and our) forward pack was attached to him. They all landed on top of me.

 

No long term issues, but then I'm almost as tough as Mudsimus...

[Patchelicious]

Sorry, I realised that I didnt give good advice so let me add.

 

On my second break, I broke some ribs too, so I kept the movement of my arm down to a minimum because it hurt. 

 

Know that you might suffer from muscle issues down the line, so try keep some movement going while in a sling, and physio, physio and more physio.

[Mousea]

Broke mine 3 years ago crashed on the grass field at a campsite

Went the route of  letting it heal itself on advice from a Dr friend of mine.

He said if it is not sticking through you skin or poking your lung let it heal by itself.

Healed all fine except it is now slightly shorter than the other one.

Pain wise a bit of a bugger for first 10-14 days as bone moves around a tad.

I long run a cheaper option and all good

[Patchelicious]

Broke mine 3 years ago crashed on the grass field at a campsite

Went the route of  letting it heal itself on advice from a Dr friend of mine.

He said if it is not sticking through you skin or poking your lung let it heal by itself.

Healed all fine except it is now slightly shorter than the other one.

Pain wise a bit of a bugger for first 10-14 days as bone moves around a tad.

I long run a cheaper option and all good

 

Sounds like you are buddies with Lector. What kind of sadistic maniac will tell a friend to let it heal on its own.

 

This in not the 1600s, get a plate if you can! Do you vaccinate your kids?

Edited March 12, 2019 by Patchelicious

[Mudsimus]

Sounds like you are buddies with Lector. What kind of sadistic maniac will tell a friend to let it heal on its own.

 

This in not the 1600s, get a plate if you can! Do you vaccinate your kids?

Mine healed perfectly on its own both times. The second time it even broke in a different location. One or two weeks in a sling and you carry on as normal.

[Ozzie NL]

All breaks are different. So all stories are different. Position of fracture and the location of your shoulder will guide the need for an operation to insert a plate or to let it heal naturally. Don’t jump on the OP too quickly and discuss the options with your surgeon. At the end it is important to get the shoulder back at the right place for your long term enjoyment of life.

 

I found that my doctor recommended the OP a bit too quickly. I queried it and then he supported me to proceed without the OP. Retrospectively I am very happy with that decision. The initial recovery is slower without OP but you don’t need a second recovery period and cost after the plate removal OP (which not all medical aid will pay). And the body is amazing how it heals, as long everything is straight and lined up. It grows bone where there is stress. So do your physio

 

Don’t rush in getting back on the bike. Let common sense guide you. If it feels right do your IDT thing. Wait until you can do push-ups without pain before hitting the mountains again . I started commuting after about 4 weeks (slow riding, not training) but decided to wait 3 months before MTB.

 

Some advice to the cost of the exercise (based on my experience with Discovery)

1) It is NOT an emergency. So the cost of the trauma treatment and your choice of aftercare (OP or not) depends on your chosen plan.

2) My medical aid authorized the OP and would have paid the full cost.

3) my choice to not do the OP meant that it was not a hospital procedure but out-of-hospital treatment so I had to pay it from own pocket. My medical aid was not impressed by my argument that I saved the scheme R15000 for that OP in exchange for R3000 worth of doctors visits.

4) the OP to remove the plate would not have been paid for with my plan. So ask.

 

Good luck and recover well

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No need to remove the plate. Surgeon recommended to only take it out if it bothers you.

Mine has been in there for three years. Still feel it now and then but does not bother me enough to take it out