broke my collart bone- looking for ideas

[Leland Pate]

hey fellas. you'll have to forgive my typing and gramar for a bit. i reallly got myself good the day before yesterday playing flag football. i completely broke my left clavical. There is almost a 1 inch gap between the two pieces and two smaller fragments in between the two. it looks like a "Z" shape.
im pretty loaded w pian killers and typing with one hand.

anyway, this is supposed to be a fairy common break and i am looking for opinions from yio guys who hsve been here before. the doc is telling me it is my choice, i can either elect for surgery -plate and screws- or just let nature do its thing and let it heal itself. he said there are risks associted with both options.

i don'tt care about appearances -scars vs. bump- so thsat doesnt matter to me. what i am worried about is a loss of motion and strength. the doc said if i let it heal naturlly it will likely be a little weaker permenantly. if i go w/ surgery, they can straighten it but then i run a risk of the bone not healing properly because they interfere with the healing process when they do surgery.
i cant believe i typedf this wuth one finger1
i will upload the xrays later for s and g's.

any opinions would be appreciaterd,
lee

[slodave]

I have not broken my collar bone, but I did separate my collar bone from my shoulder bone(tore all the ligaments) 1.5 years ago. I was borderline surgery, but since I am not a model, it was decided to let things go. If this just happened, it may be wise to let the swelling go down for a week or two and then get another opinion. Take it easy, rest up. I would be worried by the fragments, but if they pose no threat, I'd probably let things heal naturally.

Dave

[livi]

Lee,

I am no orthopedic surgeon of course, but being around colleagues discussing this topic, I would personally leave it alone.

Only a simple pediatricians unprofessional view though...

[slodave]

BTW,

I thought that the areas where a bone breaks becomes stronger after it heals... But then again, I am not a doctor. My injury is commen amongst hockey players. Seems like almost all of them get back in the ring and have good careers. I cannot throw a baseball from outfield to home plate anymore - from this accident, but it does not matter. Stay away from surgery if you can.

Dave

[Leland Pate]

i've never been under the knife before. and i'd like to stay away from it if possuble. the doc said if it was his shoulder he'd leave it aloone. i was just looking for some other opinions fropm those who have been thriugh this,

heres a picture:



yikes, huh.

[livi]

The INTERNET has wonderful opportunities. If required, I could simply walk across the hall here at work and ask one of my orthopedic colleagues to have a look at your x-ray.

[IROC]

I've broken both of my collar bones. The right one was a minor fracture and the left one was a break like yours that came really close to being "compound" and breaking the skin. Mine broke cleanly into two pieces, though - not three.

I wore a brace (both times) that simply kept my shoulders pulled back to allow the bones to re-align and heal on their own. Seems like it took 4-6 weeks. My left one (the one with the worse break) has a decent sized knot on it, but I really haven't had any other problems.

I feel for you. I broke the left side (the worse one) playing backyard football, too. It wasn't painful, surprisingly, but I heard it crack when I hit the ground. The worse part was dealing with the discomfort for the next few weeks. Things like putting on shoes will become a major task, trust me. :>)

Good luck,

Mike

[deanp]

Look up Sete Giberneau from MotoGP - 3 surgeries to repair a broken collarbone this year, plate #1 wasn't strong enough and and needed to be replaced by plate #2 when he tweaked it going down again.

Just last weekend he was collected on track and went back to Spain where in surgery #3 on the season they took stem cells from his hip and injected them into the fractured area (same collarbone, sam fracture area) in an effort to reinforce the area.

Other than that, never had the problem. Is the healing time different with either with plate vs. natural?

[Tim Hancock]

I have broke my both of my collar bones (broke my left one twice) back in my motocross racing days. It is quite common in MX as the lower edge of ones helmet contacts the clavicle and snaps it like a pencil in a hard fall.

Both of my X-rays looked nearly identicle to yours and I just wore the stupid strap braces that hold your shoulders back. I often have thought about designing a better brace as the strap typically would rest right in the area of the break which kind of tends to ensure a messed up clump of misaligned bone mass there.

The ER docs when questioned about surgery, would always claim that broken collar bones heal if they are in the same room together. I am proof that they are right, but mine are quite ugly.

I broke mine in the late 80's and early 90's and just turned 40. So far, I have not experienced any problems due to these old injuries, although arthritis in the area where the clavicle meets the shoulder someday would not suprise me.

[ChemMan]

I broke mine the day before last thanksgiving. It ended up over-riding like yours and in 4 pieces. My doctor also gave the choice of surgery or no surgery. I decide no surgery. It healed. After about 6 weeks, the pain was not so bad. I know you probably hurt everytime you move now. Mine healed fine. There is a lump there, but I dont care. I was going to play some cricket this last summer, but I found the overhand movement when bowling caused some pain. Other than that, no problems. I was so happy when I was able to lay down and sleep. I though for a while I would never sleep on my side.
I hope you pain supsides and you heal up well.
mike

[jriera]

Former rugby player here .. yep, multiple times, both sides, never surgery.

Note: if you are over 30 and do not train properly/consistenly do not engage in contact sports (basketball, soccer, football -even flag-, etc.). Most of the visits to trauma ER's are due to 'old farts' trying to be young again.

Get well soon Leland

[Moses]

Very cool film. Let your body do it's thang, baby!

[Drago]

Invasive procedures should ALWAYS be a last resort.

Heal well, heal fast Pate.

[}{arlequin]

the break looks incredible. you did a really good job on it

sorry to hear ab your situation though. it's a tough call. have seen enough med mal cases to realize going under is always gonna be risky. all it takes is for someone (usually anaesthesiologist) to place your arm in a wrong way and next thing you know you have a pinched nerve. since you're under, you don't know and don't move it, then you wake up and your arm is numb. useless forever more like it...

can it straighten itself out if you leave it alone? would you have to have someone align it first? strength is important but making things worse is even more so.

[Nostril Cheese]

Broke mine doing MX. Wore a brace and really took it easy for a while. Hurt like a mother****er.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally posted by Nostril Cheese
Broke mine doing MX. Wore a brace and really took it easy for a while. Hurt like a mother****er.

I actually rode a race a week after one of my breaks just to button up my lead in the season point standings. I rode around one handed....it was not pleasant even on two vicodins, but I got my $2.00 1st place plaque at the end of the season, so it was worth it!

[charleskieffner]

i have broken both my collarbones twice now crashing at mach velocity dezert racing. it hurts it sucks and you cant sleep. and there really isnt a hell of alot they can do. kinda like cracked ribs which i did also during one of the stunts. my suggestion to you...............is find a girlfriend that REALLY REALLY LOVES YOU............to wipe your ass! true story it was bad! hope this makes you laugh in pain! flag football nor dezert racing is SAFE!

[89911]

I broke mine in highschool and it has left rather large calcium deposit. Looking a your radiographs, I would venture to say you need to have some fixation, most likely internal plating, to get that back into position. You really did a number on it and I don't think it is ever going to get back to the same position on its own.

[goat]

Broke mine twice right side both times in Bike races.
Doc. did not recommend the knife either time.
I do have a bump on the upper side.
Does not bother me that much.
Heal up.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally posted by 89911
I broke mine in highschool and it has left rather large calcium deposit. Looking a your radiographs, I would venture to say you need to have some fixation, most likely internal plating, to get that back into position. You really did a number on it and I don't think it is ever going to get back to the same position on its own.

Mine all looked about the same as Leland's. As bad as it looks, it will heal (it will be crooked, but it will heal). My left one is probably displaced even more than Lelands.