Clavicle Error - Broken Collarbone

Try them, and check any household and other insurance you have.

Go for the op and make sure to do the physio afterwards. Don't be too hasty getting back on the bike, and leave it in the sling for as long as advised by the doc.

With physio I started very slowly with resting the affected arm on a wall, and "creeping" up it and then slowly lowering it down with my fingers. Later, once you're onto the TheraBands, it becomes less monotonous.

14 weeks in after Lockdown and it feels strong. Been on the turbo no problems. Should be fine to cycle now but waiting for the next physio appointment in a week or so for them to confirm it. Might seem a long time to wait, but I screwed up one op so not taking any risks this time.

AUK insurance just covers you during the course of an event you've entered. I don't think it even covers you riding to/from the event.

I don't care who does it but someone is going to sick lawyers onto these fuckers. I'll pay privately just to waste their fucking time, even if there is no result. They'll eventually realise that fixing potholes is quicker and easier than dealing with legal cases.

That's not good news - I hope you heal fast!

Thanks ChrisMGS,

I have my letter referring me for physio so I just need to make my first appointment. I'm still no better and still in pain so I'm guessing I won't have to push too hard for the operation when I go back to see the consultant in a couple of weeks.

I do have quite a bit more movement now which is good though.

Drink fast, heal fast.

Late to the party but was this on the balloon bike?

If it was then my plans for a pothole bashing fat tyred tourer are in chaos.

I'll be commuting on a FS fat bike at this rate

The drinking is going swimmingly. I joined http://www.untappd.com which is like Strava for beer drinkers.

I thoroughly recommend it.

It was. But I was signalling a move over so I guess the trick is to never signal.

Mine too. Was a bit rough on Sat though so I brought it down a notch. Been smashing the Osteo stuff (calc, mag, vit d) and protein but probably need more Vit C too.

So, I went back to the consultant on Monday and he's reluctant to operate. The good news is that I have now been to physio (yesterday) and I haven't lost too much in the way of strength, flexibility and range of movement. I have a series of exercises to perform each day and a return visit in three weeks so all good so far.

The only thing I'm having trouble with and, annoyingly, couldn't replicate with either the consultant or physiotherapist is that I sometimes get a sharp, searing pain in the gap where the collarbone has popped up. Pain wise, it shoots up from a 2/10 to an eight and elicits some seriously creative swearing and is painful enough that my eyes water.

Has anyone experienced this? Is it possible that some soft tissue is getting pinched or is there anything else it could be? It doesn't seem to have a cause or pattern but it can happen once and go away or can happen repeatedly for hours every time I move my shoulder.

Also, I've been told that I can ride a bike as long as I'm careful, stop if it's too painful and I don't fall off. The consultant has seen the effects of comfort eating and agreed that it's probably less harmful to go for an occasional ride than to continue with my new, alarming vice that is takeaways and comfort eating.

Any update with this? RE: Pain - how is it now? Are you getting an op?

I got on the bike after 19 weeks off after my Lockdown operation, and did 70 miles. Shoulder was fine. Glad I left it a long time and did physio every day. Feels strong now. Get an op if you can and it's sticking out lots.

I just came on to post my progress! There's going to be no operation as basically, my consultant sees it as a cosmetic procedure and isn't a fan of unnecessary surgery. (I'm not bothered about the bump either to be honest - my concern was functionality.)

The pain lasted about 36 hours and was probably due to being in the sling for so long as once it subsided, it hasn't come back. There's still pain if I overdo it - lifting too much, sudden movements etc but it's perfectly manageable.

So, I started physio three weeks ago and I've been doing my exercises diligently. I went back yesterday ans my physio was so happy with my progress that I don't need to go back. I have some new exercises to do but she trusts me to do them.

I have full movement and almost full strength back - the only issue like I say, is the pain if I do too much with it.

I've been riding - mainly short journeys and running errands but I'm up to a comfortable 35 miles without there being any pain. Sprinting and climbing out the saddle can be painful but otherwise it's all good.

:)

Came off on Thursday night. Completely my fault I was knackered and fell off. Anyway compound fracture and waiting for surgery. Just a bit pissed off, had final hand in for uni on Thursday too!

Thanks to someone deciding to grab a handful of brake during the rapha cc road race yesterday, I am now part of the club. Have only ever broken my thumb... this is much more annoying.

It is a pretty clean break half way along, so looks like it will just be a sling, but I have an orthopaedic meeting on Friday. Already losing my mind sitting at home.

In terms of work, how long would people recommend staying away? I have a desk job and don't want to go back until I know i can get through a day of work without discomfort / needing pain killers. It is my dominant side, and I have road rash all down my back, so I have said to them I will be out this week and then will re-asses on Friday after I see the surgeon. I don't want to take the piss but equally don't want to push myself.

In terms of pain, it was pretty bad two hours after coming off, but since then I haven't been too bad. I slept most of the night (years of long haul flights has made sleeping while sitting up not too hard for me) and haven't really needed pain killers since. Fingers crossed it stays like that.

The guy who does my training plans has already got turbo sessions in my diary. Taskmaster!

I stayed away for a week, typing one handed is slow and taking your arm out of the sling sucks (I could feel the fracture move and it freaked me out) but if you don't need to write reams I say crack on. The one thing you may need to consider though is rush hour commuting, it was a total shock to me to be playing sardines again and people give zero fucks about bumping into and pushing you about even with a sling on. Tbh though, (work life wise) apart from the loss of function from that arm, and discomfort that will come in the form of cramps and aches, my broken collarbone wasn't that debilitating. Ultimately you're the best to judge your limits but certainly take a couple of days rest first.

Here's my entry. Anyone had one that looks like this? Any idea what can I expect to hear from the fracture clinic on Thursday?

Meh.

1 Attachment

I had a displaced lateral fracture that was maybe a little further out. They might suggest a hook plate which sits along the top of the collar bone and then hooks under the acromion. This plate limits the movement of the shoulder so it is necessary to remove it once the bone is strong enough. Then again your collar bone might just settle back into place and start knitting without any help - they're funny like that.
Mine never mended and I had to have it removed. But I was really unlucky, plus I encountered a fair amount of incompetence.

in my experience* that'll probably be plated as it looks to me that there might be a chance of the fracture irritating or penetrating your skin. Then again, it might not. I do know that the practice is to avoid surgery if possible.

• based on three total broken collarbones in my household, plus the advice of my qualified friend (gp)
  

it's been a year an mines still aching a fair bit. massive lump too :/ worried its going to need surgery eventually.

I did something very similar, but my bone punched through my shoulder muscle and came out the back. I had a plate and 9 pins at the end of may. Was back on the bike with full mobility after 6 weeks however I'm in physio again now for strengthening work as I've lost a good bit of muscle mass on that side.

Thanks for the replies, it's a leave it alone job. Gonna be a fair old nubbin on there once the bone fuses - only hope I'll not have problems with bags/slinging my kids about.

Fwiw, I have a lump and some backpacks give me gyp as they rub more on the single contact point rather than spread weight. Yet another reason why my bagaboo is an absolute lifesaver.

So this happened last Saturday.

Group ride down a tight dark river path. Popping through a gap to cross to the outside of the line and I clipped one of those invisible lamposts..

Normally I am good at bouncing and rolling but the backpack was very heavy that evening and just drove me into the ground. Speed prior was between 25/32KM.

Rode 17KM one-handed to KingsX and took the train home.

Attended Whittington Hospital AE the next morning at 10:30 and was seen almost immediately.
X-Rayed and given decent pain relief within the hour.

The first opinion I got was to go home in a sling and report back to the fracture clinic in one week. After seeing the bone overlap on the X-Ray I insisted they nail it down immediately.

They were able to operate on the same day and discharge me the next. Back home and healing well.

Even though I smashed up my dominant side I still have full use of the hand, forearm and fingers so can carry on relatively well (writing/texting/typing all good).

Using a poly-sling to stop me busting dance moves but the join and operation area feel strong.

Found the hardest thing to get used to is the sleeping on my back in one position all night but over the counter sleeping pills help a lot with that.

Nothing but praise for the NHS after my recent experience. The Whittington have always impressed.