Clavicle Error - Broken Collarbone

Mark, I wiped out at 7pm on Wednesday, left casualty at midnight-ish, then saw a doctor at the Royal London's fracture clinic at lunchtime yesterday. I didn't have an appointment but I went down and waited for bit and they fitted me in. Get pushy would be my advice.

I was just there. For a few hours. I even asked if I can wait for a cancellation. Argh! How'd you manage that?

I've got a very hurty recurring stabbing pain in my arm and the doctor said it may be a nerve issue, which is not adding much to this whole experience.

Sounds crap.

When I left A&E t'other night they said to try and make an appointment the following day, and that if they were full then to ask to be 'overbooked' (whatever that means). They couldn't even manage that cos the schedule for the day had already been submitted. The said that if I turn up and explain that I was going on holiday today (which I now haven't), then they'd be obliged to see me.

It probably helped that I was originally processed by the A&E department next door, and that I had all the paperwork to hand them. They were pretty cool in my experience.

It case I haven't already made it really clear: thanks for all the advice and get-well-soons... much appreciated. Shoulder's as sore as hell today but manageable. Accidentally went to catch something earlier and it twinged like a mother.

Anyway, cheers.

oh bloody hell Josh, just seen this, not you as well!
heal up soon
xx

GWS dude!

Just seen this Josh, hope you're heling up OK. I was involved in another collar bone smash last Sunday when my sportive riding buddy unclipped on an out of the saddle climb. His ended up in three pieces but no surgery necessary, it seems.

I woyld say that a collar bone healing ride in late August might be a plan?

Totally missed this, Josh--heal up soon!

It case I haven't already made it really clear: thanks for all the advice and get-well-soons... much appreciated. Shoulder's as sore as hell today but manageable. Accidentally went to catch something earlier and it twinged like a mother.

Anyway, cheers.

Just pray you don't get the hic-ups, most agonising 20 mins of my life...

Get well soon.

Just pray you don't get the hic-ups, most agonising 20 mins of my life...

Get well soon.

ha! without a word of a lie, I had the fucking hic-ups for about 20 minutes while watching the nocturn last night. I think I made Zombie/beardy Rob stand somewhere else. Adrienne and Snoops didn't seem to mind.

Just seen this Josh, hope you're heling up OK. I was involved in another collar bone smash last Sunday when my sportive riding buddy unclipped on an out of the saddle climb. His ended up in three pieces but no surgery necessary, it seems.

Shit, was this a problem with the pedal or a https://www.lfgss.com/thread19782.html type of problem

Just pray you don't get the hic-ups, most agonising 20 mins of my life...
Get well soon.

I found sitting in a car hitting speed bumps (at speed.. stupid driver) to be the most annoying thing.

Shit, was this a problem with the pedal or a http://www.lfgss.com/thread19782.html type of problem

Cliveo speaks the truth. I told my friend to check is arse. Carefully.

I'm now 6 weeks in, and feeling pretty healed and back out and riding.

This sling is fucking me right off... Is it essential to wear it all the time? In transit it's comfortable but at work and around the house it's constricting. I've stopped taking painkillers altogether and my shoulder feels alright by and large.* I realise though that it is still a long way off healing and that I need to look after it with extreme care.

*other than very occasional but agonising pangs of pain when I accidentally rush to catch toppling cups or falling rucksacks.

I was actually thinking about this question earlier today.

I only wear mine while walking in public. And I use my arm as a normal arm for the most part (I can even tie my shoes). I find I end up trying to "use it" too much a couple of times a day (doing dishes or cooking usually), but for the most part, I'm just trying to get on as if it's normal.

So. Hopefully I'm not prolonging the healing process by over using it, or encouraging the bone to do stupid things like not heal.

Ah, and I finally got to the fracture clinic. Bone hasn't begun to move yet. Back in four weeks to see if it's moved/started to fuse. If not, surgery. Hurrah!

You need to be careful - the sling helps to hold the shoulder back which encourages the broken bones to come together and join. If you do take the sling off, try not to slouch or let your shoulder drop forward. Also lifting heavy things is to be avoided.

The alternative is a figure of 8 sling (basically a bandage which goes round both shoulders and across your back and pins the shoulders back) which does the same job but gives much more freedom with the arms. The drawback is that it rubs under the arms a little.

This is my second clavicle break. First time I was given a figure 8. Wore it all the time (except sleeping). Bone healed fine (which is good) but it wasn't a clean break. It splintered to fuck but was still attached (if you can imagine breaking a fairly wet tree branch, when it doesn't snap, but just sort of, shreds but remains attached).

This time it's clean and the bone is completely out of place. I did some reading about figure of eights and it sounds like they've stopped using them because they saw no difference in results between them and slings. However, I wonder now if that is a sling on 16 hours a day vs a figure of eight on 16 hours a day? It's definitely much easier to live in a figure of eight than sling.

I was actually thinking about this question earlier today.

I only wear mine while walking in public. And I use my arm as a normal arm for the most part (I can even tie my shoes). I find I end up trying to "use it" too much a couple of times a day (doing dishes or cooking usually), but for the most part, I'm just trying to get on as if it's normal.

So. Hopefully I'm not prolonging the healing process by over using it, or encouraging the bone to do stupid things like not heal.

These are exactly the thoughts and experiences I've having.

Ah, and I finally got to the fracture clinic. Bone hasn't begun to move yet. Back in four weeks to see if it's moved/started to fuse. If not, surgery. Hurrah!

Wahay, good luck with that. I have an appointment with a specialist today.

You get too many appointments. I hate you.

You need to be careful - the sling helps to hold the shoulder back which encourages the broken bones to come together and join. If you do take the sling off, try not to slouch or let your shoulder drop forward.

Good advice, thanks.

Mark, I wouldn't use your arm at all... my shoulder is now super freaky from being advised that it was simply bruised and not broken and me painfully trying to use it.

If you want to avoid that "winter set in" feeling and don't want to have a loose (manipulatable/sloping/tense) shoulder joint I'd just leave it be (at least for the 3 weeks or so), with it resting in as much of a "normal" position as is possible... just my personal experience.

You get too many appointments. I hate you.

They obviously like me better. Have you tried bribing/fellating them?

Little update: its been almost exactly six weeks and I'm not wearing the sling any more. Well, I wear it on the train to stop people sitting next to me ;-) After 5 weeks I was really starting to feel the healing, and stopped wearing the sling around then. Bear in mind this is for a fracture at the distal end where healing is slower due to less blood supply.

Now I've been doing some physio for a couple of weeks, I cannot stress the importance of this enough! Get the theraband fired up soon as possible.

Man, I was goign to post on here earlier. I can feel the "loose" part of my clavicle has moved in behind the "still attached" bit (medical terms). That's not where you're supposed to be clavicle. If it starts healing there, I will be right pissed. I can feel it pushing into the back of my neck/shouler/back which is a bit sore. It's been just under three weeks. Not supposed to go back to the fracture clinic for 3 more (when they said they'll do another x-ray to see if it's "healing properly", i.e., see if I'll need surgery or not). Is it worth calling up and trying to get an earlier appointment? Surely the bone should have relcoated itself into its correct position by week 3!