Clavicle Error - Broken Collarbone

Thanks, I have pretty much full movement in my shoulder and hardly any pain but still can’t sleep on it. He said ‘something was going on’ but didn’t exactly sound full of confidence. Wait it out I suppose, very difficult to resist the temptation to get back on the bike/run etc.

The bone gaps on the x-ray should start to go very slightly "misty". It's almost unnoticeable at first, but any misting usually indicates good progress.

In related news I have another x-ray next week - shoulder feels no different to last one 3 months ago when it was 'very nearly there'. Anyone any experience of non union? :(

Sorry to hear that, must be very frustrating. Are you still off the bike?

An ex-gf of mine had a permanent non-union collar bone, if I recall she was able do pretty much everything normally, though I guess had to take it easy with lifting heavy things.

Sadly yes - they've told me that as it is so heavily pinned I can't ride again - If I crash i risk pulling them all out and doing even worse damage.

I can do pretty much everything now and movement is 100%-ish but I can't lift heavy things - like the daughter.

F-me. More X-rays yesterday and they only went and discharged me. Fully healed. After 8 months of very slow healing I virtually floated out of Guys.

Doesn't feel fully healed but it will get stronger over time / with physio.

Awesome news!

Was very happy with the physio I got on the NHS last time. It's a slow path but feels great to slow build strength back and get back to normal.

Thanks - expect the first commute to be a bit shakey!

Have been doing physio for a while now and strength is coming back slowly - not that I particularly noticed it was lacking but doing resistance tests vs the other arm makes it pretty obvious.

My workmate used to take the piss out of me as I had one normal sized arm and one tiny skiny arm. Two years later they still aren't the same size haha keep up the physio and you'll get there man.

Broke mine for the 3rd time at the weekend. Last day of a short holiday in Girona, lost the front on a damp descent.

University Hospital in Girona were fantastic, got me cleaned up, x-rayed and discharged in an hour. Got a second x-ray here at Kings. Consultant was confident that it doesn't need plating, but wants follow up x-rays next week to confirm it's still in a good position.

Relatively up-beat but I really fucked it in terms of road rash. Head to toe on my left hand side although most of it is healing nicely. Won't post the gory pics.

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Ouch. Heal up quick fella.

4 weeks after my break and my collarbone has started to make some weird noise, and I can feel a bit of movement on it when I press on it my hand. I'm slightly worried I've been moving my arm too much (getting dressed, bathing etc) and that it's not healing or it's become misaligned.

My next x-ray is in 2 weeks. Am i just being paranoid?

Has the swelling got worse? The pain increased? If no, I'd say it's mostly you being paranoid, regardless, you'll find out in two weeks :)

Broke mine in June. Discharged and hospital seems to think it has mostly healed. Still feels pretty uncomfortable/weak if I do anything that puts any pressure across the collarbone. I also get a burning pain over the back of my shoulder (I think possibly from my shoulder muscles tensing up when the shoulder feels weak across the front). Sound familiar to anyone?

Did you see the final xrays? Some times they say its healed when there is a non union but it wont affect most people (i had this and ended up getting a plate put in) and have you started physio? Get some resistance bands and start doing some exercises if you haven't used it for 6 months it will be weak.

As @hamham says, what rehab have you done so far? If little, then all of the supporting muscles will be weak, which won't help the shoulder (I couldn't push myself away from a wall while standing after doing mine in). You can often self refer for NHS physio through your GP.

Thanks both. Saw the X-rays, It's definitely repositioned itself and pieces of bone appear to move in unison so I doubt it's a non union. It feels generally OK but definitely wouldn't want to try any press-ups. I've got a full range of motion (although have done since a couple of weeks after it was broken) so wasn't recommended for physio. I think I probably could have rested it more so might just be a case of healing a little slowly, might give it another couple of months and if it's still painful/weak go back to the doctor.

FWIW, I would try and fight that "no need for physio" recommendation. Full range of motion is, as you note, not the same as full usage. If you wait a few months you may find that you've compensated in bad ways for the strength loss and then find it more effort to recover. To compare, I had a clean break, no pinning. Started physio 6 weeks after the break, was onto full weight press ups by 11 weeks post accident, and back climbing after 15. My experience was that focussed rehab exercises really helped that along (had previously dislocated the AC joint in the same shoulder so was expecting this).

I had full range of motion pretty soon after surgery. Still needed physio and it still took a long time to heal. As wence says... get some physio if you can.

If you doubt you have broken your collarbone does that mean you haven’t?

The chap who picked my bike up and came over to help was pretty concerned about collar bone but I could raise my arm up vertically so I discounted it.

does it feel weird to you? Do your collarbones look sort of even?
You're probably best to get checked by a doctor just in case.

I’m in the US and I don’t know the work medical insurance details.

should be covered by travel insurance if you have it

I hadn't realised I had broken mine until it was X-rayed (pics at #810), no surgery needed but it was in a sling for a few weeks so worth following up on campervangogh's advice.

Work trip- work insurance. And Labour day today. I’ll find out the details tomorrow.