Clavicle Error - Broken Collarbone

Hmm, I'm not sure about where the loose part should be setting...our breaks are a bit different but I was a bit concerned about mine too until told that it was perfectly normal. Basically my 'loose part' is not back in line with the main part of the clavicle and has healed at an angle, so I have a small bump of bone sticking up (if you look back at my x-ray its basically healed like that). This is apparently totally normal as new bone forms where it is needed...sorry if thats not very clear.

However if I was you I would just try and get to the fracture clinic now, its much better to put your mind at rest, and if an op is needed better sooner than later. If there is any chance you could get a private doc to have a look at it (e.g. through a family member's insurance) that would be worth doing too.

yeah, I've broken it before, and the lump was there. not bothered about that as the bone itself was a continuous line of, more or less, the same depth away from the skin towards my shoulder. However, if I follow the path of the bone from my neck out wards it reaches the break and just drops back about 2 cm.

Maybe I'll call, just hate wasting doctor's time.

It's your health man, call them up!

I feel like I should say summat.

Mine is considerably less uncomfortable than it was this time last week. This is lulling me into the idea that I can do without the sling, which I is probably a very bad idea. So I'll keep wearing in even though it's making my forearm sweat like navvy's bumcrack. It aches all day long and the lump is pretty apparent. Bummer.

My left thumb and right elbow, neither of which I have mentioned until now, both still hurt.

is breaking a clavicle a new trend or something ;D
broke mine on the 8th,went through nhs but was basicaly fobed off, went private on the 12th with bupa ( family insurance) bupa orthopedic doc words were "erm, thats a good'en" while smiling ( the bones where over lapping but had big gap vertically, would of healed like a z if it could, more than a 2 cm gap reduces chances i was told, xray will say how big the gap and over lap are)
i guess i dont do things by half, anyway had surgery on the 25th, im now the proud new owner of a plate, some screws and a bit of putty ( to fill in the gap where some dead bone was taken out) plus i get a 6 inch scar to add to my collection
follow up and stitches taken out on the 9th, and im gonna get my original xray + new one with the plate ( just so i can say "mines better" :p)
been told i dont have to wear a sling ( although they gave me one to rest my arm, which i did for the first 2 days) and can move my arm as much as i want to (not allowed to pick anything heavier than a drink up though)
never realized how much i took my arm for granted,

got original x ray today

well theres my story to add to the collection :D

yeah, I've broken it before, and the lump was there. not bothered about that as the bone itself was a continuous line of, more or less, the same depth away from the skin towards my shoulder. However, if I follow the path of the bone from my neck out wards it reaches the break and just drops back about 2 cm.

Maybe I'll call, just hate wasting doctor's time.

my break never realigned itself. a bit like yours, mark, though drop is less than 2cm. went for an xray a total of three times within the 12wks and each time, the position stayed the same from the time it snapped. there's 'daylight' between the two parts. surgeon said that it's something that got caught in between, fat/muscle/whatever.

didnt want to go for a surgery cos i just wanted it to heal up. i was able to put some weight on it after 6-8wks but it was uncomfortable for a long time after that...say another 2-3+mths. i couldnt sleep on that side and from time to time i was getting some numbness/pins&needles

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?

yup. one more broken collarbone to add to the list. it was less of a worn cleat problem, more of a tired legs problem - one lazy upstroke and I had unclipped, launching me boldly towards the tarmac to land on my outstretched arm. fortunately Mashton was there to scrape me off the floor and flag down a car to get me to A&E. thanks dude.

after that: a week of mostly not too painful sling wearing, followed by 36 hours of exquisite pain (I could hardly breathe, codeine didn't even touch it) when the fracture shifted. based on the severity of the fracture and the movement, the surgeon suggested there was a pretty high chance it wouldn't heal itself so offered me the option of internal fixation - last monday I had a plate and a couple of varieties of screws fitted. I'm still in a sling and a fair bit of pain, but now feel at least that things are heading in the right direction. bring on the August collarbone ride!

josh, stelle, mark - I feel your pain, how's the healing going?

Bhudda - would you recommend your physio now you've been a few times?

Mine has been really sore the last few days. I hope it's sore because it's healing and it's telling me it doesn't want to move, and not because it's all going wrong. I'm struggling with the sling; it's bloody inconvenient. I couldn't have done more in the way of consulting doctors, so we'll just have to see. If I get to six weeks though and they tell me it hasn't healed, and that they should've done something they haven't, I will be well pissed off... I'm not wasting my whole Summer.

I'm sorry for you guys - not only suffering, but also loosing on some nice weather.
Heal up!

ps. Have you been following the exercises I posted before?

Bhudda - would you recommend your physio now you've been a few times?

Yes I would - PM me if you want her details

I'm with you on the sling - incredibly annoying. but I keep trying to remind myself that it's a hell of a lot better than being in a fat sweaty plaster cast... and without it I find myself picking stuff up and reaching for things that I really shouldn't be at this stage.

I think I'm a cup half full kinda guy - great summer weather for cycling, but still pretty good to sit outside in the sunshine while I'm still lucky enough to be off work. and when it clouds over there's always the Tour and what's left of the football to watch on telly...

east end - the exercises look great for when the xrays confirm the bone is well healed, but I'm not sure they would be safe before then. will see what the NHS physio has to say about my particular break when I go in tomorrow - if they say yes I'll be on it with the exercises 4 times a day...

Room for another? High speed over enthusiastic late night pothole swerve.

3 weeks ago today :-).

2 cms ish of overlap.

It feels fused now but a week and a half until my next xray. I'm doing the physio I've found online and here (thanks) until it starts to feel uncomfortable. Lots of milk and protein shakes.

Room for another? High speed over enthusiastic late night pothole swerve.

3 weeks ago today :-).

2 cms ish of overlap.

It feels fused now but a week and a half until my next xray. I'm doing the physio I've found online and here (thanks) until it starts to feel uncomfortable. Lots of milk and protein shakes.

Having very large amounts of protein in your diet can actually leach away calcium!

Make sure you supplement Calcium, and get some sun rays.

Getting large amounts of EFA's (particularly animal sourced Omega-3) is good for all types of recovery and general health too.

Cheers Dfp. I've invested in some calcium. I'm definitely not overdoing the protein just a bit more than normal. Feeling much better still today :-)

or buy Calcichew

Cheers Dfp. I've invested in some calcium. I'm definitely not overdoing the protein just a bit more than normal. Feeling much better still today :-)

Did you get some fish oil? I forgot to mention how they are relevant for you. It is highly inflammatory, which Im guessing is something you would like when you are all beat up & swollen.

Also, if you take your calcium together with magnesium, it acts as an excellent pain killer.

No fish oil yet, I might pick some up this afternoon, the calcium pills have also got magnesium in them too so hopefully I've got all the nutritional bases covered!

The specialist I saw suggested that feasting on calcium to help a bone heal is pure cobblers.

I've heard the same. I.e., calcium is good for keeping bones strong, not repairing them when they break.

Eating a blanced diet full of the right nutrients is more important. But extra calcium can't hurt surely...

Can't hurt I wouldn't have thought.

I might go and get a selection of good shit from the pharmacist to make sure I'm in first class fracture-fighting form.

I tend to agree. My doctor said the same. I eat a balanced and healthy diet anyway. However even if 90% of the extra calcium, vitamins and oils aren't needed at least you know your body has a good supply of everything it needs during the 'rebuild'

urrgh this thread makes me wince

get well soon everyone

advice on this would be great:

broken clavicle.
no private health insurance.
i would prefer to have surgery than wait for the break to heal.
what can i do?
can i "buy" the surgery?
how much would it be?

sorry but i dont know anything about how the health system works.

I might go and get a selection of good shit from the pharmacist to make sure I'm in first class fracture-fighting form.

any excuse to get whacked out on prescription drugs josh...

heal up soon though people!