Broken Collarbone Question

10/25/2016 3:37pm
500 - LOL.....at least you're a guy. Good conversation starter anyway.

Thanks for the reassurance. It's true. It was just a tip-over. I should relax about it.
Sauce96
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117
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10/29/2014
Location
Apollo, PA, USA
10/25/2016 8:19pm
Sauce, on the upside, your incision is barely visible, it's like you had plastic surgery :-) Damn, that was some nasty break. They probably needed extra...
Sauce, on the upside, your incision is barely visible, it's like you had plastic surgery :-)

Damn, that was some nasty break. They probably needed extra long equipment to get in there and fish all the pieces out to put them together.

From what I've gleaned, I don't think any of us are ever going to get rid of the numbness from where they cut the nerves.

Are you getting the plate removed? I know for some that's optional but for me, well it's technically optional but the doc pretty much guaranteed i is gonna work through my skin, so I am good to go with just getting rid of it.

I guess you've only really been riding again 2 months...hope you feel good.
the plate doesn't really bother me riding i can get it out. Unless it is bothering me I'm gonna leave it in. Just got a letter from UPMC that my doctor Dr. Rogal from UPMC Pittsburgh is leaving the practice. Don't know how good any other doctor will be. Sure they are good but only going if i have to. My parents were in the waiting room, doc comes in and tells my mother " i got him good, your son is a work of art". She was very confused but the doctor sealed me up pretty good.

Sauce96
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117
Joined
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Location
Apollo, PA, USA
10/25/2016 8:28pm
also ended up with two broken arms broken right navicular along with the broken left collarbone. But you always need to have a back scratcher to help you!

10/29/2016 12:28pm
re Sauce pic: OH, MY. I feel like there should be some IV meds in that picture.


Here's a removal question: For those who've had the HW removed....does the shoulder go back to looking nice again? Without that nasty looking sharp angle? I can not wait to get rid of this thing.

The Shop

NHtoWA421
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575
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8/4/2014
Location
Bremerton, WA, USA
10/29/2016 6:37pm
My gf took a digger in early july, got back on the bike in september, and took another digger experiencing similar pain as you are, went to doc, got it looked at, all was fine, just some shifting in screws and plate causing pain.... we didn't tell the doc how she did it. (He was also my doc for the concurrent broken arm and wrist)
Knarfious
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8/17/2016
Location
Clermont, FL, USA
10/29/2016 6:55pm
Sauce, on the upside, your incision is barely visible, it's like you had plastic surgery :-) Damn, that was some nasty break. They probably needed extra...
Sauce, on the upside, your incision is barely visible, it's like you had plastic surgery :-)

Damn, that was some nasty break. They probably needed extra long equipment to get in there and fish all the pieces out to put them together.

From what I've gleaned, I don't think any of us are ever going to get rid of the numbness from where they cut the nerves.

Are you getting the plate removed? I know for some that's optional but for me, well it's technically optional but the doc pretty much guaranteed i is gonna work through my skin, so I am good to go with just getting rid of it.

I guess you've only really been riding again 2 months...hope you feel good.
Sauce96 wrote:
the plate doesn't really bother me riding i can get it out. Unless it is bothering me I'm gonna leave it in. Just got a letter...
the plate doesn't really bother me riding i can get it out. Unless it is bothering me I'm gonna leave it in. Just got a letter from UPMC that my doctor Dr. Rogal from UPMC Pittsburgh is leaving the practice. Don't know how good any other doctor will be. Sure they are good but only going if i have to. My parents were in the waiting room, doc comes in and tells my mother " i got him good, your son is a work of art". She was very confused but the doctor sealed me up pretty good.

I highly recommend Dr. Christopher Edmond. He does amazing work and takes a lot of pride in it. He did both my shoulder and ACL & knee reconstruction. He used to be the team doctor for the Eagles before relocating to Pittsburgh. He has offices in Seven Fields, Robinson, North Hills and Fox Chapel. He's treated a bunch of guys in the sport and understands that treatment needs to be unique sometimes for MX riders and has one of the greatest personalities I've ever seen in a doctor.
10/29/2016 7:01pm
I've broke mine twice and I've had 4 surgeries. Plates & screws both times. Had the hardware removed both times as well. It doesn't get any better. I can't sleep on my ride side or I wake up super stiff and hurting. Certain things I do hurt and limit me. It's always in the back of my mind of getting hurt again but I try to block it out when I get on the bike










2/1/2017 10:21am
HI, you guys were so patient with me, I want to give you the update.

I DID re-break the bone. It really didn't take much. I guess a healing-bone is more vulnerable.

My healing had been "excellent" up until then. Well, FML! Now I am on Exogen bone therapy, and if that doens' t heal up the fracture I am going to need a bone graft. I have set back recovery by 6 months.

if anyone can learn from my mistake, and not push their luck, comply with the doctor, you will save yourself a lot of aggravation, time , and money.

thanks so much for your support.
2/1/2017 10:47am Edited Date/Time 2/1/2017 10:49am
HI, you guys were so patient with me, I want to give you the update. I DID re-break the bone. It really didn't take much. I...
HI, you guys were so patient with me, I want to give you the update.

I DID re-break the bone. It really didn't take much. I guess a healing-bone is more vulnerable.

My healing had been "excellent" up until then. Well, FML! Now I am on Exogen bone therapy, and if that doens' t heal up the fracture I am going to need a bone graft. I have set back recovery by 6 months.

if anyone can learn from my mistake, and not push their luck, comply with the doctor, you will save yourself a lot of aggravation, time , and money.

thanks so much for your support.
Ouch sucks to hear that!

I've broken both collarbones on separate occasions. The first incident did not require any plating. The second incident, well I still had my sling from the first one, so I didn't even go to the doctor!

Both are 100%. Good luck with your recovery. Take your time.
Tbteam
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Location
Ormond Beach, FL, USA
2/1/2017 10:54am Edited Date/Time 2/1/2017 10:57am
Back in the dark ages (1982), through an interesting course of events, I was handed David Bailey's practice 250 to ride with Gary. On a lap and three turns later, my collar bone was mangled.

I guess way back then it was acceptable for the orthopedist to pull your elbows back to align the bones as best they could, and then put you in a figure 8 plaster cast with the crossed part between your shoulder blades.

I think I slept two hours a night for 6 weeks while I wore this thing. It healed, but now, nearly 40 years later, I still can't sleep in my left side. I wish they would have plated me way back then!

Good luck!
doghouse
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Virginia Beach, VA, USA
2/1/2017 10:57am Edited Date/Time 2/1/2017 10:58am
Tbteam wrote:
Back in the dark ages (1982), through an interesting course of events, I was handed David Bailey's practice 250 to ride with Gary. On a lap...
Back in the dark ages (1982), through an interesting course of events, I was handed David Bailey's practice 250 to ride with Gary. On a lap and three turns later, my collar bone was mangled.

I guess way back then it was acceptable for the orthopedist to pull your elbows back to align the bones as best they could, and then put you in a figure 8 plaster cast with the crossed part between your shoulder blades.

I think I slept two hours a night for 6 weeks while I wore this thing. It healed, but now, nearly 40 years later, I still can't sleep in my left side. I wish they would have plated me way back then!

Good luck!
Yeah, I broke my left collarbone in my teens, still can't sleep on my left side either.
Bodieg3
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2/10/2012
Location
Haleyville, AL, USA
2/1/2017 11:05am
Look into getting an exogen . If dr won't prescribe one look on eBay . Really speeds up bone healing
Crash11
Posts
10
Joined
3/17/2016
Location
USA
2/1/2017 11:29am
Broken Parts,

Being a woman I'm sure you are already aware of this, but I figure it's worth asking anyway. Have you had your bone density checked? To go 12 weeks and re-break the bone on a small tip-over.....could be concerning. First time I broke my collarbone it was separated quite a bit, but they didn't plate it. They just gave me a figure-8 strap and let me go. I couldn't ride for about 10 weeks, but once it healed and calcified I was good to go. That was considered a long healing process (10 weeks).
yz763
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790
Joined
2/6/2009
Location
Altamonte Springs, FL, USA
10/20/2020 5:39am
Sorry to bump an old thread but looking for a little assistance.
I broke my collarbone 10 years ago and had a plate and 6 screws put in. No issues at all. A few weeks ago I re-broke the same collarbone and now I’m worried about the hardware being mangled in there. The hospital wasn’t much help. This time around, the pain of the bone isn’t bad but it was shifting around. I feel like it gets better and better everyday so I’m thinking of just letting it heal. For those of you that have re-broke your clavicle with hardware already on it, what did the docs do?
1
10/20/2020 6:16am Edited Date/Time 10/20/2020 6:19am
Hey! I am really new , sorry to make this my intro. Female age 38. I just need some help and I think this is the...
Hey!

I am really new , sorry to make this my intro. Female age 38. I just need some help and I think this is the place to get it.

I broke my collarbone, distal, a displaced fx, riding in late July. I had emergency surgery with the plate and screws as it was pushing through the skin.

I was compliant after the surgery. At 12 weeks they said the healing was on schedule and the hardware was perfectly aligned. I could ride again on a regular bike. I was riding a light trail and missed on a section. I had a minor impact with an oustretched arm onto a rock. Id say it was about 2 feet down since the rock was tall and it was a slow speed demise , as I was trying to be extra cautious. . Really, it would have not even been a blip if it wasn't for the surgery.

Now I'm terrified that I wrecked the hardware. I've felt some extra pain since that fall, (5 days ago), but nothing major. Nothing like that blinding flash of pain you get from a fracture (don't we all know it!) All ROM the same. Can dress myself, do hair, etc.

Does anyone know...would it take a LOT to destroy the hardware? I 've had some level of pain every day since the original crash/surgery This isn't a "I can't take the pain" thing, it's a paranoia thing. Also, a little bit of shame for having done something stupid.

Any insights? Thanks so much. I look forward to being able to help others w/my experience when I am in a position to do so.
I’d go to your surgeon. He might wanna take all hardware out and replate. Or it might be ok to heal on its own. That’s gotta be a bizarre feeling.


*edit quoted wrong person, disregard that.
10/20/2020 6:30am
yz763 wrote:
Sorry to bump an old thread but looking for a little assistance. I broke my collarbone 10 years ago and had a plate and 6 screws...
Sorry to bump an old thread but looking for a little assistance.
I broke my collarbone 10 years ago and had a plate and 6 screws put in. No issues at all. A few weeks ago I re-broke the same collarbone and now I’m worried about the hardware being mangled in there. The hospital wasn’t much help. This time around, the pain of the bone isn’t bad but it was shifting around. I feel like it gets better and better everyday so I’m thinking of just letting it heal. For those of you that have re-broke your clavicle with hardware already on it, what did the docs do?
I don't think you should go without being seen by a doctor. your collarbone is right in the middle of everything, don't take a chance.

I am the OP, I had my hardware removed actually.

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