Broken collarbone experiences

yz133rider
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Avondale, PA US
5/7/2021 8:35pm Edited Date/Time 5/9/2021 9:38pm
I’m sure theres a lot of folks on here who have broken there’s. What am I in for? So far it’s a bitch to sleep, can only sleep on my back and getting up from bed and out of chairs is painful. It seems sitting up and it shifts around causes pain.

How long till you were able to ride again?
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Talisker
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Houston, TX US
5/7/2021 8:37pm Edited Date/Time 5/7/2021 8:39pm
Wait till you try to put on deodorant.
I broke both of mine. One skiing, and the other motocross.
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Mit12
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1977
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Lake Havasu City, AZ US
5/7/2021 8:39pm
Broke mine 1983 in lake Medea cmc golden state series, raced 3 weeks later. Cant say it was real successful but I did race. It really depends on the fracture.
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yz133rider
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Avondale, PA US
5/7/2021 8:48pm
Talisker wrote:
Wait till you try to put on deodorant.
I broke both of mine. One skiing, and the other motocross.
It’s been a few days and today was the best I’ve managed with showering and putting in deodorant lol. There are some really hard to reach areas!
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Racer142
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Byhalia, MS US
5/7/2021 8:54pm
Broke mine two months ago. Was trail riding 3 weeks out from surgery. Haven't been back in track just yet. Back at work 6 weeks after surgery and back in the gym as well. It's weird because I notice the plate discomfort more than the pain but I'm getting used to it. Mine was bad out of alignment though and surgery was the best option. If you aren't getting surgery my experience probably won't help.
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The Shop

Talisker
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5/7/2021 8:55pm Edited Date/Time 5/7/2021 8:59pm
It’s amazing that once that bone is broken or fractured, it’s almost impossible to lift your arm past a certain point. Not to mention painfull. Give it 6 to 8 weeks. It’s still going to be very pressure sensitive. I remember going to the gym, after 8 weeks, and it was still very tender when I tried to lift weights. I could feel exactly where it was broken.
Broke mine with the famous “Going take one more lap”
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FeetUp
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Santa Maria, CA US
5/7/2021 8:57pm
I broke mine riding at the Dam in Albuquerque back in 1974 LOL. Just wore a sling for a couple weeks (no surgery). It healed up nice an straight, but to this day if I lie in bed on that side, my shoulder gets sore and stiff until I get up and move a little. Tongue
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b_kowalsk
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Thomaston, CT US
5/7/2021 8:58pm
Get it plated if it's a bad break. I wish I had asked them to plate mine, took a while but it did eventually heal. Not straight tho.
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Racer142
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Byhalia, MS US
5/7/2021 8:59pm
I didn't experience that discomfort. It was a week before I got the surgery and in that time I replaced the exhaust manifold on my jeep and was riding a ttr125 around the yard with my nephew 2 days after breaking it.
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PBRvince
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Palmdale, CA US
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5/7/2021 9:38pm
Good luck trying to change your shirt by yourself. Not sure if you had it plated or not but the night after surgery was the absolute worst. Broken both sides and have my left side plated. Right side wasn’t that bad was back riding in about 4-5 weeks. Take your time and don’t skip out on physical therapy.
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BobPA
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PA US
5/7/2021 9:55pm
Broke mine 3 times...Two rights and a left. Got the left plated. And it was infinitely better. Much more comfortable, quicker heal time, just all around better. If it is in the cards, have it fixed.
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walent215
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Ridgecrest, CA US
5/8/2021 2:20am
Broke mine really bad when I was about 21 or so.... no surgery... back to work in a sling after 2 weeks ... back on the bike in about a month ... healed up really good and quick with just wearing the brace ... no Ill effects today after about 26 years.... the surgery debate is very interesting to me since many swear by it and I stand by not having it .... both scenarios seem to produce similar results but everyone is different
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Dirtydeeds
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US
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5/8/2021 4:26am Edited Date/Time 5/8/2021 4:27am
Broke my left one 20 years ago. Did nothing for it. Slept sitting up. Broke the right one a month and a half ago. Missed a day of work. Had it plated a week later, missed another day of work. Was gonna ride last weekend but all the tracks were rained out. Heading out tomorrow finally. I also broke 6 ribs this last go round. The collarbone was nothing, the ribs are still a nuisance but have gotten a lot better.






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5/8/2021 5:32am
Didn't break my collarbone but last summer I got landed on on the downside of a jump after going down by losing the rear end coming up it.

Broke my scapula, shattered my glenoid, dislocated my AC joint (Where the collarbone connects to the arm basically) and tore my bicep tendon.

It was hell I had to sleep basically sitting up for almost a week post surgery due to the tremendous amounts of pain I was in. Hurt like a bitch every time I tried to sit up or get in and out of a car.

Physio was brutal too when I finally got out of the sling I couldn't even lift my arm under its own weight but its's almost been a year now and I am very thankful to say that my arm is about 99% back to the way it was. It will never be 100% but its pretty damn close.


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kb228
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Mansfield, OH US
5/8/2021 6:02am
Broke mine and got it plated. Never even hurt. Only problem was i couldnt move my arm after i did it. After 2 weeks for the incision to heal i was back to normal
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5/8/2021 6:16am
Got my right played when I was 15. Was water skiing 4 weeks later. Racing 5 weeks. Of course kids recover fast.

Broke my left at 28, tried to heal conservatively with a complete nonunion. Wasnt going well. My shoulder mobility basically froze to nothing. Was having wierd kain when I lifted my arm. It was never right. Went got a second opinion. Had it rebroke and plated...took me 6 months. the biggest issue was my Shoulder mobility. the collarbone itself was nothing.

It’s going to vary....depends on the severity of your break and how compliant you are with physical therapy.
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Sauce96
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Apollo, PA US
5/8/2021 6:39am
I destroyed my collarbone ridding a sand track called Hillsville In PA few years ago. Then 8 months later broke the tip of the collarbone off the plate ended up having to put another plate on the front of the collarbone. Ended up with 2 plates 18 screws. I still don’t have feeling around my shoulder due to them cutting the same scar twice, it’s been almost 5 years. Once having it plated the first time i felt like a new man, having the stability helps a lot, healing time is less. I recommend getting it plated if the displacement is enough. My first break was pretty bad and it took me the full 8 weeks with plating. The second break was about 4-5 weeks with the second plate. If you have a good ortho get it done.

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murph783
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CT US
5/8/2021 6:45am
I did mine and separated my shoulder back...oh idk 10 years ago? Didn’t do any PT and got back on the bike too soon and ended up fucking it up worse. Took forever to get it stable and full range of motion again.

Moral of the story, do what the damn doctor says.
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Sauce96
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Apollo, PA US
5/8/2021 6:47am
Sauce96 wrote:
I destroyed my collarbone ridding a sand track called Hillsville In PA few years ago. Then 8 months later broke the tip of the collarbone off...
I destroyed my collarbone ridding a sand track called Hillsville In PA few years ago. Then 8 months later broke the tip of the collarbone off the plate ended up having to put another plate on the front of the collarbone. Ended up with 2 plates 18 screws. I still don’t have feeling around my shoulder due to them cutting the same scar twice, it’s been almost 5 years. Once having it plated the first time i felt like a new man, having the stability helps a lot, healing time is less. I recommend getting it plated if the displacement is enough. My first break was pretty bad and it took me the full 8 weeks with plating. The second break was about 4-5 weeks with the second plate. If you have a good ortho get it done.


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Rawly
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Simi Valley, CA US
5/8/2021 8:27am
Wish I would have had mine plated. The bump from the overlapping bones gets sore from the weight of my backpack over my neck brace while off roading.
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Elbows
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Haleyville, AL US
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5/8/2021 9:59am
Rawly wrote:
Wish I would have had mine plated. The bump from the overlapping bones gets sore from the weight of my backpack over my neck brace while...
Wish I would have had mine plated. The bump from the overlapping bones gets sore from the weight of my backpack over my neck brace while off roading.
No doubt! Both of mine are overlapped with sharp pieces of bone on the top which makes it uncomfortable.
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CG118
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Kennesaw, GA US
5/8/2021 10:12am
Broke my left into 3 pieces, looked like the letter Z. The surgeon and I discussed using an IM rod rather than a plate, so that later he could just take the rod out easily, reducing the stress riser effect of hardware on a flexible structure.

Shoulder has been awesome.
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sumdood
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San Clemente, CA US
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5/8/2021 10:26am
Dirt Bikes are Fun !! Excruciating fun at times, but fun none the less. Laughing Can you imagine the average Joe non riders reaction to threads like these ? Shocked Good luck, hope you heal fast with no long lasting effects.
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Wildeye511
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Las Vegas, NV US
5/9/2021 4:08pm
Broke mine in January and had surgery to put in a plate and 7 screws a week later. Mine was too far to just let it heal on its own. Lucky I have a wife to help me shower (had to keep the stiches covered for a couple weeks) and putting my deodorant on. It sucked somewhat, but I am guessing there are worse injuries to have. Also lucky it was not my dominant side or wiping my ass would have been a struggle.
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munsch121
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814
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2/7/2009
Location
Middletown, NY US
5/9/2021 4:33pm
I broke both my collarbones at separate times and didnt even know it. I took a few days off and got back to riding. its crazy how it makes you nauseous.....I know I am the minority, call it lucky....but thats my experience.
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5/9/2021 4:50pm
sumdood wrote:
Dirt Bikes are Fun !! Excruciating fun at times, but fun none the less. :laugh: Can you imagine the average Joe non riders reaction to threads...
Dirt Bikes are Fun !! Excruciating fun at times, but fun none the less. Laughing Can you imagine the average Joe non riders reaction to threads like these ? Shocked Good luck, hope you heal fast with no long lasting effects.
For the rest of us we see these threads as: oh it’s not if you break a bone it’s just when....
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Jaybird67k
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Location
Vidor, TX US
5/9/2021 5:50pm
I tried the whole let it heal on its on as one doctor suggested.
Then I had it plated mid December and raced my 125 2nd week in January.
Nairb#70
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Ivoryton, CT US
5/9/2021 5:54pm
Broke mine back in 1994, tried to jump the double triple rythem section at Diamondback from the inside of the berm on a 125. Caught the peak of the fifth jump and did a handstand over the bars and augered myself into the wall of the berm after it. Got an x-ray on the way home. Put it in a sling and nothing else. No problems since except a huge knob on my left shoulder.
b_kowalsk
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Location
Thomaston, CT US
5/9/2021 6:20pm
Rawly wrote:
Wish I would have had mine plated. The bump from the overlapping bones gets sore from the weight of my backpack over my neck brace while...
Wish I would have had mine plated. The bump from the overlapping bones gets sore from the weight of my backpack over my neck brace while off roading.
Same issue I ended up with, chest protector is a little uncomfortable now.
JWACK
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2479
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8/7/2009
Location
NM US
5/9/2021 6:27pm
Welcome to the club!
Broke my left one twice in a row. Both times I was off the bike 3-4 weeks. No long term issues other than a lil lumpy lump.
norcal racer
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Stockton, CA US
5/9/2021 9:19pm
Broke my left one 4 times by the time I was 11! Gotta have someone push you from behind to get up from sleeping lol

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