[Closed] Broken collarbone

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Any ideas how long normally until I can drive?

Smashed mine a while ago, was out camping in a couple of days. Back driving after a week and back on the building site after 2. They'll tell you 6 weeks plus but they base all their timings on frail OAPs I'm sure. No lasting pain, though I do have a very bulgey shoulder now.

Good luck!

Thanks that's good to hear. Just been told op might not be today 🙁

Still not half as torturous as listening to the person snoring next to me alllllll night

depends how they put the plates in - when I had mine (hooked plate) I came out feeling like they must have dropped me off the operating table as I was so bruised up.

Look on ebay at similar operations and you will see how they just throw your arm about, so it is not surprising it gets so messed up.

If it is a hooked plate then you will have similar op in a few months when they take it out again.

Make sure you do mobility exercises and all the physio stuff, although if it is hooked you will also be restricted on that.

The shoulder isn't a proper joint and you have 4 sets of muscles holding your shoulder in place. At first your shoulder will feel achy for ages but a lot of it is it not being supported by these muscles properly and just hanging there - look in the mirror and you might see that shoulder resting lower than the other.

The better you do your exercises and the faster you get those muscles back in shape, the faster your recovery.

I found using the poles in the vestibules on the train to work and 'climbing' my arm up high and then 'hanging' from it useful, the consultant was always surprised at the amount of mobility I had got back for the time passed when I went to see him.

Seems like there's quite a lot of variation in recovery times. I broke mine 18 months ago following an unplanned dismount, had the op to plate it the following afternoon. Was discharged the morning after the op with what felt like almost full use of my arm - drove the day after that.

Don't think my fracture was too severe though - didn't need pinning, just plating as it was so displaced. Couple of weeks until it was properly back to normal though

I was driving three weeks after plating. On a turbo at two weeks. On the road on a bike at five weeks, off road at twelve weeks. Back to normal in my head about riding off road, probably six months. I am still more cautious than I was before the operation which took place three years ago
Two things that may have lengthened my recovery
1. I am an old git
2. The plating was done 18 months after the initial fracture after total non-union. They had to do a little more work on the bone ends compared to a recent fracture

Edit:
The driving thing may be dependent on which side you have broken. Mine was the right side, and one of the things that made me and my doctor cautious about driving was the seat belt rubbing on the wound. If it is left sided, this would be less of an issue

Look on ebay at similar operations and you will see how they just throw your arm about, so it is not surprising it gets so messed up.

Are they selling hospital operations on ebay now? 😮

everything is going to depend on individual circumstances. re driving, I suppose it might depend on left or right (you did't say) and how much mobility you'll have. if you've broken the right, then in theory you could drive as you can pretty much do everything with the left and just rest your right arm on your knee and hold the steering wheel when you need to ie when changing gear with the left. However, the seatbelt over your right shoulder will be tender for many weeks. if you've broken the left, then you'll have no choice to moving your arm for changing gears, which may or may not be a problem for the first week or three. Doctors probably won't commit as every case is different and they won't want any liability, so it'll be "when you feel you are able to be fully in control of the vehicle and safe".

I got off fairly lightly, didn't need pain killers after the accident, in and out of hospital in a day (in 7.30am, operation 9.30am, wake up 11.30am, home by 5pm). needed pain killers for about 2 days after the Op, then I could bear the discomfort. You'll be surprised how quickly you'll go from clock watching to guzzle the next painkiller, to wondering what all your fussing was about. The only bad bit was the numbing drugs quickly wore off just as I went to bed at 11pm, I had a pretty unpleasant night, but in the whole scale of unpleasant, it's still not that bad really.

edit: mine was right side BTW and I was driving after 10 days, but probably could have driven a few days earlier. I just tucked the seatbelt under my armpit and hoped that if challenged I'd get an understanding copper

My biggest problem when I smashed mine was lack of power,I couldn't even pull my trouser leg off or my sock,when driving I didn't have the power to bring the steering wheel back around and that was with power steering,over two months the power came back slowly

I chose to let mine heal naturally. Probably takes a couple of weeks longer before you can get back on a bike, but very happy I have no metal in me now.

Depends how big your balls are?

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/motogp/23096412

I chose to let mine heal naturally

can't always do that though, depending on the break.

Hook plate means no bikey until fractures fused enough to remove plate.
Had mine put in May 24th,consultation Monday, hope to have op to remove within next two weeks.
Hook plate + 4 screws

The advice I received from doctor with regard to driving was if given a sling to use you are not fit to drive until doctors advice is not to use sling.

I chose to let mine heal naturally. Probably takes a couple of weeks longer before you can get back on a bike, but very happy I have no metal in me now.

I have broken mine twice. The first time mid clavicle and it healed naturally, the second time was closer to the joint and after 18 months the fibrous non-union started to degrade, hence the plate. Which is still with me.

Hook plate put in last September...removed mid March...started biking again in May.I was pretty unlikely with the break though, most people are back riding within about 3 months or so...I've just done 3 weeks in the Alps with no issues which at the turn of the year looked like it was going to be a write off. Just do all the physio and you'll be grand!

I carry my hooked plate in my backpack just in case I ever need it again, along with my air ambulance badge thingy - hopefully both lucky charms...

Took me about 5 weeks post pinning operation to get back on the bike.

Anyone got any stories of miraculous recovery to make me feel better?

Not exactly miraculous but I broke mine in mid-August last year, had it plated and an artificial ligament fitted. A few days after that I was on the turbo and kept as much fitness as I could. Managed to get back to racing in late October (two days before the consultant said that I could ride outdoors which I'd been doing for a couple of weeks) and won a race in late November.

Cheers all. Op took 3.5 hours. Just back in the ward now. Much more comfortable than I was!

Haven't seen consultant yet so no idea what they've actually done. One of the surgeons sons turned out to be s friend of a friend who I've ridden with on occasion. The other surgeon was also an avid local mtb'er. She said she hates it when fellow mtbers come in as she knows it's only a matter of time until she hurts herself!

Fortunately I've raced most of the year so I'm in pretty good shape. Last race of the season was supposed to be today however...

I've got a road bike and turbo with Trainerroad on standby. Plan is to keep as much fitness as poss and start the new year in better shape than ever.... a little optimistic perhaps.

Have broken both of mine. First one was fine, even letting it heal naturally I was driving after a week and riding DH in the Morzine after 6. The 2nd was more painful for longer but then I was 10 years older with 2 kids so life is more complicated.

I'm sure having had it plated, you'll be fine soon.

Mine healed in less than 6 weeks, mind you that was with a bone graft after it hadn't healed in the previous 12 months.

Second break mind you. Got out on the bike yesterday, no pain at all during 3 hours, that was on the road bike though, will probably leave the mountain bike for another couple of months.

Good luck.

Just back in the ward now. Much more comfortable than I was!

At some point during tonight the surgery numbing drugs will wear off, then you'll have 24hrs or more of the lesser painkiller drugs which won't quite hack it in comparison (but not that bad on the whole scale of discomfort). That was my experience, but sounds like yours is a bit different as I had no particular discomfort before surgery (biggest issue was the crappy sling I was initially given digging into my neck and causing it to get really sore).
for about a week after surgery it felt a bit like having my shoulder in a vice that was a bit too tight or maybe someone stood on my shoulder in football boots. uncomfortable but not that bad. first night I didn't sleep, second night I slept sat up on the sofa with cushions arranged in a position to make it bearable to get some sleep, third night I think I slept ok in bed. luckily my bed is comfortable for a whole night in one position, on your back.

Well I slept from 10:30 pm until 6am which is better than I normally get at home!!! Was woken a few times for blood pressure but that was it.

Had some morphine about 2am and managed to get up and walk to the loo. Just very stiff and a little swollen at the mo. I smell pretty horrific too.....! Need a shower! Hopefully I'll get to see the consultant this morning and I really want to see the X-rays.

First ever broken bone and first visit to the hospital. To say I was a little nervous about the op I guess was an understatement but in hindsight I've no idea what the worry was about. That being said, my best advice - just don't fall off in the first place! I was a 30 min walk to the closest road when I came off and had to walk it on my own. I managed to ring for an ambulance which took a further 30 mins or so to get there. It was very close to being an open fracture with some very critical skin. No idea what I'd have done if that thing was poking out, I'm not one for bloody situations like that!

Shoulder specialist surgeon reckons its the worst he's ever seen!

Before

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8 screws and a plate later

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Back home now. Just about to watch Tour of Britain and then world champs replay tonight

That looks quite a mess! Hope you heal up quickly.

Luckily mine didn't need plating, was back at work the next day.

Best thing I did was to buy [url= http://www.physioroom.com/product/ProCare_Universal_Clavicle_Support/2042/38143.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjwyK-vBRCp4cymxermx-EBEiQATOQgh1_9grppizZh2XQw_G1NyWF4mzEdm6VxWuF99YmhN6UaAlMa8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds ]one of these.[/url]

The normal sling I used to start with gave me really bad trapped nerve pain in my shoulder. I swapped it to the above which held my shoulders back, got rid of the pain and gave me pretty much full movement straight away.

Thanks I'll get one ordered and see how it goes.

Next challenge is a post op poop. Not been since Friday morning, this should be fun...

Wait until you try sneezing