[Closed] Collarbone break - how many times?

Hasn't Lee McCormack broken his so many times they just removed it? 😀

I've done both, but just the once and both plated. The third time I crashed hard and thought I had broken the (plated) collar bone again, it turned out I had just shattered (into about five bits) the surgical neck end of my humerus (basically the top of the bone).

I was pretty worried because I've heard that breaking an already plated bone could be very complicated.

As it was, just shattering (into about five pieces) the humerus, three weeks after my second child was born, was much more straightforward!

I pretty much stopped riding the mouintain bike after that.

Broken my left in two places and right one twice.

The doc said I really shouldn't break either again as the brachial plexus is very close to the bone and re-fracturing a bone can release very sharp fragments that could cut the nerve supply to the arm...

This was 20 years ago, gave up biking, took up climbing, then kite buggy racing and now been back on the MTB for a few years. Don't think about it.....

I had a broken collar bone and broken AC ligament in 2011. The bone was plated but the French surgeon who did it was adamant the plate should be removed within 18 months.

Back in the UK, the NHS were at first reluctant to operate to remove it, but I'm very glad I insisted on them so doing. It's much more comfortable with the plate removed (used to be able to feel the screw heads because there's not much skin and fat on a collarbone) and I reckon also safer from a re-break POV.

prezet - Member
Just got out of hospital patching up my second broken collarbone. Managed to mess up a dropoff and refracture my already plated bone.

You the guy we bumped into in Surrey Hills by any chance the other week? (drops off the Pitch Hill DH runs).

Never but just done my shoulder and that is bloody painfull...

Yeah i think that was me. You the guys on the Santa Cruz's?

The doc did say it wasn't in a good way because of the plate. Basically it broke at one end of the existing plate which made replateing complicated. I'm now thinking that once this is finally mended that I'll have the plate removed just in case I ever break it again. Although that could end in a divorce as my second child is due in 2 days.

@digga do you mind me asking how the plate removal went. Were you off work for long? In hospital long?

Eight, 4 times each side. Its a result of being c$£p at MX, road motorcycling, MTB'ing and cyclocross. Not much blood supply in either clavicle now 🙁 Last time I saw a consultant he recommended I give up robust sports. But he looked at me and said "but your not going to are you". 😀

Just the once. Professional jockeys sometimes have the middle third removed.

Table 1 makes for some interesting reading - Median of 4.5 with a maximum of 8 fractures.

prezet - Member
Yeah i think that was me. You the guys on the Santa Cruz's?

Yeah, that was us. Team Santa Cruz usually (though think I had the non Cruz hard tail, but usually it's the Nomad).

I wasn't there but some of the guys were down the same trail yesterday and there was another incident apparently. No breakage but much blood involved by the sound of it.

Good to hear it's patched up in time for the new arrival. Guessing the metal work might make it easier to cope 😆

Oh shit. Hope they were ok. Thanks for stopping! Got to get back there once I'm fixed and nail that run 😀

Twice - same collarbone, same trail, same day!! (July 3rd consecutive years). Strangely it happened exactly half way between the pub and home on a twisty bit of singletrack.

I've learnt my lesson now - I go to a different pub!

Broken the left three times. Last time (about fifteen years ago) was a compound fracture when I absolutely smashed it - one of the bigger fragments went through my skin and both cycling tops I was wearing at the time. 😆

Broken both collarbones, once each. Had the left one plated after it had healed as it was pretty wonky. Then had the plate removed last year before my son was born after getting fed up of my nieces headbutting the screw heads ( dunno who was in more pain as a result of that!)
Every time, it's another 6 weeks off the bike, and usually 4weeks in a sling. They've been messy breaks but they do seem to heal quickly.
The de plated one feels a bit funky to touch but both shoulders are now well crashed on and seem to be OK. I'm glad I had the plate removed though. It bothered me and I've seen/heard some nasty shizzle of bone brakes under plates!

I think someone should complain to the manufacturer really. Collarbones just weren't designed for cycling. 😀

If you've not broken collarbones at least twice your not riding your bikes enough 😆

Do we really need collarbones?

Second break on the same on (right side) when I messed up a drop off. After 3 months it's not healed and I am freaking out about surgery, apart from the fact I am bored and frustrated.

First time they plated it and I had it removed 2 years down the line. Glad I did reading about the multiple fracture risk with the plate in there.

My old boss had a total of seven from MX, was getting dodgy cause they would heal stronger then break in a different place, last one was a bit close to an artery, apparantly. It's not a good look, it'snlike they've beeb gnawed by a dog.

FWIW Ed Clancy apparantly offered to have his out to make himself more aero. 🙂

prezet - Member
@digga do you mind me asking how the plate removal went. Were you off work for long? In hospital long?

I went in in the morning and was mowing the lawn mid-afternoon. I'm not saying that's the right way to recover, but more that it was AFAIK, a very minor op.