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About five years ago, I broke my left clavicle after coming off my bike, which was then plated.
I have ridden very tenderly ever since: partly because I am not a very good rider, and partly because I am paranoid about another accident. I simply cannot afford to incur another break.
That said, I know that whether I am riding the hills, the road, or just commuting, coming off is always possible, and I have nightmares about the plated clavicle breaking again, and screws ripping out of bone, etc., etc.
Have any of you had the plate removed after a break? Do you think it's worth doing? Are my fears of some sort of gory end in the event of a re-break with the plate in realistic? Should I ask my GP to arrange to get me back in surgery to have it removed?
Would not remove plate unless its causing problems. no point
IANAD but I am an engineer... 😉
I suspect that if you were to break the clavicle again, it wouldn't break where it's plated because it's reinforced there. If the plate is taken out then it'll take a long time for the full bone density to return at the screw holes, so leaving it in will be stronger.
^my understanding, however the bone is 'sacrificial'. you break that rather than damaging shoulder or neck, so reinforcement of it may not be considered desirable. having the plate taken out will obviously necessitate going under anesthetic, which does have a risk ( however small ) associated with it, but will to a large degree give you the same or greater recovery time as breaking the bone again.
i also ANAD, and work call me an engineer 😉
Told my surgeon I was pretty likely to have another daft crash on my plated collarbone at some point, and he was adamant there's no additional risk of it rebreaking on impact with the plate in, and if it wasn't causing me any discomfort it was absolutely fine to leave in permanently.
Another full anaesthesia op, another couple of months off the bike and another round of physio? Non merci.
Another full anaesthesia op, another couple of months off the bike and another round of physio? Non merci.
would removing a plate require a round of physio? I doubt it tbh. Discomfort and painkillers for a few days and taking it easy for 6-8 weeks I'd imagine. I'm on week 4 after surgery and the surgeon told me the same thing, they'll remove the plate if it causes me problems. Don't think mtb will be an issue for me, but waterskiing and rock climbing might, yet to see. I've similar concerns about another fall on the same shoulder, but haven't had nightmares about it yet tho. I've been mtbing for 20ish years without incident, it was a stupid accident I could have avoided after doing the mtb route (racing a mate back to the car on the road).
Don't know what to say to the OP, I've yet to live with it day to day post recovery.
I had mine removed 9 months after it was fitted as my break was at the shoulder end so the plate they used overhung slightly and poked me in the neck at the other end. No physio required and back on the bike as normal 3 weeks later. The bone has grown back a bit thicker.