[Closed] Clavicle plating experiences

It normally takes around 10 to 14 days for a 'fibrous union'. After that it's a case of hardening off.

Clavicles usually heal well even when badly broken.

I wish you 'good healing'.
I reckon you are just gonna have to tough it out and wait.

You'll be OK to get back on the turbo after 14 days!

SB

The NHS left mine 4 months before plating it. It was strong enough to have the plate removed a year later.

I had mine plated six days after breaking it. 2 week check up just looked at the wound, they x-rayed after about 6 weeks.

Turbo trainer 14 days after having his clavicle plated. Are you having a laugh? You're not supported to weight it for at least six weeks and that's assuming its a a straight forward break. This one sounds like its complicated . This is the consistent advice I've been given on both occasions I've done mine in. Both were in three bits or more. Both required plating. Both times I was told to keep it isolated for six weeks and not to load the arm in any way.

You get some big variances in stories about clavicle breaks. Like Tyler Hamilton saying he rode he TDF with a broken clavicle. Well no, sorry but you didn't. It wasn't broken it was fractured. You break your clavicle into two or more displaced bits and if knocks out the whole upper right quadrant of your torso.

Mine was plated about 6 days after the initial break as it was in bits and rotated somewhat! Fixed lovely but even after fairly extensive physio my right shoulder sits more forward then the left.

Ask about different types of sling as the standard one just exacerbates the problem. If I'd known I'd have researched and asked about the figure of 8 style.

I've also seen people with plated clavicles sitting up on turbos pretty soon after, all I know is I was knackered for weeks after surgery.

I was plated the day after mine shattered into 3 pieces. Mainly because one piece was several mm from my lung.

I was on the bike 6 weeks later - was in in a codiene cloud for 3 weeks (opposite elbow and thumb broken too) . Onewheelgood- you had it removed? I didn't want to go through the same surgery again.

Some funny replies on here! geetee 1972 a fracture is medical parlance for a break ie they mean the same thing! They do come in different patterns and severity from simple "cracks" to complex multi-fragment fractures. edward2000 your experience is not uncommon in being confused at what you have been told, you will probably have been seen by a variety of docs in clinic from SHO to training reg to consultant the consultant is the one to listen to! Each consultant generally has their own ideas based on experience as well as research literature. Most fractures will take 6 weeks to get good union, you will need to wait a while to see if grafting is needed (you need a bone graft not a bone marrow transplant)! The docs will look for callus (new bone formation) on a repeat x-ray, again follow up time varies from unit to unit. Get on the turbo when you feel ready the metal work is holding the fracture securely just don't fall off and stay away from the real road/offroad until you have the all clear! Kip re. slings etc. the research shows no clear advantage to the figure8 versus normal broad arm, most UK units use the broad arm the fancy Europeans often go for the figure8!

My experience:
Plated within days of the break - nearly a compound fracture
Had regular check-ups but refused to reunite so after 12 months they gave me the bone graft (as said above - it's not bone marrow, it's bone graft where they shaved some bone from my hip and stuck it in the gap in the clavicle).
That fixed it nicely and I had the plate taken out a year after that and within weeks was ok to ride again.
I stayed off the turbo trainer for 6 weeks as said above but kept my fitness in the intervening months with walking, physio and turbo trainer.
I strongly recommend doing everything your physio tells you if you want a full recovery. Can take some discipline but it's well worth it in the long term.

Hope you heal quickly. I think my experience was quite extreme tbh but everything's 100% ok now - you can barely see the scar and have full movement and strength.

I had mine done after breaking the same bone twice in a year. Not sure it healed properly after the first time. I had it plated a few days after breaking it and was riding road within 10 days. 4 weeks later, I started a 4000 miles tour. I not trying to show how tough I am, just that you can get back to it very quickly, usually as soon as you can stand the soft tissue implications. IIRC, at the same time, Haga (of Moto GP fame) fell off 1 weekend, had his plated and then won a race the following weekend.

*read this* When they plate, they often use bone as filler. This could be 'harvested' from elsewhere (but from you). Apparently this adds to the recovery and can be very painful. I refused this and elected for 'donated bone'. I.e. from someone else (leftovers, dead people, dunno, don't care). Push for this, you'll recover more quickly.

I broke mine in May last year. A&E only took one x-ray and it looked like a simple break

The following week I had 2 more x-rays and was whisked in for surgery as the bone was broken in three places and 'was also split'. The first plate lasted a week and then 'failed'. The second plate was fitted 4 weeks later

It was then 6 months before x-rays showed any signs of bone regrowth, but the main consultant said this was not unheard of especially as there was a long time between the initial break and the second surgery. He also said he was prepared to wait up to a year before opening me up again to conduct a bone graft

I go back again in May as there is a possibility that I may have to have the plate taken out. It is giving me some hassle and will (hopefully) have done its job by then

As for loosing faith in the NHS, don't! They do a good job in most cases , but they are human and there are some differences in opinion on how to treat many conditions including a broken clavicle (I had three surgeons with different opinions, I trusted the one who told me I would hear different options and opinions, but spent the time answering all of my questions rather than trying to force me to agree with his opinion).

I would be dead without the NHS and they have patched me up more than once. Thanks guys and gals!

{EDIT} - Riding after a few days! I could barely walk for about 6 weeks 🙁

Had a plate and hook fitted within 24 hours, mine was severely displaced in three bits and almost compound, I was in a drug haze for a few weeks, make sure you take a stool softner like movicol, the pain killers give you pretty bad constipation. I had the plate out after 6 months, what a relief that was, my tendon kept on getting caught on the hook and having to sleep on your back for 6 months is a pain.

Good point Rewski. Codeine turns poo into concrete so do something about it unless you have Bobby Brown hanging around with his favourite spoon.....

I strongly recommend doing everything your physio tells you if you want a full recovery. Can take some discipline but it's well worth it in the long term.

that. if you haven't already seen a physio push to see one as soon as you can, and push for repeat visits with them as much as you can. ie ask things like 'when can i get back to sees you guys again?'
make it clear to your doc and physio that you want to get back to as close as normal as soon as you can. longer you leave it the more problems you'll have with movement of elbow and shoulder.
especially get advice WRT your break and how to treat the arm NOW. it's easy to make assumptions and often the pros forget that they're dealing with a layman, so leave out bits of information that they forget people just don't know, and often when you're in pain and a bit worried about it all you forget to ask questions.
typically you should not just keep the arm completely immobilised immediately after the break. usually when you're sitting about you should let your arm out of the sling and allow the elbow and shoulder to adopt different positions - but NOTE - i am not a medical professional and you should probably seek advice on this for someone who is if you have not already.
anti inflammatory drugs are good short term but longer term do not help bone regrowth.
good luck with it. the nhs will look after you. they've patched me up a few times and i've been happy with the care i've had.

I broke mine last May , It was oprated on and plated after 6 days . I wore the sling for 3 weeks but mainly just at night. I was on a turbo after 3 weeks and back riding after 6. On my first trip back to Gt I came off and had a dull one , I seriously thought I had broke it again but It was just torn ligaments. The ligaments were actually sorer than the Clavicle brake.

Mine was plated about 4 weeks after the break, it healed pretty well and I was riding within 4 weeks and in the alps in 8. The stuff about the graft is probably worst case scenario.

I still have my plate in 2 yrs on, it can be a pain at times with the snagging of tendons but the consultant decided that there was probably no need to remove it.

You will always get differing opinions from doctors main point is you have been treated, it will probably be ok aand it was free. Dont be too harsh on the NHS.

Three different consultants have told me that it takes at least six weeks to get what they have referred to as a union, I.e. the bones have knitted together and are now stable and then another six to twelve weeks before that union is fully calcified and back to full strength.

I've been told this now three times, most recently in October when I broke my upper humerus into about four bits. I broke it first week in October and was told that I would be risking a very protracted recovery if I ended up breaking it again because of an accident before February. Consequently I was told that while the arm was strong enough to support my weight in a bike after about eight weeks, it would be prudent to leave it another weight weeks before getting back on the bike.

My point is this. It's great for those of you that got on the bike/turbo after three weeks or whatever. Wonderful. Have a medal and all the macho kudos you want.

For everyone else who isn't a pro, listen to your consultant and do what they advise, not what the Internet posters. recommend. If you're not making your living from your bike then why would you risk getting back so early? Plating doesn't short cut the healing time it just holds everything together while that's happening.

😯

Should I be asking for my plate out?

I broke mine in June 2009. After three months was advised by a consultant who was not a shoulder specialist that it had started to join so was discharged. Remained uncomfortable for some time but then seemed ok after a year. In June 2011 it started to get very sore again, my GP arranged for x-ray, to be told that there was a complete non-union. I had had fibrous union which was now breaking down. Went to see a shoulder specialist who saw the Sept. 2009 x-ray and said that it was ever going to join. Had plate put in Dec 2011, took till Jan this year to see signs of bony union. Because it had been two years between break and op, required ends re breaking, bone chips from this added to bone matrix,.
Moral of this? See a specialist shoulder consultant. I still have the plate and am likely to have for some time

Should I be asking for my plate out?

I think it depends what kind of plate, mine was big and had a hook, it caught every time I raised my arm. I certainly wouldn't what to fall on it again if it was plated. Ask a specialist though.

I did mine and had a plate put in and then eventually removed. I think they meant you might be able to see signs of a union as soon as 2 weeks but they won't do anything about it unless nothing has happened after 6 weeks.

My advice is read up on what you can change in your diet to aid bone growth (calcium tablets, apples, cut out caffeine and soda etc). It won't necessarily do much but it will make you feel like you're helping fix it which is beneficial psychologically

Also when you ask your physio when you can start biking again and he says x months don't just sit around moping about it or worse start biking early and risk falling on it again. Instead ask the physio what activities you can do the soonest. Mine said swimming so I entered a long open water swim and spent 3 months training for that

'Bony union' <smirk>

@Geetee Bit OTT awld fella.

People give their experiences, they are theirs alone and will vary. Personaly, I rode road only and didn't find it too much of an issue. Obviously, if your Dr is telling you to do x, it may be unwise to do y on the say so of a few internet dwelling IT middle managers. Common+sense.

Should I be asking for my plate out?

If its not a problem then best not to go back and play the MRSA lottery.

I broke mine into three pieces, and waited 13 days before surgery. The plate went in, and I haven't had to think about it since, except for the loss off feeling in the skin in patches around my right shoulder from the nerves they cut through for the surgery, and when my littlest kids make a grab for my clavicle when they want to practice their climbing. 😯

@Geetee 😆 🙄

Calm the beans , you sound like you have some real anger issues. I actially was on a well supported turbo with my arm in a sling doing light 30 minutes sessions not grunting it out on a set of rollers.

Broke mine in two in 97, day before I started a new job. Moved house a week later as well. Told to wear a sling for 6 weeks. Went on holiday after 5 weeks and tripped over and fell on it. That really hurt.

Back to hospital and they decided to plate it after 6 weeks. All good, bit of nerve damage, couldn't carry a bag on that side. Started riding 3 weeks later on turbo. Up to 3 hours in the shed, only holding on with good arm. After 7 weeks, rode my first race and came 2nd 🙂

2 years later, same hospital took plate out. 2 years after that I went back to help them with their research and they tested it and said it was probably stronger than the other side.

[img] [/img]

Pic of my plating secondhand kinda from my old pc.
I initially broke it in Jan, almost had a good union then went back to work too soon and gradually wore it apart again:( not good.
Had it plated in the November with bone marrow (so I was informed) from a "C" shaped flap on my hip. This initially hurt way more than the plating.
Took about a month to get on the turbo, and had to adjust position etc to ease pressure.
This was back a few years ago and touch wood all well at moment:)

Whatever you do don't be "tough" and come off the painkillers! Thiswas the worst pain I have ever endured.

Edit, mine took about 7 weeks to show a tiny amount of new bone "shadow" on x-ray and I was told it was unlikely to have healed without the graft. The plate itself is damn strong tho and you can see the screws look well deep:-0 Once the plate is in place and the nerve "fires" have gone out you could prob run around for months waiting for it too heal.

Cant believe no one has mentioned the fear of coughing or sneezing after It's done. 😆

Calm the beans

You're right - chill beans taken 😆

The anger is that I keep breaking myself and am getting to the point where I have to start riding at eight tenths not ten tenths and it's pissing me off.