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Bit late to the party on this one. Sounds like you are doing OK for now. I've had 3 clavicle breaks. The first was in many pieces and tenting. They however only plated it on the toss of a coin as part of a research study. Healed fine, full strength and mobility, still there. The second was 11 years later, other shoulder during the end of the first covid lockdown, again in many pieces though not quite as bad as first. Ortho's were obviously short of things to do so was sent straight in for surgery and another plate. Metalwork seems nicer, less pronounced. Didn't get any physio though, because well, covid and it still doesn't quite feel right, though I did have an existing injury on that shoulder. Both the earlier ones were biking but the third time was kayaking. I got washed over a shallow waterfall upside down and clipped a rock on the way over. The end of the clavicle with the first break, fractured right at the end of the plate. I could felt the bits moving but wasn't too bad, drove to minor injuries, minor fracture on xray and was sent home with a sling which I only needed for a couple of weeks. The bone has now healed around the end of the old plate, so thats never coming out! All done in Edinburgh for reference. Hope you heal up well.
Blimey, I don't want to break another one!
Just had first physio- mobility is a-ok no interventions needed, some pain in shoulder/forearm being managed with some simple, frequently repeated, exercises. Still feeling quite chipper after losing the sling and getting chunks of my independence back.
My birthday is 16th August. I have the 3 month x-ray on the 12th August. I'll hopefully have done a bit of very easy riding by then and if it shows as properly fused, I'll go for my first proper off road ride on my birthday. Which I expect will be on the nesh side of extremely tentative. It's good to have a target tho.
I'm also going to drive up to Staunton (in the Forest where I crashed) and walk the trail to piece together (hah) exactly what happened, and decide if I ever want to ride that trail again!
For anyone interested/just to provide closure for any future searches, I was discharged today from Hereford fracture clinic with a "that's a strong looking join, you can do any exercise you want"- build up steadily tho but that bone is now as good as any other in your withered and aged frame" 😉
It still looks "broken" but it's not. That's new bone in the gap. The gap has come down a lot as well. I can't really see it pulling my shoulder forward, I do have a quality lump tho.
It's not been plain sailing as I had a couple of weeks when it was really properly sore in the AC joint after I started physio. It's still sore after riding 3+ hours but it's improving every week. Maybe not as fast as I'd like but then I am a very impatient patient.
That x-ray is 13 weeks after the accident. I did have a off-road ride on my birthday on Aug 16. A very slow one 😉
Going to continue with the 30 mins physio I'm doing every day and get back in the gym and start to do some weights- again building up gently. Hopefully be able to increase the time on the bike as well and maybe ride some stuff I've not gone near for three months.
I did go back to where I crashed. Saw exactly what I did. Not desperate to go back and ride it again.
So glad I didn't have the op.
Really glad to hear you healed quickly, and you should get to go on your holiday. I was finally offered an operation at the end of July, a year and a week after my accident... They didn't seem to be interested in seeing me first (x-ray or anything), I had to decide if I needed the op, so I called their bluff and said great I'll go for it... they then got me in and x-rayed me and have decided I'm healed.
Admitted I'd been riding since April, so didn't really think I needed the op, but having not been seen by a doctor since January, I was appalled that I was asked to make the decision without any medical advice (I was about to cancel the op, when they finally said, maybe we should see you first).
I wish I'd had an op soon after the crash, but this is seemingly not a option, so I put up with 7-8 months before making the decision I needed to get out riding again.
Best of luck for anyone experiencing this in the future...
PS: It took me nearly 2 month of riding before I checked out my crash site & rode it again... I'm not sure why I crashed, as it's a straight line path down to a fire road.
@zippy - that's just not great is it. Just seems strange they offer you the Op with no context. How does it feel now? Do you think it's healed? Or would you have the Op if you were offered it again?
@z!ppy - that's just not great is it. Just seems strange they offer you the Op with no context. How does it feel now? Do you think it's healed? Or would you have the Op if you were offered it again?
Just seems strange they offer you the Op with no context.
When I finally got to see the consultant, from what he said, it seemed to me I was not on a waiting list, I was just put to one side and ignored until they decided I should be healed. Luckily for them I was... This followed on from them txt-ing me in march asking if I thought I still needed treatment...no medical advise, just do YOU think you need it?
I do feel fine now, occasionally that side feels weak trying a random arm movement (lifting my FF e-bike over gates is fun), but I didn't have much pain all through my experience, other than when doing the physio exercises for my frozen shoulder. The frozen shoulder was a complete barstard of an extra issue, then one day after months of the physio I realised I could lift it all the way up. I now have 95% of the range it did before and that 5% is more about ease of use, rather than restricted range...Do you physio kids! I experienced horrible pain while doing my exercises, but pushed on (whilst weeping) & it was worthwhile
I wanted the op early on and would have still had it up until around February, which was 7 months after the crash, but the thought of going back to a sling and potentially setting me back to square one, meant I really didn't want it after that (I sat on the waiting list just to see when/if they would see me)
That's very different to my experience. As I said earlier in the posts, I did want the option of the Op but it wasn't really offered. Maybe if I'd pushed really hard, they might have changed their mind. I was referred for Physio 3 weeks in which a few people suggested was very early but I'm glad to have to got started as the frozen shoulder thing was one of my biggest worries.
My actual biggest worry was it not healing and then needing the Op - a bit like what you had @z1ppy.
Looking back to where I was 3 months ago, I probably had a better experience than most who have posted on this thread. Even tho sometimes it didn't feel like it!
Oh last thing- if anyone wants a really good set of rehab exercises graded by difficulty let me know. I've built up a folder which started with "stabilisation" and ended with "strengthening". Mix them up for anything from 10-40 minutes.
I'll be carrying on with them as they've also improved my non broken, but not very good right shoulder.