Broken Collar Bone, Now What?

[Whoops]

Broken Collar Bone, Recovery?

Yesterday was not a good day. I did my impersonation of RC at the first Anaheim SX, including getting run over and pinned under the other guy's bike. Unfortunately, that's where the impersonation ended since RC didn't break and I did.

Since this is my first broken collar bone I'm looking for advise on the healing process. The ER doctor didn't say much other than see an othopedic surgeon on Monday and handed me broken collar bone FAQ. The faq says it takes about six weeks to heal but, I'd welcome advice from fellow dirt riders on the healing and rehabilitation process.

Whoops

 

[MCMAN56]

I broke my collar bone a few years ago. The doc said 6 weeks to heal and then six more weeks off of the bike to avoid a rebreak. That is just what I did? I wore a sling for about the first four weeks. After the six week heal, I started lifting weights. I started light and at first benches really hurt the collar bone area. It was probably near 100% by the time the second two weeks were up.

 

[RICKLAMBERT]

I broke my collarbone in two places a couple yrs ago as well. They gave me a figure of 8 to wear & said wait 6 weeks b4 riding again. I did and 8 weeks after the break, i fell over in a corner, landing on my elbow, and broke it again !! My advise is to take it slow when you return to make sure everything has had time to heal properly

 

[Mike Hubert]

Do a search on collar bone, you will find some recent posts with lots of ideas.

 

[Whoops]

Thanks for the replys. Looks like I need a short term hobby.

Mike, You don't get to whine about your owie when you do a search:o

I'll see my doctor tomorrow.

Whoops

 

[TrackMaster]

Originally posted by Whoops
Mike, You don't get to whine about your owie when you do a search:o

lol

my new best friend was SLEEP when I broke mine about 8 weeks ago. It hurt so bad for the first couple weeks, the figure 8 brace really rubs the bones together and that is painful...

unfortunately for me all my hobbies require 2 hands... i did read a lot, and i drew some pictures. Drawing is hard w/ 1 hand!

Take it easy, and itll heal up fine. Make sure you work your shoulder as soon as you can, and then by the time its healed youll have full use of your shoulder again. I was lifting weights 6 weeks after the break like mcman.:)
good luck and hope it heals fast,
Dusty

 

[Mike Hubert]

You are right, a little whining is good, we get no sympathy from our wives and girlfriends (not that we deserve any) so a little sympathy from fellow riders is a good thing. You will me amazed how quick it will start feeling better, I have broken a total of 3 collar bones and they all healed fine without any braces, splints etc. One of my breaks also included 2 ribs now that did smart for a while. You can devote your racing to Motocross Madness while you heal.

 

[Dadn4boys]

Do a search for a homeopathic remedy named ARNICA. It can be bought in a pill form and a creme. I used it when I shattered my ankle and tore the muscles/tendons in it. It helped take away the pain, reduced the swelling and bruising and seemed to help it heal. My doctor was surprised at the speed of my recovery from such a serious accident. I can't gaurantee that it will work on every one, but I have had some people say it works, some not.

 

[Whoops]

Thanks for the posts.

I saw my Orthopedic Surgeon yesterday. The x-rays show the collar bone broken in three pieces. It's called a butter fly break. Anyway, looks bad so I'm pretty aprehensive about what old sawbones is going to tell me. He say's "It will fix itself". Wow. I cant' believe it. He goes on to say " just take is easy, use the brace for four weeks and don't stress the shoulder, you'll be fine". This is great news, no knife. Six to eight weeks I be back riding again.

Whoops

 

[KiwiBird]

I broke mine this weekend too, not as bad as yours though Whoops, only one break. My Dr was straight up with me, 3 months till the bone is full strength. Six to eight weeks it's healed, but you stand a very high chance of rebreaking it in a crash or even hard landing.

 

[Whoops]

Kiwi

Ouch. Welcome to the walking wounded. I wonder what percentage of us are on the injured disabled list at any given moment.

I'm hoping that in two months I will have exercised enough to climb back on and ride again. Do you have your re-hab planned out?

Whoops

 

[Jon K.]

Originaly posted be Trackmaster

my new best friend was SLEEP when I broke mine about 8 weeks ago. It hurt so bad for the first couple weeks, the figure 8 brace really rubs the bones together and that is painful...

Trackmaster, the figure eight brace is supposed to pull the shoulders back so the bones don't crunch around as much. Were you wearing it right?

I have broken three. Back racing in six weeks. Felt 100% in eight.

Odd thing, the last one I broke, I was nearly 40 yrs old. Healed better and quicker than when I was nineteen. It was a bad one too! I landed on my back and "bowed" the clavical until it snapped. Ouch. Had a big strawberry where it tried to get through the skin, and my whole right chest area turned technicolor from the blood draining down. Itchy! Ugly! Healed right up with no fuss. Six weeks felt good. Eight weeks felt 100%

Sleeping is fun. A week in a recliner. Two weeks on your back in the bed. Maybe after three weeks you can roll over on your good side. Might be a couple of months before able to lay on the "bad" side for more than a few minutes!

 

[BigSchafft]

collar bone

add me to the list of 1st time collar bone breakage. yesdterday i tried passin my buddy on the right side of him in an open field, was in about 4th gear when BABAMM!! a large rock hiding behind some grass decided to jump out at me. nailed it head on, dented both my front and rear wheels and sent me over the bars right on to my right shoulder. xrays show broke in half, but the tuff part is i compressed acouple vertebrae that make everything twice as difficult. thanks for all the advice regardingsimilar experiences. it gave me a positive outlook hearing that this injury heals rather quicky. looks like ill be missing the carnegie race march 3 :mad:

 

[Natester]

I had a "butterfly" break a few years ago, and it just happened that the figure eight brace ran right over the outermost break. To make a long story short, the bone healed wrong and stuck out like 3/4" until I convinced my doc to do surgery on it. While he was in there he nicked a nerve in my chest, so a 4" diameter portion of my chest is numb, but htat was better than having my chest protector catch on the bone (major pucker factor there). My only advice is, make sure you get a high quality brace and let it do its thing and you'll be alright. The only other option is surgery and a plate, which you probably won't convince your doctor of anyway. BTW, Tyler Evans broke his in supercross and he's already back racing. I don't think it's been a month!!! He got 14th in the 250 main last weekend. :aj:

 

[nikki]

Wow.. first of all sorry to hear about all of you with the recent broken collarbones! Hope you all heal up quick!

Well I broke mine back in '00 and Red (my guy) broke his in '99. My heal time sounded about the same as WFO - I was racing in 5 weeks (very cautiously) and felt pretty strong after about 8-10 weeks.

I wore my figure 8 brace for about 4 weeks straight, then on and off for about 2. I healed up perfectly straight and think that may have helped. Red didn't wear his figure 8 brace too much and, to this day, his bones have not mended together. The two ends sick out and flip over and under one another when he moves his shoulder. Pretty gross! But he says he has full strength anyways!?!? He was racing/riding again after 2 1/2-3 months.

Sleeping was the absolute pits for me. Well not really so much of the sleeping part - but getting out of bed in the morning. I slept on my back with a pillow under my arm on the broken side. Getting up was awful. I tried to scoot my butt out of bed without moving my shoulder. It would take a good 20-30 mins. to calm down after getting up. After a while - I would make sure to take a pain pill about 30 mins. before attempting to get out of bed.

For fun - I became a Supercross Circuit addict! Although I never beat the 250 outdoors in the season mode. I did a lot of little stretches during my down-and-out period, too - like swirling my arms and stuff.

 

[KiwiBird]

I saw the Doc on Tuesday and he said I could ditch the sling but no PT for another 4 weeks because the break is so close to the sternum. At least I can sleep on my good side and now I can get out of bed OK - know what you mean about that Nikki!

It's pissing me off this down time, but at least I have a new GF to keep me entertained - didn't get her off the internet either, just a chance meeting.

 

[gospeedracer]

Originally posted by Kiwi Bird
didn't get her off the internet either, just a chance meeting.

I didn't know stalking counted as "a chance meeting". :p

So, how are you going to get everyone to do your bidding without the sling? Certainly the whining works best in conjunction with it. :p

I'm bummed I won't get to ride with you again before I leave. :(
Hope every one heals quickly.

 

[C.Hoddy]

Broke my collar bone back in the middle of October and its just now getting healed. The Doc even told me it would take 5 to 6 weeks to get healed but he was wrong! And it sticks up about 1". looks bad!

 

[mark_england]

i broke my clavical last august
was a pretty bad fracture in 2 places with the middle bit turning at 90% to the rest of the bone. now looks like this

-----|-----


it healed within 4 or 5 weeks and i rode after about 8
its strong but it does ache most of the time most so at night.
they didnt give me a figure of 8 sling which would of helped set my shoulder a lot straighter,,, real bad health cut backs here

 

[sk8mdw]

Re: Broken Collar Bone, Recovery?

Originally posted by Whoops
Yesterday was not a good day. I did my impersonation of RC at the first Anaheim SX, including getting run over and pinned under the other guy's bike. Unfortunately, that's where the impersonation ended since RC didn't break and I did.
Whoops

Didn't want to feel left out, so I broke mine in two places yesterday (Saturday), along with "three or four" ribs. :scream:

 

[JeffC]

I broke mine about 3 years ago. Broke it about 2 inches from the shoulder. ( playing human lawn dart) I wore a figure 8 for almost two months never really healed very well six months later I broke it again while reaching for something on the floor of my truck. Finally had to have a plate put in. It's almost bionic now. If you insist on breaking a collor bone do it at least half way between the neck and the shoulder. Heals much faster! Later

 

[SiCnTwIsTdYz]

broke my collar bone tooo!!!!!:() b etter heal soon!!!! im going to the doctor tomorrow to get it checked on, i can feel it healing

 

[SiCnTwIsTdYz]

im weariung thge figure 8 thingy too :(

 

[jimyz]

I also did'nt want you to feel alone. I broke mine saturday after a great day of riding. I came up 5 feet short on a 60 foot double which I previously had done and made 100 plus times. I will pray that GOD gives us all quick healing.

 

[SiCnTwIsTdYz]

i just got back from thedoctor its been 2 weeks already sincve the break and its healing, i am alkso in the figure 8 brace i wear this thing 24/7