Broken Collar bone

don't let it move around so the bones will begin to knit back together.

It is no fun :ugg: for sure.

This is a tough one. In a few weeks you will feel better and it will seem healed BUT...it isn't. The collar bone is one of the easiest ones to re-break if you don't let it heal properly. The Doc showed me how to check it. This was for a simple mid collar bone break. Hold your arm out to the side as if you were making a "T" then apply pressure starting at the top of the collar bone and working you way down. If it still has even a little pain with the pressure it isn't calcified and can rebreak easily. Do a search of the site for collar bones. some have rebroken theirs just reaching for something on the floor of the car.
And I'm not a doctor so please consult your before using my method. What I'd do is if you try the test I explained and it feels good then go and visit DOC and get their opinion.

Also the figure 8 style brace is very nice. In my opinion much better than the simple sling. If they don't give you one demand it. At least then you have the option of wearing it.

Jasle's right about the healing thing. You're going to feel like you can ride after a few weeks but DON'T.
The slightest thing will make it hurt like hell.

the ONLY time you should ever take the fig. 8 brace off is to take a shower. Wear it even to bed. I had to sleep with a rolled up pillow in each arm and resting on my stomach (helped the discomfort)
usually about 6 weeks for the thing to really start healing, give it 8 before you do something strenous like riding.

good luck. My son broke his at DW02 and then rebroke it the other night just by rolling over. :think:

It took me almost 2 months before I felt I was really ready to ride again. When I went back to the doctor at six weeks he said there was no visible growth of bone yet. I only took the fig. 8 brace off to take a shower and sleeping sucks .

A sad story I've heard (and felt!) way too often! I feel your pain!

I bought a new KDX after 19 years without being on a dirt bike, and broke my collarbone in 2 places the first weekend riding (June 2). Same side I broke 20 years ago. Having just gotten over this ordeal, I'll pass on some of what I learned:

- As you have found out, the collarbone is one of the easiest bones to break. It is naturally curved in a slight 'S' shape, and a force/impact from the front, side, or back of the shoulder will be transmitted to the CB, and can break it easily. If hit at the right angle, you can break it going 5 MPH.

- Unfortunately protective gear can only prevent 2 of the 6 ways to break it. I am also now wearing the PCS neck brace. Don't worry, you won't even notice this thing once it's on. This may help prevent the bottom of the helmet from digging in and breaking the collarbone (and other neck trauma). Chest protectors don't do a whole lot. I am seriously considering hockey pads for better shoulder protection for front and side impacts. Like they say, dress for the crash, not the ride!

- The ortho docs typically just give you a sling, and say take it easy. Research has shown that the figure-8 clavical strap does not help the bone heal any better, but I wore one 24x7 as tight as I could bear. I have the scars under my arms from the raw, open sores it caused. I wore a sling and figure-8 for about 4-5 weeks, and the figure-8 only for a total of 8 weeks. I wanted the shoulder pulled back as tight as possible so that the 3 bone fragments would be as aligned as possible. I also felt it helped to keep the pieces of bone from moving around and grinding together. Originally the bone was in a figure-Z shape, and now it's pretty aligned. I think if I just wore the sling, I'd have a shortened, drooped shoulder.

- Age works against you (I'm 38). There are a lot of major blood vessels and nerves that run under the collarbone. If the break has caused damage to these (mine did), there will be less blood flow to the area, and hence the bone "glue" will not form as quick or as good. The nerve damage will heal over time. My shoulder is still numb at 4 months out, and the doc said it may take a year to fully come back.

- After 2 months, the x-rays weren't showing much signs of bone growth. Some "glue", but nowhere near calcifying. I told the doc that I want to start riding again in another 4-6 weeks, and she prescribed a bone growth stimulator. Normally insurance won't approve this device unless there is a malunion (no bone growth) after 3 months, and some make you wait 6 months ! The device I got cost $4,800, and it has 2 electrodes that attach on either side of the broken bones. A 9-volt battery powers a little cell phone sized device that attached to your belt, and you wear it 24x7 for 3 months. I started wearing the device at 8 weeks out, and I think (and the x-rays confirmed) that it really accelerated the healing process. I rode very easily at 13 weeks out, after wearing the device for 5 weeks, and although I could feel some stress soreness around the break, it was fine. I just rode a very intense 2 1/2 days up in the U.P. (at 16 weeks out), and I did some things that I thought would have re-broke the bone, but it didn't. I'm still very weak in the shoulder muscle, and have only about 75% range of motion in the shoulder, but I feel that without the bone stimulator, I wouldn't have been able to ride (or would have re-broke it!). See if your ortho can prescribe one for you ASAP. My ortho got me one so I could start wearing one, but post-dated the insurance request so that it would be approved according to their requirements. If you do get one, wear it religiously. It's kind of a pain, but a walk in the park once you get out of the sling/clavical strap. Dick Burleson was part of the group I was riding with in the U.P., and he broke his right collarbone in 4 places 3 weeks ago. He is also using the same type of bone stimulator (made by Ortho Pak). He broke his left collarbone 3 years ago, and also used the bone stimulator to heal then, and had great results. Aside from the cost of the unit, the other big rip off is that the device automatically stops working after 200 days of use, so you can't really re-use it.

- Do a search in the Training / Nutrition / Injury forum. There is a lot of good advice, and if nothing else you won't feel alone. Compared to some of the MX-induced injuries posted there (along with graphic photos!), a collarbone is relatively minor. It's painful because it can't be set, but it's not a lifelong injury like a blown knee or busted ankles.

- Because of all the nerves and blood vessels that run along the collarbone, orthos don't like to do surgery with plates and screws because of the potential of complications (mostly permanent nerve damage). The plates and screws do align the bones, but because the skin is so thin above the bone, it has a tendency to stick out and rub (although they can eventually be removed). There is a new procedure that you should seriously look into. It is performed by a doctor out of Duke University, and is called the Hagie Pin procedure. Check it out here: http://www.medmedia.com/orthoo/5100.htm. I wish it would have been recommended by my ortho, but she would suggest it only in extreme cases. A rod is screwed in through the length of the bone, and a nut is tighted to pull all the pieces together. This allows the bone glue to form and set quicker, because the bones are snug tightly together. And they aren't "free floating" around anymore.

Hope this helps! Stick it out, it does get better. You won't be able to ride this year, but get strong for next season. In the meantime, there is a ton you can learn on this web site. Feel free to shoot me any specific questions.

- Bill

Like everyone else has said, keep it still. Don't be trying to do exercises with that arm. I broke right collarbone Apr.28th. After 12 weeks it finanlly started showing signs of calcification that you could see on an xray. I went back to work at 16 weeks. I wore the figure 8 24/7 except to take a shower. The doc said I didn't need to take calcium supplements but I did anyway. Mine didn't heal very straight for some reason so it's taking more calcification before the bone really gets soild. It's still sore if pressure is applied to it. I can't benchpress 100lbs without it feeling like it's gonna snap. I think it also healed a little shorter so it's pulling un-naturally at the sturnum and shoulder joints making them sore until they adjust.

Smit-Dog brought up the idea of wearing hockey pads. I'm already doing this since my injury. I used the front and back panels of my Thor Aftershock and adapted them to a set of hockey shoulder pads that offer more protection for the shoulder and upper arm than what any CP does. Hey Smit, if you want to see what I came up with, let me know , I'll send you some pics.

Originally posted by Trailryder42
Smit-Dog brought up the idea of wearing hockey pads. I'm already doing this since my injury. I used the front and back panels of my Thor Aftershock and adapted them to a set of hockey shoulder pads that offer more protection for the shoulder and upper arm than what any CP does. Hey Smit, if you want to see what I came up with, let me know , I'll send you some pics.

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Send me some pics of your chest protector mod, I'd like to check it out.

I actually went out and bought Bauer Supreme 5000 shoulder pads. I looked at a lot of different hockey pads, and these seemed to offer the best shoulder protection. It also has decent chest, stomach, and spine protection. Not hard plastic in these areas like a chest protector, but really dense gel/foam cells. The shoulder pads are large, hard plastic that cover the front and side of the shoulders very well. Attached is a picture.

I tried to put my Thor Core 4 jersey over the Bauer pads, and couldn't even come close to getting the jersey over the pads. I considered wearing the pads over the jersey, but the pads are covered with a thin foam padding, and this would get torn up pretty quick flying through the woods hitting branches and twigs. The pads cost $105, so I returned them. I just couldn't see them getting torn up for that kind of money. Plus, they cover your upper torso pretty well, and the pads would be extremely hot in the summer. I was getting warm just walking around the house in them.

I put my Thor AfterShock on right after taking off the Bauer pads, and I couldn't believe how much lighter and breathable the Thor protector was by comparision.

Bottom line is that I am still looking for the ultimate protection. I think that you are on the right track. I'd like the chest/rib/stomach/back protection of the Thor AfterShock (along with the lightweight and breathability), but the robustness of the Bauer shoulder pads - and either fit under a standard jersey, or be built so that it wouldn't get torn up if worn outside the jersey. Or maybe manufacturers need to start making jerseys bigger to accomodate beefier shoulder pads, ala' the larger knee sections in pants to accomodate the trend in knee braces.

With all that said, I'm looking for anything that will reduce the risk of another broken collarbone even slightly, although I'm fully aware that there are many unpreventable ways to break it.

Either your attachment didn't work or the board won't let me access it. Here's a link to some pics of mine. It's an ITECH unit that has lightly padded plastic reinforced sternum and spine protection. The shoulder caps are held down in place by an adjustable strap connected to the upper arm gaurds. I fastened the front and back Thor pieces with snaps that I installed in the Thor pieces and in a piece of webbing that is sewn to the ITECH unit. This makes the panels removable. I did alot of looking around too. The hockey unit was like $30 or so. I already had my old Thor CP.

http://photos.yahoo.com/trailryder42

The pics of the pads are in the bike mods folder and there's a few of me wearing it in the Jemez folder.

Thanks for the pics of your hybrid hockey/chest protector. I think that I will make this one of my winter projects. The Thor AfterShock offers great front and back protection, but the shoulder area is definitely lacking.

Actually the point where the bone heals will be stonger than before once its fully healed. You will always have that lump. collar bones don't always heal straight. My boy has a lump on the side where the collar bone broke. Eventually you'll break the other side and then have a matching pair. 8*)

Originally posted by MRKRacing125
...but I am just curious to know that if the bone doesn't go back down into place, will it be any less strong? I know once you brake a bone it isnt going to be AS strong as before. Remember I am only 17 so I figure I am still young.

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The final position and alignment of the broken collar bone will depend on how bad it was broken, and how aligned it was (and stayed put) during the healing process. If your bone has already started to calcify, the final position is pretty much set right now.

If it was just a fracture and the bone stayed connected, the final alignment and positioning should be fine. If not, and you just wore a sling, the natural tendency of your shoulder is to droop down. If this is how it stayed for weeks on end from the start, that is how it will heal.

I broke my left side at age 17. Wore a figure-8 to pull it back somewhat, but at that age it healed up fairly quickly and I was more active than I should have been. It healed slightly out of alignment, with a big bump/corner sticking out. Because a large ball of calcium forms at the break, this also contributes to the protrusion - the skin is very thin near this bone. As a result of the calcium ball, the area of the break will actually be much stronger than the surrounding bone.

Last June at age 37, I broke the same side again. This time it broke in 2 places - each on either side of the original break 20 years ago. The point of the original break was very strong, so the impact broke the virgin bone right next to it.

With a really messed up collarbone now, I wore a figure-8 as tight as I could bear for 2 months - 24x7. If I had just wore a sling, the combination of a really crooked collarbone (it was in a figure-Z shape), and 3"-4" calcium ball forming, would have resulted in a golf ball sized lump sticking out.

The final alignment turned out fairly well considering. It is still like a crooked road under the skin, and the diameter of the bone/calcium lump looks huge if I do the "we're here to pump-you-up" SNL stance.

Be thankful you are only 17 when this happened. It was almost 4 months before I felt strong enough to ride again. Don't push it. I know of a few guys that did not wait long enough and re-broke it. One guy just went to shoot a basketball - snap! :scream:

Good luck!

Originally posted by MRKRacing125
Man, of all the bones to break, this is the hardest to heal... this sucks

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I'll trade you my broken ankle for you broken collar bone anyday! Atleast you can walk while you heal. :ugg:

Originally posted by Tree jumper
I'll trade you my broken ankle for you broken collar bone anyday! Atleast you can walk while you heal. :ugg:

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Be careful before trading for a broken collarbone! I don't know if your ankle is in a cast, or if you've ever had a broken collarbone. The biggest pain with a broken collarbone is that the ends of the bones grind together against each other for about 2-3 weeks before they start to "glue" a little (at least in my case). Also, I had to (well, attempted) to sleep in a chair for the first 2 weeks (with sleeping pills), and then exclusively on my back for the following 2-3 weeks. And the nerve damage and numbness extended from my neck to my hand, and lasted for 3 months.

With that said, all broken bones suck! :(

Hope you heal quickly and are riding again soon!