Broken Collar Bone

I broke mine when I was 29 in a motorcycle accident. My
break was almost dead center but the two ends ended up very
far apart. I wore a clavicle harness for 7 months during
which time the two piece formed a fibrous union. It took 3
years for everything to pull together and calcify. It was
kind of weird feeling-- after it formed the union, while it
was healing, the bone was flexible at the union. I had to be
careful lifting or exerting myself or my collar bone would
seem to bend.

Steve

"Bob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

2.5 years and my collar bone is healed about 50%. For most
of that time,

it

Quoted message said:

had only healed 20%. My non-union is fairly rare, but it
was the last 1"

of

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bone, just like yours. From what I understand, collar bone
non-unions are less rare when you get out near the end
like that. I had to use two different electro-stimulation
units to help bone growth.

' hope your recovery goes better than mine.

-Bob

5 Jun 2004 said:

You'll
be surp-
rised
that
sneezes
that are
otherwi-
se unsu-
ppressi-
ble are
easily
suppres-
sed if
you have
a
cracked
rib.
It's
hard to
believe
but
that's
what I
and
friends
have ex-
perienc-
ed.

I always wondered how car and motorcycle racers, or airplane
pilots for that matter, can avoid sneezes. Would you go
further to say that they naturally repress any temptation?

Sergio Pisa

Sergio Servadio said:

Quoted message said:

You'll be surprised that sneezes that are otherwise
insuppressible are easily suppressed if you have a
cracked rib. It's hard to believe but that's what I and
friends have experienced.

Quoted message said:

I always wondered how car and motorcycle racers, or
airplane pilots for that matter, can avoid sneezes. Would
you go further to say that they naturally repress any
temptation?

They don't. Sneezes are not so disturbing that they
interfere significantly with these processes. My point is
that the induced pain from just inhaling suddenly for a
sneeze, suppresses it in a way otherwise unimaginable.
Try it it you doubt that. Of course you'll need to crack
a rib first.

Jobst Brandt [email hidden]

Terry :

I wanted to follow up with you on this thread since you
mentioned you were a Doctor and ALSO since you
mentioned swimming.

I broke my collarbone (about 2/3 of the way toward the
shoulder from the sternum) May 6th (and a rib too) in a bike
crash. I had a follow-up X-Ray May 28th - which showed no
healing yet, but I had improved flexibility, less swelling,
and virtually no pain. I participate in Triathlons , so all
three sports were important to me. After 8 days from the
accident - I started riding the indoor bike. On 5/28 The
Ortho allowed me to resume "easy" running, as long as there
was no pain. this has progressed well...only problem being a
pain in my shoulder joint about 4-5 miles into my runs (I
assume it's from holding my arm up for so long - something I
hadn't done for 3 weeks).

Now I am contemplating swimming - and I saw your post about
your return to swimming. My next appointment (and follow-up
X-Ray) isn't until June 21st - but I'm anxious to hit the
pool just to 'try it out', and swim REALLY easy. I wonder if
you have any thoughts on this issue you could share.

Thanks

Dan Brown [email hidden]

p.s. Could you email me off-list (I ususally don't
lurk here)

[email hidden] (Terry) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

hard. I broke my left collar bone (broke the last inch
or so right off.)

And wouldn't you know, just a few days earlier I had
purchased my plane ticket to Frankfurt (depart July 5 -
return July 27). Now I don't know The doctor said that
there was nothing that should be done for the break
(other than immobilize my arm in a sling). The collar
bone is the most "mendable" bone in the body, and the
two pieces of bone will find their way back together and
mend on their own.

I broke mine 15mm from the end 3 years ago at the age of
45.I was off my bike for 8 weeks and rode carefully with
no pedal dancing for another 8weeks. I would say that it
is not clear that you would find sleeping on the ground
tolerable as soon as 5 july. As for it healing so easily,
I am a doctor, and seeing the perfect alignment I had
pulled it into at the scene of the crash while it was
still numb(ish) I expected no problem.Actually the x-ray
8weeks later looked much worse due to bone resorption.The
orthopaedic surgeons said that at my age a fracture so
near the end might never heal, and they would have screwed
it together.Indeed they were offering it at the start. A
young person will heal much quicker.I was not in a hurry
and did not fancy surgery for the sake of a few months
discomfort.That was not a bad decision except that it was
2years before I could swim more than a mile without the
fracture site loosening up with clicks and rattles.It is
fine now. If you really want to go as planned I would say
surgical fixation right now is the best bet.The Aussie
rider in the TdF a few years ago had his fixed although
young and not fractured so near the end, presumably so
that he could be sure of getting back into training
quickly ( and surely not only because he was so well
insured?). Talking of insurance, if it loosens up and gets
really disabling in germany could you just find something
less macho to do? Your travel insurance probably won't be
much use. Good luck, and when you do go, enjoy your trip.

Whichever you do it will fine eventually

TerryJ

DhBrown99 said:

Terry :

I wanted to follow up with you on this thread since you
mentioned you were a Doctor and ALSO since you mentioned
swimming.

I broke my collarbone (about 2/3 of the way toward the
shoulder from the sternum) May 6th (and a rib too) in a
bike crash. I had a follow-up X-Ray May 28th - which showed
no healing yet, but I had improved flexibility, less
swelling, and virtually no pain. I participate in
Triathlons , so all three sports were important to me.
After 8 days from the accident - I started riding the
indoor bike. On 5/28 The Ortho allowed me to resume "easy"
running, as long as there was no pain. this has progressed
well...only problem being a pain in my shoulder joint about
4-5 miles into my runs (I assume it's from holding my arm
up for so long - something I hadn't done for 3 weeks).

Now I am contemplating swimming - and I saw your post about
your return to swimming. My next appointment (and follow-up
X-Ray) isn't until June 21st - but I'm anxious to hit the
pool just to 'try it out', and swim REALLY easy. I wonder
if you have any thoughts on this issue you could share.

Thanks

Dan Brown [email hidden]

p.s. Could you email me off-list (I ususally don't lurk
here)

I'd appreciate it if any information was shared here in
the group.

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO cycletourist.comcycletourist.comOpen ↗
Integrity is obvious. The lack of it is common.
*****************************

Quoted message said:

That cracked rib has really given me the most pain.)

Jepp, it is [censored], just got one on Mallorca riding on
skinny tires. Got caught in a race bike trap, a drainage
with wide enough slots for my front wheel to sink down
between and come to an instant stop with me falling over the
bar. Fortunately, my speed was very low, we were going off
the road down to a beach. Miracelously my low count spoke
wheel did not get untrue. Presently, I can´t cough or laugh.
Some positions really hurts bad. And, drainages got a new
scary dimension.

Quoted message said:

(How is Germany in early September? I know the alps can be
impassible by then. Maybe I should rethink and go
somewhere like Crete at that

time.)

It really depends on the weather. I would say most of the
Alps and Germany are quite OK normal years, though it will
be less fun as most Europeans have returned to their jobs.
Camping places etc will be rather quite.

We have been climbing in early September and it has been
just fine. And, we been at Furka in central Switzerland in
Mid-July, and it was worse than the Himalayan monsoon, a
constant cold drizzle.

Per lowdin.nulowdin.nuOpen ↗

Sergio Servadio said:

Quoted message said:

You'll be surprised that sneezes that are otherwise
insuppressible are easily suppressed if you have a
cracked rib. It's hard to believe but that's what I and
friends have experienced.

Quoted message said:

I always wondered how car and motorcycle racers, or
airplane pilots for that matter, can avoid sneezes.

I have not been able to do that otherwise. It is the short
circuit reaction of the body, to my thinking, that cancels
the need to sneeze, the need to sneeze being of a lower
order than the pain the action causes. I have had no control
over that response.

I don't find sneezing or blinking the eyes a serious
interruption of control while operating a vehicle. It would
be different with a sensitive, light touch, operation such
as watch repair, where blowing the whole project away is
even possible.

Quoted message said:

Would you go further to say that they naturally repress
any temptation?

To what sort of "temptation" are you referring?

I'm talking about the need to sneeze and that isn't
voluntary or from temptation. It is auto-response of the
body, and one that the body can cancel as I said.

Jobst Brandt [email hidden]