This is the best forum on broken clavicles on the web! Thanks to all for contrubuting, as it seems to be one of the bones we break that has a number of options for treatment, which is so confusing. I am a new member of the broken clavicle club, after road riding, mountain biking and motorcycling for several years. Here's my story and hope it helps someone else along the way.
I was 26 days into my one year sabatical on my motorcycle, when I hit newly grated gravel and went down at about 70 km/hour. Goal was to spend the year on the bike, touring North, South, and Central America. Hence, I was just outside of Labrador when it happened. The emergency Doc confirmed the broken clavicle, and told me that I was lucky because I didn't require surgery. Desparate to stay on the road, I sat in bed in a hotel for 2 weeks, in pain- especially in the shoulder blade, like a knife going through my back. Not my only injury, but the bruised ribs and the brusing on the shoulder, arm, and deltoid was slowly improving. We rented a car so that we could continue travelling while me and the bike healed. One week later, the pain was worse, so I popped into a different hospital for an x ray. They told me to book in to seen an Orthopedic Surgeon. So, one week later, I was seeing an excellent shoulder guy in Charlottetown. (Dr. Stewart Campbell) He recommended surgery right away, as I had broken my clavical at the distal end, close to the shoulder, and completely displaced the coracoclavicular ligaments with loss of bony contact at the fracture site. He recommended either excision of the distal clavicle and coroclavicular reconstruction or open reduction internal fixation of the clavicle, possibly with a distal clavicle hook plate. As the surgery requires a lot of follow up due to the possiblity of infection, etc, I opted to return home to have it looked at by a local surgeon and have my care here instead of travelling. Three days later, I was home and went into the emergency ward to expedite my care. I was seen by the emergency Doc there, and he had only seen 40 of these types of breaks in thousands of clavicle injuries, and even showed my xrays to students in emergency, as they are unique. (how special) Then, I saw 3 intern surgeons, who recommended I go right in for surgery. (no surprise there). I get into the hospital right away, and am convinced this is the way to go, as I don't want to disrupt my trip any longer than possible, and I am very active, skiing, tennis, golf, gym and motorcycling among a few things I enjoy. (female, 50, by the way) That morning, I meet with my surgeon, and he tells me they have decided not to operate, as they feel that it will eventually heal on it's own. He spent all of 3 minutes dropping this bomb on me, and I had no time to question him or give him my full story. This is also on my right side, and I am right hand dominate.
So, out I go and now I sit, still with stabbing pain in my back, and a shoulder that floats around and I am unable to walk short distances, even though I completed a 1/2 marathon 2 months ago...Next step for me is a Sports Medicine Doc, and a shoulder guy who will understand my needs. I don't want to sit out my year off waiting for my shoulder to heal or not heal...
I will update my story as it continues!
I got a plate and 6 screws on my collarbone and a bone graft from my left tibia ( not too bad). This is my 4th day after surgery, I´m taking my pain medicine only when i go in bed.....this process is frustrating and bored but it´s the best way to recover your life as soon as possible, of course no one wants a big scar (I´m a girl and it was my concern) but it´s a small price, also I was frightened about the surgery and the pain but now I undestand that everybody is different and tolerates the pain a different was. I hope this can help some of you to make a future decision
