broken clavicle...surgery or not?
- Thread starter James Thomas
- Start date
I hope I get the go ahead to swing a club after 3 months or so.
Well aren't I jealous. I broke mine years ago and if I sleep on my bad shoulder I have to basically wind the thing up like an old school clock in the morning just to get it to feel right. Then the rest of the day is full of awkward dull aches in the muscles (mostly in the back under the scapula). Sounds like I am making the right decision with the surgery.
Well for me I'm still not sleeping anything like I used to. Because I'm still not able to move my arm properly, and it's still week, and I'm still not sure if the gap has grown new bone yet, I would rather wait until I just naturally lean on it with out even thinking, or wake up leaning on it. I'm waking up in exactly the same position that I fell asleep! how are you getting on?
Hey screwed,
Judging by that odd issue you had with your hand I am assuming your break or surgery had some complications which would delay things like this on you. I hope you are doing well otherwise! How long has it been since your surgery? Shouldn't the bone have healed by now?
B
That's a great request as I am constantly watching mine as it slowly fades to normal skin-tones. The three scope incisions are the same color as the main clavicular incision. My three previous scope scars (from a 1996 rotator cuff rebuild) are indiscernible and I have to look hard to find them. I am betting that the same thing will hold true for these current ones.
The week between the crash and the surgery, there were no problems with my hand at all, so it was the surgery that caused it. But the docs did say that when they opened me up, I was a complete mess! Oops! my bad! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif [SIZE= 13px]And since we have started physio, we now know that there was allot of muscle damage too.[/SIZE]
[SIZE= 13px]Its been about 4 months 2 weeks since the surgery, and yes the gap in the bone should of healed by now. I'm due to have another xray in 4 weeks. I'm just being careful. [/SIZE]
I have added a kind of signature at the bottom of my messages so it will be easier for others to remember the date of the accident and the date of the surgery (for those of us who had it already). If anyone want to do this go to your Profile Page by clicking your User-ID at the top-right side of this page, next to the word "logout". Then at your Profile Page scroll down and click on the "Edit signature". I consider it a good idea since it will not be necessary to ask each other about the date of accident/surgery again.
Yeah, Rally, I would imagine over the years they will fade to a white color (assuming you are a white person). I have a few scars from really bad cuts that have gone white. One was from an X-Acto knife on my hand when I was around 12 years old. I didn't get stitches because I was scared to tell my mom, haha. So it is pretty thick and about an inch long but it's not red or anything now. Feels kinda weird to touch. My girlfriend likes playing with it.
Quote: Originally Posted by screwed .
The week between the crash and the surgery, there were no problems with my hand at all, so it was the surgery that caused it. But the docs did say that when they opened me up, I was a complete mess! Oops! my bad! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif And since we have started physio, we now know that there was allot of muscle damage too.
Its been about 4 months 2 weeks since the surgery, and yes the gap in the bone should of healed by now. I'm due to have another xray in 4 weeks. I'm just being careful.
I think being careful is the smartest thing you can do while it's still early. 4 months and 2 weeks post op you should be able to do pretty much anything though! I hope things are working out for you.
Quote: Originally Posted by willy81 .
In this stage I would not care that much about the scar but how well my bone will heal.
My scar, performed by my Orthopedic surgeon, is not that much visible but we have agreed in the second operation a plastic/cosmetic surgeon will do this job.
I agree. The scar really isn't a concern for me. I am more just curious. I think it will actually be kind of cool to have. A lot cooler than the mass of bone sticking up off my shoulder for the past 3 years. It never seemed to mold back to normal at all.
Do you know if they go in through the exact same incision site when they remove the plate? So it will not be another scar but will just perhaps open up the same scar?
I just realized I never posted an X-ray for anyone to see. Below is my latest X-Ray from a few months ago in the summer. As you can see the bones joined up but at a very bad angled malunion and if I can give any advice on here it is this: just because your break is not displaced (the bone ends are touching) does not mean you will not have problems in the future. Simple geometry tells us that the nature of my break will cause some shortening of the bone and basically create a new joint midway through on the way to the shoulder. This also causes scapular winging which is clearly visible to the naked eye when looking at my back (my left shoulder blade sticks out further than the right) and will bring with it pain under the shoulder blade.
My surgeon says that even though it has been years he will still be able to saw through it and align it properly. He says there will be no need for a bone graft because there is usually enough bone to use around the area.
I have not been to my dr since beginning of October so I don't know how I am now yet. Monday I will have xrays and see my dr next Wednesday, this is regarding the bone. My muscles are stronger, I still feel the numbness in the impact area from the crash. This has nothing to do with the bone healing process. It takes time to get your muscle strength back when they atrophied due to an impact, the numbness covers now a smaller area as before, it is mainly on the front side of the head of the humerus and I am sure it has nothing to do with the surgery, as I said it is from the impact. Rotator cuff muscles are intact, no pain, full rom.
bsbs
yes you're right, I should be able to do most things easily now, unfortunately a few weeks into physio, we realised that there was allot of muscle damage too, along with frozen shoulder. the bone itself they said will be pretty much fine now.
When I crashed, I was going about 20-25 mph off a long jump, I hit the ground which caused the brake and most of the muscle damage, rolled twice, which probably cause more damage, and then started swearing.
If it was just a simple brake (using the word simple loosely) I'm sure I would be fine now.
The numbness should start to go after 2-3 weeks (that's what it was for me) but you will probably still get numbness around the cut line. (for me is taking a while to go) But it's not irritating, soar, or uncomfortable.
yes you're right, I should be able to do most things easily now, unfortunately a few weeks into physio, we realised that there was allot of muscle damage too, along with frozen shoulder. the bone itself they said will be pretty much fine now.
When I crashed, I was going about 20-25 mph off a long jump, I hit the ground which caused the brake and most of the muscle damage, rolled twice, which probably cause more damage, and then started swearing.
If it was just a simple brake (using the word simple loosely) I'm sure I would be fine now.
The numbness should start to go after 2-3 weeks (that's what it was for me) but you will probably still get numbness around the cut line. (for me is taking a while to go) But it's not irritating, soar, or uncomfortable.
you could say that, I don't think about my cb fracture in my everyday activities and I don't take any precautions when I am in a crowded place. I would not say "tip top" but good enough. I don't have any strange feeling along the scar, it is normal. screwed, don't you feel any numbness in the impact spot due to muscle damage?bsbs1876 said:
*****
Nope, no numbness there any more, that started to go when I started physio. I just get a sharp pain when doing the exercises, which is happening less and less. The only numbness now is under the cut line.
Do you have a numb area on the impact spot then?
Nope, no numbness there any more, that started to go when I started physio. I just get a sharp pain when doing the exercises, which is happening less and less. The only numbness now is under the cut line.
Do you have a numb area on the impact spot then?
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