broken clavicle...surgery or not?
- Thread starter James Thomas
- Start date
It may have been a little closer to the sternum but it was considered a mid fracture. My surgeon said he needed to use a long plate and so many screws because it was a malunion that was left for 3 years so in order to get it back to length and return everything to normal with a high success rate everything must be stabilized very well.
When I saw him today he seemed pleased with the way everything looks but said I need to take it easy for at least another 4 weeks before I think about raising my arm shoulder high. He said he had to do more dissection than usual for some reason and it has caused a bit of extra fluid retention which is that "spongy" feeling I mentioned before. The body will absorb this over time so I need to just be patient and keep visiting my doctor to make sure everything is going smoothly.
Still very happy with my decision here. Now that the stitches and steri strips are off I look in the mirror and I am symmetrical once again. I also can't believe how good of a job my doc did stitching me up. I was expecting something a little thicker and more gruesome looking. I'll post pics when the swelling goes down a bit and I get around to it!
B
When I saw him today he seemed pleased with the way everything looks but said I need to take it easy for at least another 4 weeks before I think about raising my arm shoulder high. He said he had to do more dissection than usual for some reason and it has caused a bit of extra fluid retention which is that "spongy" feeling I mentioned before. The body will absorb this over time so I need to just be patient and keep visiting my doctor to make sure everything is going smoothly.
Still very happy with my decision here. Now that the stitches and steri strips are off I look in the mirror and I am symmetrical once again. I also can't believe how good of a job my doc did stitching me up. I was expecting something a little thicker and more gruesome looking. I'll post pics when the swelling goes down a bit and I get around to it!
B
Hey everyone,
I'm new here just broke my collarbone a week ago and decided today that I will have the surgery. It's just displaced and gonna make my right shoulder shorter than the left. I hope its the right choice. What do you guys think?
I'm new here just broke my collarbone a week ago and decided today that I will have the surgery. It's just displaced and gonna make my right shoulder shorter than the left. I hope its the right choice. What do you guys think?
Brad:
How did you find the removal of the stitches? Has the surgeon/physio give you though's light exercises yet? the basic pendulum stuff?
I don't seem to remember getting that puffy feeling, then again I was of my head on drugs (hospital drugs) for a good week or 2 after.
How is the numbness too?
How did you find the removal of the stitches? Has the surgeon/physio give you though's light exercises yet? the basic pendulum stuff?
I don't seem to remember getting that puffy feeling, then again I was of my head on drugs (hospital drugs) for a good week or 2 after.
How is the numbness too?
Hey Sam,
Surgeon said no exercises yet for 2 more weeks. I am OK to use it for everyday things though and I do the pendulum in the morning just to "oil the rust". The puffy feeling is just swelling which you probably had but I think mine is worse than normal because of some extra dissection that went on in there apparently. I hope it doesn't take too long to subside.
The numbness and some extra sensitivity seems like it goes down very slightly each day. That will take a while. I have some odd sensations as well like when I drink a cold drink I can kind of feel it in my shoulder as it passes down my throat. Feels so weird... I think I have a fair deal of nerve damage from the operation which will take months or even a year to fully repair. Was all expected to happen before I went under the knife.
How are you doing these days? What is your workout routine like now? Any idea when you plan to get back on the bike?
B
Surgeon said no exercises yet for 2 more weeks. I am OK to use it for everyday things though and I do the pendulum in the morning just to "oil the rust". The puffy feeling is just swelling which you probably had but I think mine is worse than normal because of some extra dissection that went on in there apparently. I hope it doesn't take too long to subside.
The numbness and some extra sensitivity seems like it goes down very slightly each day. That will take a while. I have some odd sensations as well like when I drink a cold drink I can kind of feel it in my shoulder as it passes down my throat. Feels so weird... I think I have a fair deal of nerve damage from the operation which will take months or even a year to fully repair. Was all expected to happen before I went under the knife.
How are you doing these days? What is your workout routine like now? Any idea when you plan to get back on the bike?
B
Keep doing though exercises /img/vbsmilies/smilies/icon14.gif[SIZE= 13px] not long till you're doing star jumps![/SIZE]
[SIZE= 13px]I'm doing ok thanks, the strength is going well, and becoming easier. I still can't keep my elbow in when doing an exercise with the punch movement yet, but everything IS getting better. I'm still on for getting back on my bike in may, hopefully April. Something else that will help me, my mum and dad said they'll get me a roller trainer when they come down for my birthday, awesome! I'm also having ago at building small RC plane. I've built 9 before, 5 of which were my own design, and, even if I do say so myself, they are built very professionally indeed. This one I'm doing now is small and simple, just to see what I'm capable of. It will fly, but the build quality is not very good. I find that I can only hold the pencil, scalpel, ruler, ect, for short periods of time. I get a slight pain along the top part of my thumb and up the wrist. After a few hours my shoulder blade and shoulder area become quite achy, that's when I need to lay down, but only for a few minuets. My finger is much better, just a bit sensitive, but my thumb is still very sensitive with no precision feeling (I know when something is touching my thumb, I just don't know where) If I find holding a pencil or scalpel hard, then flying my planes any time soon is out of the question.[/SIZE]
[SIZE= 13px]I'm feeling pretty good in myself though. When my mum and dad come down they are going to help me to do a CV, so I can get a job of some kind. I started working the pretty much the day I left collage, and been doing it ever since, so I'v never needed to do a CV before! [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]eeek!! Wish me luck![/SIZE]
[SIZE= 13px]I'm doing ok thanks, the strength is going well, and becoming easier. I still can't keep my elbow in when doing an exercise with the punch movement yet, but everything IS getting better. I'm still on for getting back on my bike in may, hopefully April. Something else that will help me, my mum and dad said they'll get me a roller trainer when they come down for my birthday, awesome! I'm also having ago at building small RC plane. I've built 9 before, 5 of which were my own design, and, even if I do say so myself, they are built very professionally indeed. This one I'm doing now is small and simple, just to see what I'm capable of. It will fly, but the build quality is not very good. I find that I can only hold the pencil, scalpel, ruler, ect, for short periods of time. I get a slight pain along the top part of my thumb and up the wrist. After a few hours my shoulder blade and shoulder area become quite achy, that's when I need to lay down, but only for a few minuets. My finger is much better, just a bit sensitive, but my thumb is still very sensitive with no precision feeling (I know when something is touching my thumb, I just don't know where) If I find holding a pencil or scalpel hard, then flying my planes any time soon is out of the question.[/SIZE]
[SIZE= 13px]I'm feeling pretty good in myself though. When my mum and dad come down they are going to help me to do a CV, so I can get a job of some kind. I started working the pretty much the day I left collage, and been doing it ever since, so I'v never needed to do a CV before! [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]eeek!! Wish me luck![/SIZE]
Hey guys i was at the gym yesterday and I did shoulders and today my collar bone feels like I bruised it has anyone experienced this when working out after surgery?
Brad:
It was around about the 8 week mark that it started noticeably settling down. I found out early on as well was to have something like a dry face flannel just resting how ever you feel comfortable, on your shoulder. I don't know why it worked for me, but it did. It might help to try.
It was around about the 8 week mark that it started noticeably settling down. I found out early on as well was to have something like a dry face flannel just resting how ever you feel comfortable, on your shoulder. I don't know why it worked for me, but it did. It might help to try.
/img/vbsmilies/smilies/hissyfit.gifI too broke my clavicle in dec 2010. i took two weeks off but could not afford anymore time off than that. i wait tables so you can imagine how hard that is one armed. i opted for the "let it fuse itself back together" it DOESNT work. i have to have surgery. it is so painful as i still am waiting tables after taking a yr off to attempt finding something not so hard on my shoulder. im at a loss and havent slept on my left side in over two years. definately look into surgery if you plan on being an able bodied worker for a few more years. peace and good luck.
Sorry to hear about that. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif [SIZE= 13px] It sounds like your in a similar situation as bsbs1876. He's about 2 weeks post opp and has all ready said he is pleased he had it done.[/SIZE]
[SIZE= 13px]Based on my experience, I would say the surgery is the best option. [/SIZE]
[SIZE= 13px]Keep us updated on your progress. Good luck! [/SIZE]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/icon14.gif
rookie, you have definitely made the right choice. that is a lot of displacement that could likely end up with a non-union if there is no surgical intervention. All the best with your operation and keep us up to date.Originally Posted by rookie1286 .
Hey everyone,
I'm new here just broke my collarbone a week ago and decided today that I will have the surgery. It's just displaced and gonna make my right shoulder shorter than the left. I hope its the right choice. What do you guys think?
Good choice! Very good choice! As you can see, it's completely out of place. I don't even think that would fuse over time. Y[SIZE= 13px]ep, surgery is the right thing to do.[/SIZE]Originally Posted by rookie1286 .
Hey everyone,
I'm new here just broke my collarbone a week ago and decided today that I will have the surgery. It's just displaced and gonna make my right shoulder shorter than the left. I hope its the right choice. What do you guys think?
Keep us updated and good luck! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/icon14.gif
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