broken clavicle...surgery or not?
- Thread starter James Thomas
- Start date
yeah I saw that, I'm glad to hear that you are doing better now! The only real concern my doctor has is the potential for infection... but in someways, I'm glad that he is so worried about it, I know that he'll be carefull!Elfie said:Nah... You'll Be okay mate! My best wishes to you.
You can also check up on my story just a few post above. I bet i went thru all the possible hell that a surgery can ask for. And look at me now? I'm doing gre8.
are you afraid of landing on the plate at all? that's one of my new concerns. I'm starting to have second thoughts just because I'm afraid of hitting the shoulder hard again snowboarding or bmxing. I'm investing shoulder/chest gear though and working on my own design as well, so hopefully that will help.
I've noticed after only 1 week of not using my right arm at all, that I've lost almost all mobility. it's very wierd and borderline scary as I used to workout a solid 5-6 days a week... oh well. I know that I can't jump straight into weights the day I get the plate installed, but It's good to hear that the added mobility might help avoid potential PT issues.
as some others have pointed out... I look forward to the day that I can start doing pull ups again. I worked very hard to get from 3 sets of 6 to 3 sets of 12 this year.
Dustin07 said:
Well my fren, All i can say is that to give it some good months even after it healed. I'm riding a motorbike(sportsbike) btw, so yea.. have not been doing any sort of stuns nor have i even done any workout. As for doctors, it'll be definately better if your doctor have done lot's of surgery before. And him showing alot of concern for you is a good sign. We all need a considerate and understanding doctor.
Actually, I do have flashbacks while riding... Horrible things like getting into another accident and breaking the same collarbone again. My doc also told me that in due of another accident, the plate might just slide(slit) across your throat and K. O. ( HOW CONVINCING IS THAT?!!!!) But... there's lots of people who have gone thru with it and have got back to sports.
Just make sure to heed your doctors advice & take real good care of yourself and your diet. Give it time to heal hard before jumping and pusing yourself to an early start. (Ask your doc on this aswell)
He might even recommend you some physio, but i've never done any physio, i'm an active person so yea my arms move alot..
Man... i can't wait to hit the gym once again.. Like u were saying, pull-ups and all that... damn.. i miss working out... i miss the way i looked before the accident.. I guess it's part and parcel of life... Life's a *****, but someone's gotta go thru it.
CheerS!
I hear ya on working out, and it's only been 1 week for me! I used to lift a lot and cardio less, Now I guess I'll be doing a lot more cardio, a lot more stationary bike!Elfie said:Well my fren, All i can say is that to give it some good months even after it healed. I'm riding a motorbike(sportsbike) btw, so yea.. have not been doing any sort of stuns nor have i even done any workout. As for doctors, it'll be definately better if your doctor have done lot's of surgery before. And him showing alot of concern for you is a good sign. We all need a considerate and understanding doctor.
Actually, I do have flashbacks while riding... Horrible things like getting into another accident and breaking the same collarbone again. My doc also told me that in due of another accident, the plate might just slide(slit) across your throat and K. O. ( HOW CONVINCING IS THAT?!!!!) But... there's lots of people who have gone thru with it and have got back to sports.
Just make sure to heed your doctors advice & take real good care of yourself and your diet. Give it time to heal hard before jumping and pusing yourself to an early start. (Ask your doc on this aswell)
He might even recommend you some physio, but i've never done any physio, i'm an active person so yea my arms move alot..
Man... i can't wait to hit the gym once again.. Like u were saying, pull-ups and all that... damn.. i miss working out... i miss the way i looked before the accident.. I guess it's part and parcel of life... Life's a *****, but someone's gotta go thru it.
CheerS!
hello!! my names leslye and i was in a really bad car acident Jan 14, 2006. i broke one of ankles, fibula, radius and ulna (which has already required 3 surgeries, one more to go), and my collarbone. its been 6 months now and the doctors say its a non-union fracture and will require surgery in order for it to heal. ive been through enough this past year and i already have 2 nasty scars on my arm because of the multiple surgeries ive had on it. another scar on my shoulder is the last thing i want. im only sixteen, so the cosmetic aspect of surgery is disconcerting to me. i was wondering if you could send me any pictures of what your scar looks like, or at least describe how the incision looks (length, thickness) i know surgeons differ and people scar differntly, but a general idea of what i am to expect after surgery would be greatly appreciated. the doctor says its up to me whether i go throught with the surgery or not. i dont know about how it was in your case, but i can hardley stand the pain anymore. the peice of bone that broke off constantly clicks back and forth and causes unimaginable pain. i guess a battle scar beats the never ending battle of not having the surgery.Elfie said:
wishing you the best concerning your injury, Leslye
email: [email protected]
Sorry to be rude, But Leslye... is that feminine or masculine in this case? If you're a dude, why worry about scars? especially on your arm. And if really even for a girl a scar on your arm or shoulder isn't going to scare any guy away. might even get more attentionleslye424 said:
depending on how you heal the scar could be simply a line like a tattoo the length of the incision (3-5 inches?) or if you are a heavy scarer (like I am, I always get keyloids which are just extra scar tissue) it will look more like a worm of the same length permenantly attached.
check out Chris Klug's incision here: http://www.chrisklug.com/news.php?news_id=64
Mine is only a week old and already looks much better than that. I'll try to get a pic for you tonight. It's really very clean.
overall I chose surgery because of my age (23). I figured a few months of healing now, and again in a year when we remove the plate is better than 40 years of discomfort due to a misaligned heal. had I been 40-50yrs old I would probably have not got the surgery. at your age I would.
James Thomas said:I broke my clavicle June 21st (pretty painful but still was a fun ride prior to the fall). I have been presented the option of surgery or the old fashioned "let it heal as is". I have never broken a bone in my 33 year life span and am weighing the pros and cons of surgery. I would like input if you have experience. I already have back problems so I am leaning toward the surgery in order to alleviate potential future complications. Please let me know what your experience has been. Thanks!
Brother, let it simply heal as is without an operation. I race road, cross and mountain here in NC and in the real world I am a paratrooper jumping out of planes and wearing body armor (both hard on the sholders). While the surgery may help in the end (and I do sometimes wish I had it when I have to run a lot at work because it effects your runs believe it or not) it will take a lot longer to heal and rehablitate. You'll be fine...
Hi All,
Came out of surgery myself on Saturday and started Physio almost immediately. Was wonder how it's going with you ex surgery types and whether you now have full mobility and how long you where undered going physio for?
So far I'm able raise my arm with out any pain to shoulder height at the front and side. But have been advised it will be at least another 2 week before I can get on the turbo trainer and many be another 5 weeks by for I can do any swim training.
Came out of surgery myself on Saturday and started Physio almost immediately. Was wonder how it's going with you ex surgery types and whether you now have full mobility and how long you where undered going physio for?
So far I'm able raise my arm with out any pain to shoulder height at the front and side. But have been advised it will be at least another 2 week before I can get on the turbo trainer and many be another 5 weeks by for I can do any swim training.
So I just discovered this forum while doing a search about clavicle surgery.
I just couldn't resist the temptation to post since I probably have had more experience with clavicle surgery related to cycling injury than anyone here. I have had surgery for my clavicle THREE TIMES. If you are contemplating this procedure, you owe it to yourself to read this. Here’s my story…
On November 15, 2002, I ate **** over the bars while doing a series of jumps in the Santa Monica Mountains known as the Kenter Whoops, or Kenter Whoop De Doos. I was better than that mistake, but mistakes do happen and I hesitated off the lip of a fairly large jump. Came up short and went over the bars. I new something was wrong instantly. I drove myself home after some other guys helped me load my Enduro onto the top of my car. Once at home, I sat around the house in an extraordinary amount of pain for about an hour before I realized that I may actually have a significant injury that required medical attention.
X-rays at Cedars Sinai Hospital revealed a displaced fracture of the clavicle – I actually broke it in 2 places so it was in three pieces! Surgery was “necessary” - Vicodin was prescribed.
Two weeks later – the day before Thanksgiving, at UCLA Medical, I had the surgery which involved the implantation of a steel plate across the top of the bone to hold the primary fracture together. Secondarily, a rubber band was put in to hold the bone down and in place because the second break was on the bottom of the bone. This would ensure the bone would all fuse back together again.
I was told to wear a sling for 8 or more weeks, and follow up appointments were scheduled. About ten weeks later I started riding again – without the permission of my doctor.
On my fifth ride out, I was riding in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. I live near there and although it's illegal to ride a bike on the dirt there, I do it frequently.
So I am up at the top of the hill and I see this Japanese tourist. Then I see this flight of stairs made out of rail road ties right next to the Japanese guy. I had launched these stairs, and cleanly stuck the landing, SEVERAL times. Right next to the stairs is a little path that allows me to just ride around them.
I looked at the stairs...
I looked at the path...
I looked at the unassuming Japanese tourist and just couldn't resist the temptation to have a little fun and show off.
I did a point and shoot off the top of the steps and came up just a little short – which had happened before and I’d recovered. This time I must have feathered the front brake a little because the rear wheel kicked up off the bottom step and over I went. Low speed over the bars crash.
Now, this was not a very severe crash. I stood right up and wasn't cut or scraped or anything. I started to brush myself off when I noticed a sharp pain coming from my right shoulder. F@ck! I thought. I think I just re-broke the damn collarbone!
SO I got on the bike and rode angrily home.
In an unbelievable twist of sick irony, when I got home I had a message on my machine from my surgeon. His office had called to remind me of my follow up visit -THE VERY NEXT DAY!!! What are the odds of that!?
That night I realized that when I pushed on the inside of my collarbone I could now feel something inside grind and pop and shift. I was convinced I had re-fractured the bone.
So I went in the following morning to see the doctor and was forced, naturally, to tell him what happened. He was fairly displeased to say the least. We did some x-rays and they showed no sign of fracture... that was odd, I thought, because I could FEEL the damn bone moving around in there.
But you can't argue with the x-rays, I thought.
I told him I had some pain and was granted a virtually unlimited supply of Vicodin - to which I became completely dependant on over the following months. The doctor decided that, since there was no visible fracture in the x-rays, it must be the implant itself that was moving around and causing me pain. A second surgery would be necessary in order to remove the hardware and end my suffering. But we had to wait a few more months because the bone needed a little more time to heal up – according to him. I now suspect that he just wanted to see if it would stop bothering me on its own.
Three months later - now DEEP into a steady pattern of Vicodin abuse - I went under the knife again.
When I woke up the doctor was called in to see me.
He explained that although we couldn't see the fracture in the x-rays, I had been walking around with a broken clavicle for three months. Apparently, the bone had broken in a different position. What this doctor had failed to tell me was the following:
Steel implants used to mend broken bone can actually CAUSE fractures. You see, the collarbone has some natural flexibility. When you screw a rigid piece of steel to it, it no longer does and the normal capability of the bone to absorb shock by flexion is eliminated. SO what happens? The bone actually snaps at the end of the steel plate! I was, needless to say, extremely ******!
He had just done a second fairly extensive implantation of yet another piece of hardware. YIPPEEE!! That meant that not only had I been misdiagnosed and walked around with a fracture for 3 freaking' months! I also now had another implant on my collarbone which could cause another fracture in the future!!! PLUS, I was being told I still couldn't ride a damn mountain bike for at least another 3 months, and I should maybe even resign myself to giving up the only sport I have ever truly loved!!! I wanted to kill a couple of radiologists just to watch ‘em die!!!!
So, what have we learned from this?
First off, surgical implants for displaced clavicle fractures will mend the bone, but they also provide you with a permanent weak link because of the steel plate. The collarbone is ALREADY a weak link in the human body. A shank of metal bolted to it just makes it that much weaker. The steel, and I know I am repeating myself here, can actually CAUSE FRACTURES during falls that would normally not be significant enough to break bone.
Additionally, if and when you do break the bone again due to the implant, it will DEFINITELY require surgery. This is because the bone will be broken and in there with it will be all that metal junk moving around and preventing it from EVER healing. As I experienced first hand.
SO…
I told you earlier that I had had 3 surgeries on the collarbone.
Well, I just had all the steel **** taken out four days ago. This was a completely voluntary procedure. I did this because of what I know about those implants. My new doctor tells me that once healed – it will take about 6 weeks for the screw holes in the bone to fill back in – I will be as good as I was before I ever injured the collarbone in the first place.
Yes, I could still break the bone. But it would be just like any other collarbone fracture. 90% of which do NOT require surgery.
My best advice? If your doctor thinks you may heal without surgery… let it heal naturally.
Having that metal in there forced me to hold back in my riding, snowboarding, and dirt biking for the last 3 years out of fear of hitting the ground on my right side. I knew that on any ride, all it would take was a minor crash on my right arm, an outstretched hand, or my right shoulder and I would be in hell all over again. If I had it to do again, I probably would have lived with the displaced fracture. I have since met a few guys – mostly dirt bikers – who have had bad collarbone breaks and never bothered with the surgery. They definitely have some mild deformation of the shoulder, but they move around okay.
If you do have a surgery done, just realize that you will have a weak link until you have the hardware removed. This second surgery can also be an insurance obstacle. I basically claimed the implant was causing me a lot of pain in order to get the thing covered by my insurance. They wouldn’t do the procedure just because of my lifestyle and the risk associated with leaving the implant in.
I know this was a long post, but I have never before told this whole story anywhere and figured what the hell. If it helps just one of you guys in you decision making about shoulder surgery I will be pleased.
And remember the golden rule:
“If it ain’t broke, fix it till it is!”
I just couldn't resist the temptation to post since I probably have had more experience with clavicle surgery related to cycling injury than anyone here. I have had surgery for my clavicle THREE TIMES. If you are contemplating this procedure, you owe it to yourself to read this. Here’s my story…
On November 15, 2002, I ate **** over the bars while doing a series of jumps in the Santa Monica Mountains known as the Kenter Whoops, or Kenter Whoop De Doos. I was better than that mistake, but mistakes do happen and I hesitated off the lip of a fairly large jump. Came up short and went over the bars. I new something was wrong instantly. I drove myself home after some other guys helped me load my Enduro onto the top of my car. Once at home, I sat around the house in an extraordinary amount of pain for about an hour before I realized that I may actually have a significant injury that required medical attention.
X-rays at Cedars Sinai Hospital revealed a displaced fracture of the clavicle – I actually broke it in 2 places so it was in three pieces! Surgery was “necessary” - Vicodin was prescribed.
Two weeks later – the day before Thanksgiving, at UCLA Medical, I had the surgery which involved the implantation of a steel plate across the top of the bone to hold the primary fracture together. Secondarily, a rubber band was put in to hold the bone down and in place because the second break was on the bottom of the bone. This would ensure the bone would all fuse back together again.
I was told to wear a sling for 8 or more weeks, and follow up appointments were scheduled. About ten weeks later I started riding again – without the permission of my doctor.
On my fifth ride out, I was riding in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. I live near there and although it's illegal to ride a bike on the dirt there, I do it frequently.
So I am up at the top of the hill and I see this Japanese tourist. Then I see this flight of stairs made out of rail road ties right next to the Japanese guy. I had launched these stairs, and cleanly stuck the landing, SEVERAL times. Right next to the stairs is a little path that allows me to just ride around them.
I looked at the stairs...
I looked at the path...
I looked at the unassuming Japanese tourist and just couldn't resist the temptation to have a little fun and show off.
I did a point and shoot off the top of the steps and came up just a little short – which had happened before and I’d recovered. This time I must have feathered the front brake a little because the rear wheel kicked up off the bottom step and over I went. Low speed over the bars crash.
Now, this was not a very severe crash. I stood right up and wasn't cut or scraped or anything. I started to brush myself off when I noticed a sharp pain coming from my right shoulder. F@ck! I thought. I think I just re-broke the damn collarbone!
SO I got on the bike and rode angrily home.
In an unbelievable twist of sick irony, when I got home I had a message on my machine from my surgeon. His office had called to remind me of my follow up visit -THE VERY NEXT DAY!!! What are the odds of that!?
That night I realized that when I pushed on the inside of my collarbone I could now feel something inside grind and pop and shift. I was convinced I had re-fractured the bone.
So I went in the following morning to see the doctor and was forced, naturally, to tell him what happened. He was fairly displeased to say the least. We did some x-rays and they showed no sign of fracture... that was odd, I thought, because I could FEEL the damn bone moving around in there.
But you can't argue with the x-rays, I thought.
I told him I had some pain and was granted a virtually unlimited supply of Vicodin - to which I became completely dependant on over the following months. The doctor decided that, since there was no visible fracture in the x-rays, it must be the implant itself that was moving around and causing me pain. A second surgery would be necessary in order to remove the hardware and end my suffering. But we had to wait a few more months because the bone needed a little more time to heal up – according to him. I now suspect that he just wanted to see if it would stop bothering me on its own.
Three months later - now DEEP into a steady pattern of Vicodin abuse - I went under the knife again.
When I woke up the doctor was called in to see me.
He explained that although we couldn't see the fracture in the x-rays, I had been walking around with a broken clavicle for three months. Apparently, the bone had broken in a different position. What this doctor had failed to tell me was the following:
Steel implants used to mend broken bone can actually CAUSE fractures. You see, the collarbone has some natural flexibility. When you screw a rigid piece of steel to it, it no longer does and the normal capability of the bone to absorb shock by flexion is eliminated. SO what happens? The bone actually snaps at the end of the steel plate! I was, needless to say, extremely ******!
He had just done a second fairly extensive implantation of yet another piece of hardware. YIPPEEE!! That meant that not only had I been misdiagnosed and walked around with a fracture for 3 freaking' months! I also now had another implant on my collarbone which could cause another fracture in the future!!! PLUS, I was being told I still couldn't ride a damn mountain bike for at least another 3 months, and I should maybe even resign myself to giving up the only sport I have ever truly loved!!! I wanted to kill a couple of radiologists just to watch ‘em die!!!!
So, what have we learned from this?
First off, surgical implants for displaced clavicle fractures will mend the bone, but they also provide you with a permanent weak link because of the steel plate. The collarbone is ALREADY a weak link in the human body. A shank of metal bolted to it just makes it that much weaker. The steel, and I know I am repeating myself here, can actually CAUSE FRACTURES during falls that would normally not be significant enough to break bone.
Additionally, if and when you do break the bone again due to the implant, it will DEFINITELY require surgery. This is because the bone will be broken and in there with it will be all that metal junk moving around and preventing it from EVER healing. As I experienced first hand.
SO…
I told you earlier that I had had 3 surgeries on the collarbone.
Well, I just had all the steel **** taken out four days ago. This was a completely voluntary procedure. I did this because of what I know about those implants. My new doctor tells me that once healed – it will take about 6 weeks for the screw holes in the bone to fill back in – I will be as good as I was before I ever injured the collarbone in the first place.
Yes, I could still break the bone. But it would be just like any other collarbone fracture. 90% of which do NOT require surgery.
My best advice? If your doctor thinks you may heal without surgery… let it heal naturally.
Having that metal in there forced me to hold back in my riding, snowboarding, and dirt biking for the last 3 years out of fear of hitting the ground on my right side. I knew that on any ride, all it would take was a minor crash on my right arm, an outstretched hand, or my right shoulder and I would be in hell all over again. If I had it to do again, I probably would have lived with the displaced fracture. I have since met a few guys – mostly dirt bikers – who have had bad collarbone breaks and never bothered with the surgery. They definitely have some mild deformation of the shoulder, but they move around okay.
If you do have a surgery done, just realize that you will have a weak link until you have the hardware removed. This second surgery can also be an insurance obstacle. I basically claimed the implant was causing me a lot of pain in order to get the thing covered by my insurance. They wouldn’t do the procedure just because of my lifestyle and the risk associated with leaving the implant in.
I know this was a long post, but I have never before told this whole story anywhere and figured what the hell. If it helps just one of you guys in you decision making about shoulder surgery I will be pleased.
And remember the golden rule:
“If it ain’t broke, fix it till it is!”
your post is kind of a compilation of everything I ready on a million different sites before I chose to have the surgery done. It will be nice for the next person who comes along and hasn't made a decision yet to have it all at one source! You've covered a lot of different aspects of the surgery!
I opted to have the plate put in as an insurance policy. I knew the risks involved with having it there during the upcoming snowboarding season, but I also knew that there was a strong possibility of the collarbone not every aligning and healing on it's own. after about 2 weeks mine was still a solid 1-2 inches separated even with the figure 8 brace. It just wasn't correcting on it's own.
So I had a choice...
Wait and hope that everyone connects within the alloted 8-12 weeks. at which point... if there is still no union of the bone, then have surgery.
OR, have the surgery now, and save myself a wasted 3 months of hoping it would eventually find itself and heal.
The strange part is, the dr. says the plate (as unnatural as it is) will help the bone heal in a more natural position. I'm not worried about looking funny, I'm more worried about backpack straps... so the plate was a good idea for me.
I'll have it removed in about 9 months. I hope to survive the snowboard season without any further breakage, then have the plate removed ASAP. probably the week after the slopes close locally, LOL.
I would like to know though, do you wear chest/shoulder protectors when you MTB? I've already picked out one for the snowboard season at sixsixone.com and I'm still trying to decided on what I want to wear while BMXing.
I opted to have the plate put in as an insurance policy. I knew the risks involved with having it there during the upcoming snowboarding season, but I also knew that there was a strong possibility of the collarbone not every aligning and healing on it's own. after about 2 weeks mine was still a solid 1-2 inches separated even with the figure 8 brace. It just wasn't correcting on it's own.
So I had a choice...
Wait and hope that everyone connects within the alloted 8-12 weeks. at which point... if there is still no union of the bone, then have surgery.
OR, have the surgery now, and save myself a wasted 3 months of hoping it would eventually find itself and heal.
The strange part is, the dr. says the plate (as unnatural as it is) will help the bone heal in a more natural position. I'm not worried about looking funny, I'm more worried about backpack straps... so the plate was a good idea for me.
I'll have it removed in about 9 months. I hope to survive the snowboard season without any further breakage, then have the plate removed ASAP. probably the week after the slopes close locally, LOL.
I would like to know though, do you wear chest/shoulder protectors when you MTB? I've already picked out one for the snowboard season at sixsixone.com and I'm still trying to decided on what I want to wear while BMXing.
Thanks for your feedback. I'm glad someone actually read all that!Dustin07 said:
As far as protective gear, I was wearing arms/elbows and legs/knees but no chest/shoulder when I crashed the first time. Nothing the second (except a helmet of course). I caution you that it doesn't have to be bone on ground to break. A strong impact against the side of your shoulder or falling on an outstretched hand are actually just as common causes of fracture as actually landing hard on the clavicle against an object. If you're gonna ride the season, just take it a little easy on the mountain this year. I have been unbelievably lucky/paranoid about it. I am soooo glad that this **** is out after three years!!!
As far as the bone healing more naturally with the implant, this makes total sense. The implant serves to hold the broken bone together in the position it would have been in had it not been broken in the first place.
You mentioned backpack straps... You may have some discomfort from this. It depends where the plate sits on your clavicle in relation to the straps. A couple of times while having sex with my girl she had her ankle or leg on my shoulder and all of a sudden i experienced a wicked sharp pain from the implant. THis was long after everything had healed. He leg just kind of pinched the flesh against the steel implant and it really almost brings you to your knees. It is very intense and sudden pain - but subsides quickly. I won't miss that sh!t at all...
Anyhow. Best of luck with it all.
Cheers
Hey there 2wheeljunky!
I guess from your post you sure have strucked bad luck a couple of times compared to me. You may wanna check out on my story too. (a page back i think.) I'm really glad that i've finally met someone who have removed that dreadred plate. I am really seeking for answers. I'll be removing those metals hopefully in about 7 months,( which would be 1 year for the recommended period to get it remove base on my doc's advice.)
The thing is, Like you've mention, Yes, i totally agree with you that the possibility of breaking your plated bone again is pretty high. It's weaker then it's original form. And it acts like a spring during impact. With that plate on, It's only holding it stiff...
That's why i'm searching for some answers as to those who have went back on weight lifting with the plate on.
Ok guys, here's the update so far on what i've done.
Currently, i only have done 1 session of weight lifting,
7 sets of 10counts with 5kg of dumbells per arm.
I did 5 sets of 10counts on push-ups. (Tis is where i was worried, I actually did felt a slight strain on the collar area while doing this. But i kept on pushing myself.)
After all that.. i was down with extreme musle strain for about a solid 1 week around the arms and back areas. ( simply due from doing nothing for the past 6 months.) The right arm where my plated collar bone is.. THAT STRAINED LIKE A MOTHER! the pain was horrible compared to the left... I could hardly straighten both arms for about 4 days straight.
I'm going to start another set today! And push myself to do more sets.
I would like to know, and i'm sure everyone would like to aswell, on your recovery state after removing the plate. How was it ?? Did they slice back the same area of scar? Was it bigger? Plz do elaborate on this. We really do want to know.
I sincerely feel happy for you. I'm really glad your past is over and your future is what you should look at for now.
My only wish is for all of us to heal well and move on with a positive mindset.
Keep us update on your well-being mate,
Cheers to all!
I guess from your post you sure have strucked bad luck a couple of times compared to me. You may wanna check out on my story too. (a page back i think.) I'm really glad that i've finally met someone who have removed that dreadred plate. I am really seeking for answers. I'll be removing those metals hopefully in about 7 months,( which would be 1 year for the recommended period to get it remove base on my doc's advice.)
The thing is, Like you've mention, Yes, i totally agree with you that the possibility of breaking your plated bone again is pretty high. It's weaker then it's original form. And it acts like a spring during impact. With that plate on, It's only holding it stiff...
That's why i'm searching for some answers as to those who have went back on weight lifting with the plate on.
Ok guys, here's the update so far on what i've done.
Currently, i only have done 1 session of weight lifting,
7 sets of 10counts with 5kg of dumbells per arm.
I did 5 sets of 10counts on push-ups. (Tis is where i was worried, I actually did felt a slight strain on the collar area while doing this. But i kept on pushing myself.)
After all that.. i was down with extreme musle strain for about a solid 1 week around the arms and back areas. ( simply due from doing nothing for the past 6 months.) The right arm where my plated collar bone is.. THAT STRAINED LIKE A MOTHER! the pain was horrible compared to the left... I could hardly straighten both arms for about 4 days straight.
I'm going to start another set today! And push myself to do more sets.
I would like to know, and i'm sure everyone would like to aswell, on your recovery state after removing the plate. How was it ?? Did they slice back the same area of scar? Was it bigger? Plz do elaborate on this. We really do want to know.
I sincerely feel happy for you. I'm really glad your past is over and your future is what you should look at for now.
My only wish is for all of us to heal well and move on with a positive mindset.
Keep us update on your well-being mate,
Cheers to all!
Thanks for the note bud. and whatch those typos when talking about the lovin'!
and yeah I'm a little paranoid about it too. On the upside I'll get more street cycling in... on the down side I'm not sure how soon I want to hit the halfpipe. When I MTB I take it easy, so I may need to do more of that during the winter months.
for snowboard season I plan to wear this chest/shoulder protector by sixsixone.com. I know it's not the end-all be-all of protection, but it will help I think.
Elfie,
My dr. told me that they reopening is smaller then the original incision but in the same location. Also, I don't think you have to wait a full year to have it removed. I spoke to my dr. about that a bit too. He wanted my bone to be at 100% within 3 months or so... so then, I asked why do I need to wait a full year to remove the plate? He said I don't. My plan is to probably remove the plate in March of next year. it will be about 8 or 9 months. That way the screw holes can heal inbetween snow season sports and summer sports. if your bone is fully healed you might ask the dr. about taking it out earlier.
Also, It may be worth one trip to the physical therapist just to learn what exercises they'd like you to be doing. I don't want to get in to physical therapy myself tooo much... so I figured I'd go one time to see what they would suggest and then continue on myself. Afterall, I think everyone on this forum is an athlete so just know which exercises to do, I'm sure you'll take over with a routine just fine.
we might get the wrong impression!
and yeah I'm a little paranoid about it too. On the upside I'll get more street cycling in... on the down side I'm not sure how soon I want to hit the halfpipe. When I MTB I take it easy, so I may need to do more of that during the winter months.
for snowboard season I plan to wear this chest/shoulder protector by sixsixone.com. I know it's not the end-all be-all of protection, but it will help I think.
Elfie,
My dr. told me that they reopening is smaller then the original incision but in the same location. Also, I don't think you have to wait a full year to have it removed. I spoke to my dr. about that a bit too. He wanted my bone to be at 100% within 3 months or so... so then, I asked why do I need to wait a full year to remove the plate? He said I don't. My plan is to probably remove the plate in March of next year. it will be about 8 or 9 months. That way the screw holes can heal inbetween snow season sports and summer sports. if your bone is fully healed you might ask the dr. about taking it out earlier.
Also, It may be worth one trip to the physical therapist just to learn what exercises they'd like you to be doing. I don't want to get in to physical therapy myself tooo much... so I figured I'd go one time to see what they would suggest and then continue on myself. Afterall, I think everyone on this forum is an athlete so just know which exercises to do, I'm sure you'll take over with a routine just fine.
Dustin07 said:
Thanks for the info. I'm seeing my doctor on the 14th of august. Will check with him. I'd probably do some X-rays and get some feedback first.
LoL! it's 45mins past midnight. And it's my FREAKING BIFDAE and i'm still up and replying post! LOL..... alrite gotta get to bed now. Gonna need the energy to party the day away.
NiteZ.
LOL, my next follow up is the 11th of August. neener neener neener.
I suspect the dr will tell me I've been promoted from "use the sling" to lift nothing heavier then a beer. In which case I'll endulge in immediate PT with beer-weight resistance training.
So I broke my collarbone mountain biking at Kirkwood (Sierra mountains) a couple weekends ago. It was the last run of the day, and I was getting a little sloppy/lazy. I was flying down the fire trail in a section that looked very flat (the sun was behind me, so nothing casted shadows) and the next thing I know, I'm over my handlebars and kicking my bike off from on top of me. After I stopped rolling, I felt the dull pain in my left arm, and felt over and sure enough, the collarbone was broken. A few ambulances, lots of morphine, and a hospital in Tahoe later, they let me go with a prescription for Vicodin and a sling.
I later went to an orthopedist my GP referred me to and got a figure 8 brace that now lets me use my arm to type, move stuff, etc. I stopped taking the vicodin a week after I hurt myself. I got hurt on Saturday, and was back to work that Friday, haha. Sadly, the Wednesday after I got hurt, another guy in my group did the same thing and broke his collarbone.
I'm a little less than 2 weeks into recovery, and I can drive, and do most things that don't involve heavy lifting.
Here's a picture of my x-ray:
I later went to an orthopedist my GP referred me to and got a figure 8 brace that now lets me use my arm to type, move stuff, etc. I stopped taking the vicodin a week after I hurt myself. I got hurt on Saturday, and was back to work that Friday, haha. Sadly, the Wednesday after I got hurt, another guy in my group did the same thing and broke his collarbone.
I'm a little less than 2 weeks into recovery, and I can drive, and do most things that don't involve heavy lifting.
Here's a picture of my x-ray:
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