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Fractured clavicle healing

Rafael

GT Reference
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
1,096
Location
San Leandro, CA
Here's something I've learned from my little mishap last summer and I hope no one else needs it but here it is anyway.

1) A 'non dislocated fracture' doesn't mean it won't move after the x-ray.

2) ER Docs or step-down ward docs don't give orthopedic advice. They just want you to live and not come back because of a related complication, such as pneumonia.

3) Before your first follow up with an orthopedic doc, 3rd week after injury, you should mind your posture and sleep on a rolled up towel centered on your spine to help roll your shoulder back to keep the bone fracture aligned. By the 3rd week the bone start fusing and is in a 'taffy state'. This fracture tends to make you slump your shoulders forward to reduce the pain.

4) An offset bone will still function okay. Something like 85-90 % percent of non operated fractures heal just fine or good enough.

I think that a more closely aligned bone will allow a range of motion closer to before because the burl that develops might interfere with the mechanics A well aligned bone gets a burl too but has a better chance of smoothing out over time. I'm not there yet so I'll report back later. I'm almost able to hang from gymnastic rings now, it's sorta like a medieval torture. :sweating: :)

Happy New Year Y'all!

Ride safe!
 
Rafael, thanks for the post. Simple I'm now half full of plates, screws and titanium rods, I second your words.
Physical Therapy, while seemingly paid torture, is the key. I'm 95%+ these days because of it (knock wood).
 
Rafael, I had a similar experience with broken ribs (4 of them). They were in alignment, but the ER doc said nothing about how to sleep. First night when I tried to get out of bed, loud snap when they went out of alignment. From then on, stayed in a recliner to sleep. Didn't heal in line, but with ribs it doesn't much matter.
 
Ribs tend to heal pretty well....had 7 busted in late summer 2014 on the track. the clavicle is bit tougher.....mine was just fractured and didn't need surgery but still not 100% 5 months later (I am 53)....probably will need to go back to the ortho. Sleeping sitting up in a recliner or propped up in bed is the ticket early on. I did pick up a Helite airbag vest.......with any luck won't need to find out how well it works.
 
Get it screwed!
This was mine two years ago... and you're right, lots of physio. Don't accept anything less than hard work and pain in aiming to get 100% full movement back.
Busted Fixed
 
Agreed - hard work and pain. But, typically, at least in the US, Docs won't screw you back together unless the fracture is like yours, in multiple pieces. My orthopedic doc said that a plated clavicle allows you to get to PT sooner. The meaning of 'Dislocated' becomes clear with your pic.

When I get a little dissatisfied with my progress, I think back on the nights in the recliner. The first time I tried to get out of bed, it took me, what felt like 15 minutes, I had to use my wife to pull my self up. But it wasn't how you'd imagine. It looked like a weird game of Twister, with excessive vocalizations indicating PAIN.

Still using the gymnastics rings. Great tool. make the whole thing easinger. With weight on my feet I'm able to load my arms and stretch by bending my knees. Also do a circular motion, so I look like a slow vertical jump rope.
 
Took a bad fall during Aikido class. Broke clavicle but didn't know it. I didn't find out till a few years later when it showed up on an xray for an unrelated complaint.
 
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