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Broken Collar Bone
tallbird
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7 weeks ago I was cycling to work when I got knocked off my bike by a car, landed in the road on my left shoulder, and broke my collar bone.
Interested in when I might be able to run again (I was v. annoyed as I was good and fit after doing the marathon in April) I looked on the forums here for some advice or experiences of other runners who had suffered this fate - but didn't find any, so I thought I would share what I have been through for future searchers!
If you have been through this as well - please add to the thread.
So, after being carted off to the hospital in an ambulance strapped to a back board and x-rayed to within an inch of my life, I was diagnosed with a broken clavicle and packed off home with a sling, some pain killers and a warning that it would be very painful.
Until you break your collar bone, you don't even give it a thought - but when it is in 2 seperate pieces, you realise that pretty much everything you do makes it move (brushing your teeth, pushing a door with the other hand, sitting up, lying down, wiggling your big toe.....) - and when that happens, in the early days, the 2 bits of bone move about - the broken ends (which are especially sensitive to start with) rubbing across each other and that is very painful!
For the first 2 weeks pretty much all I could do was try and stay as still as possible to stop the bones moving about. Unfortunately, sleeping isn't really that comfortable as you are largely limited to lying on your back and also I had a tendancy to wake up and find that my bones had moved which was uncomfortable and, in the later days at least, necessitated a bit of shoulder jiggling to click them back into place (very grim). I had to use a lot of pillows down the middle of the bed to provide support to the shoulder, and - later on - to stop me turning onto my 'bad' side by mistake. I have done that only once, and it hurt!
As time went on the bones stopped moving as much and I would start thinking that they were setting - but then there would be an unexpected "clunk" , pain, and back to the grinding.
From about 3 weeks the bone movements did pretty much stop, and I could walk places again - although not very quickly as any shocks through the shoulder were still quite painful.
I was in a full arm sling all the time (not sleeping) for 5 weeks. The bone doctor said 6, but after having no movement for 2 weeks I decided to risk taking my arm out in 'safe' environments like the office, but keeping it on outside to stop people bumping into me.
Interested in when I might be able to run again (I was v. annoyed as I was good and fit after doing the marathon in April) I looked on the forums here for some advice or experiences of other runners who had suffered this fate - but didn't find any, so I thought I would share what I have been through for future searchers!
If you have been through this as well - please add to the thread.
So, after being carted off to the hospital in an ambulance strapped to a back board and x-rayed to within an inch of my life, I was diagnosed with a broken clavicle and packed off home with a sling, some pain killers and a warning that it would be very painful.
Until you break your collar bone, you don't even give it a thought - but when it is in 2 seperate pieces, you realise that pretty much everything you do makes it move (brushing your teeth, pushing a door with the other hand, sitting up, lying down, wiggling your big toe.....) - and when that happens, in the early days, the 2 bits of bone move about - the broken ends (which are especially sensitive to start with) rubbing across each other and that is very painful!
For the first 2 weeks pretty much all I could do was try and stay as still as possible to stop the bones moving about. Unfortunately, sleeping isn't really that comfortable as you are largely limited to lying on your back and also I had a tendancy to wake up and find that my bones had moved which was uncomfortable and, in the later days at least, necessitated a bit of shoulder jiggling to click them back into place (very grim). I had to use a lot of pillows down the middle of the bed to provide support to the shoulder, and - later on - to stop me turning onto my 'bad' side by mistake. I have done that only once, and it hurt!
As time went on the bones stopped moving as much and I would start thinking that they were setting - but then there would be an unexpected "clunk" , pain, and back to the grinding.
From about 3 weeks the bone movements did pretty much stop, and I could walk places again - although not very quickly as any shocks through the shoulder were still quite painful.
I was in a full arm sling all the time (not sleeping) for 5 weeks. The bone doctor said 6, but after having no movement for 2 weeks I decided to risk taking my arm out in 'safe' environments like the office, but keeping it on outside to stop people bumping into me.
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Comments
When I asked the doctor about running he said not - but mostly to avoid the risk of falling over, which would definately rebreak the bone if I landed on that side.
Up until that point I had been mainly using a hired cross-training machine (no arms) to try and maintain fitness, and when I could - walking to or from work (3 miles), but I was desperate to get back to running.
So that evening, being careful not to trip, I went for a run - 15 minutes! I was knackered (frustrating loss of fitness) and my shoulder hated it. I ended up supporting that arm by clutching my opposite bra-strap (fetching) because the jiggling of my arm made my shoulder feel like it was going to come apart again.
I ran again on Thursday for 25 minutes, and am now planning on doing similar short runs 3 times a week to try and build up fitness.
I don't think I could have run any earlier than 6 weeks - although I guess it might have been possible wearing my sling - I think it would have been unpleasant, and painful.
Although I am appreciative of the fact that my injuries could have been a lot worse, a broken collar bone seems like a pretty shi**y injury - you can't just strap it up and carry on, you really have to try and keep still to help it heal, which seriously limits your activities.
Also, the time to heal varies greatly - as does the advice that you are given once it starts healing.
For example, my doctor told me that he doesn't think the bone will now separate (which is good), even though it is still broken (which is bad) - so I am unsure about how far I can push things - movements of my shoulder for example - is it possible for me to break it again by overdoing arm rotations????
So that's my story! I have another x-ray in 5 weeks time which I hope will show that the bones are properly mending, I can now lift my arm above shoulder height and, apart from at night (?) the pain is pretty limited and - thankfully - I am back running.
My bike on the other hand..........not so lucky!
The two ends have not joined up
but are loosely connected by scar tissue.
There is the option of surgery to join the ends up
with bone grafting and metalwork
but for now I'm leaving it, as the scar tissue seems
to be hardening (so I no longer get pain if I roll on
to that side while asleep etc)
over while running though.
I was able to jog gently a month after the break.
I don't get the "grinding" of the ends
because the two broken ends of mine are about
a centimetre apart from each other.
it was indeed extremely painful
especially when the wonderful doctor said it wasnt broken and proceeded to lift my arm above my head to prove it,
amazing how a punch in the face can make them rethink their diagnosis
however
i have to say
a broken and dislocated shoulder is MUCH WORSE, so I recommend not trying that
It took months before I could run again, similar reasons, pain in the shoulder was unbearable at much more than a slow walk and the fear of falling again when it was setting stopped me going out.
It's ok now though, ish
Ginger-loon - a broken & dislocated shoulder sounds horrid, but good to hear that it is almost alright (ish). How long did it take to get to that point?
And how did both you get these crazy injuries?
I am definately wary of falling over, but also of being jostled by anyway, or bumping into things (lampposts, door frames, etc).
Can I ask - have both of you recovered full range of motion in your shoulder? I would like to think that I will be able to swim soon(ish), but at the moment the incredible pain that runs from my shoulder down the back of my arm would put me off more than any bone related worries!!
I broke mine many, many years ago ( I am quite ancient0 and a dour Scots orthopedic surgeon strapped it up in a figure of eight bandaging after having reset the bone by the simple expedient of sticking his knee into my spine and pulling back on both shoulders!!!!
I was out of the sling in a fortnight - had to as I was taking my finals at university - and had full movement back in under two months.
Sounds like I got off lucky:-))))
I imagine you had youth on your side when you did yours - that helps I think as you heal up much more quickly, but also the figure of 8 thing is interesting - that method appears to have been widely discredited, or at least not seem to be any better than a full arm sling, although it is still used a lot in the states and mainy people seem to swear by it.
All adds to the confusion!
I would recommend doing your physio exercises religiously - it may seem like really slow progress at first but it will definitely pay in the long run. Once you've got the OK from the hospital I would recommend seeing a good massage person who can iron out all the deteriorated muscles - in my case the massage worked better that the physio - its amazing how things seize up when you sit in a sling for 12 weeks!
If you need any more top tips then please give a shout.
I have full rotation back in my shoulder and I would say that my mobility is probably about 95% - its not going to get any better than that due to the way the bones have healed - the only mobility problem I really notice is in the rotator cuff muscles - with elbow fixed to side and rotating lower part of arm away from body - about 6 inches less movement on the broken side !!
Rach
Reached a milestone last Friday when I managed to lift my arm above my head without needing the wall or my other hand to help me!! Small victories eh?
Do you have any exercises that you can recommend?
I am worried about the pain in the back of my shoulder, massage would probably help - but like you say, best to wait till I get the all clear before going for that.
Also, I have noticed over the last week or so that my shoulder really hurts at night - more than it had done for at least a couple of weeks before hand. Anyone else notice this??
I wondered whether it was because of the healing process, I really can't understand why though. It's quite a sharp pain, noticeable when I turn over and definately at the site of the break. There doesn't seem to have been any movement of the bones though, so....... weird.
I have to say though - although it does seem to be taking forever, it is amazing that your body repairs itself like that - clever.
Shame the same process doesn't work for all the clothes that the paramedics cut off me!!
My physio gave me a sheet of exercises to do - I will try to describe them!!
1. Lying on back raise arm up straight and try to reach over your head - try holding a small water bottle to try and persuade the muscles to move your arm !! Then as you get stronger you can increase the weigt in your hand
2. Holding a walking stick or some other stick like object! bend both arms at the elbow and try to rotate the affected arm outwards away from body - use the stick and your good arm to help it - this was the hardest one for me but everyone is different!
3. Try and move arm outwards away from body (straight arm) - helps to do this one lying down at first then you haven't got to worry about the weight of your arm but as you get stronger you can do it sitting or standing.
4. Keeping arm bent at elbow put hand behind back and try and move your hand up your back - you can use the walking stick to help at first - hold it in your good hand and put it behind your head and down your back then the hand on the bad side can grab hold!!
5. Shoulder shrugs and shoulder rolls.
Take it easy and see how it goes. I also went through a few patches of pain returning and then disappearing - still does that even now but only usually after I've done a shoulder workout. When you get the all clear, a massage will help but it won't be pain free.
Hope some of that makes sense!
Rach
One more question - did you only start doing the exercises after you were allowed out of the sling at 12 weeks (bad luck on that by the way - that is such a long time)?
Cycling accident for you too eh? I get the impression that it is a popular way to do it!
can lie on that side now without any problems as well. its been over a year I think, but these things do take time and the harder you push the slower they heal I believe.
First week was in the wrong type of sling - leading to separation of the bones.
Once in proper sling, had vip tickets for sponsors enclosure at Tour De France - was given advice by none other than Lance Armstrong (then World Champion), who told me I'd be back on my bike on the road within 6 weeks and to keep fit on the turbo in the meantime.
He was right, although because of the separation in the first week I have a very noticeable step half way along my left collarbone - only time I really notice it now is carrying a rucksack for any length of time.
So, if I was back on my road bike in 6 weeks, I'd have given you a couple of months off running using the Armstrong method of judgment!
I broke mine last year, falling off my bike. It was a fairly clean break and they were more worried about what I'd done to my head as I wasn't wearing a helmet. Fortunately the collar bone was the only damage.
I had a sling for a couple of days then the bone doc took it away from me and told me that the break would heal in 6 weeks. That was about all the information he gave me..... useless t*ss*r. There is a very good doc at work so I chatted to him and he explained that connective tissue begins forming across the break almost straight away. This gradually turns to bone but this doesn't happen for about 6 weeks. He suggested that I avoid excessive or sudden movement and falling over (or off bicycles!) until the bone had started to form. He also said that I would end up with a lump that would gradually disappear over a number of years.
I was unable to swim, run or cycle, even on a turbo, for those 6 weeks as it was too uncomfortable. Afterwards I found that my arms movement was a bit restricted (I couldn't lift it up as far as the other one) but that has improved over time.
I did get occasional pain for quite a while but that has reduced so now, 16 months on, I don't really notice it........ except when I'm using it as an excuse for my carp swimming :-D
After all the comments from the doctors & nurses during my adventure, I think I may wear a helmet from now on!
Good that you had someone to give you some advice - it's so difficult to know what to do.
Sensible advice Gingerloon - I am trying to be patient, but you know how it is! And it is amazing how resilient the body is, I too was/am so grateful that my collar bone was the only thing broken - it was that moment when I was lying on the ground and thinking "I can still wiggle my toes" when I realised how things could have changed in that second. Scary thought.
Dad of 2 - did you not find that going over holes hurt your shoulder when you were back on the bike ? That's what I would be most concerned about, that and not really being able to stretch my arm far enough to reach the handlebars yet! (great story about Lance by the way!!).
Interesting that you would have recommended a longer 'waiting' time for running than for cycling - I am definately less keen to get back on a bike than I was to get out running - although some of that might be nerves because of my accident.
I had the same thing with the sling - A&E gave me a collar and cuff type, first thing the orthopedic guy did when I went back a week later was say "first thing, let's get you a proper sling" and gave me a full arm sling. That definately helped reduce the amount of bone clunking that I was having, and was so much more comfortable.
I also have a slight step in my bone - the shoulder end is sticking up above the other one - although it is less pronounced now than it was on my original x-rays so I guess it has pulled itself back in line a bit.
This is all great stuff though - future collar bone breakers will find it dead handy, I know I would have done!
Paramedic #1 : "can we just get your rucksack off, just bend your arm back........"
Me: "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh, just cut it off, cut it offfff "
They were great though - and clearly knew what they were doing - so I shouldn't knock them really.
Thank you, this is a great thread.
I'm 4.5 weeks after my clavicle fracture, and climbing the walls. All that autumn base training is seeping away, and I am desperate for a run. But like some of you, my body is telling me that it's just not ready. There's too much independent movement between the two halves of bone at the moment.
I was hoping that by 6 weeks I'd have my trainers on again, but all this talk of 12 weeks is kind of depressing me further.
A mate brought round a turbo trainer yesterday, so apart from the mind numbing boringness of static bike cycling, at least I'm exercising again. Although despite keeping my upper half stock still, 30 mins on the TT still makes the broken shoulder ache.
Am I prolonging my return to running by using the TT?
Cheers