Broken collar bone?

[123skyflyer]

Okay, so I broke my collar bone about five months ago. It's still got a lump which is fine but I thought the pain would be gone by now.

It's only when I do a lot of work, either leading horses in a lesson at the stables, or walking, biking, riding and just general stable work, my shoulder and shoulder blade really start to ache and hur and for the first time the other day my collar bone did aswel.

I was wondering if this is normal after such a long time? (it wasn't a bad break)
I guessed that a lot of you guys will have broken a collar bone before so....

Thanks

 

[sue12345]

I broke mine in two places 18 months ago. It's never healed it's self and constantly aches.I have a dropped shoulder and a large lump.I find driving and leading on that side particulary difficult. My surgeon says he wanted to plate it at the time of my accident but i was too ill. I can go back to him at any time though and he will do it if life gets too difficult. What does your doctor say?

 

[ludlow]

Did you get any physio exercises from the hospital? If not, it sounds like some strengthening exercises and mobility could be the way forward - i broke my collarbone, stuffed up the rotator cuff and broke my shoulder blade...lots of flailing about with arms in circles etc and right as rain eventually. My shoulder still aches after I do a lot even after 3 years though.

It might be worth booking in to see a physio to get some exercises to do at home and see how you go from there. Good luck!

 

[FubsyMog]

Not broken my collar bone, but I chipped a bit off my scapula about six years ago after bouncing off a fence before hitting the deck. It healed fine and stopped hurting badly after 3 or 4 weeks, but like you, I found that if I did anything strenuous for a prolonged period, it would begin to ache in the general area. Not utterly agonizing, but enough to make me want to stop. It quickly got better with rest. It did eventually settle down so that now I only occasionally get a 'funny' sensation in it - not pain, just I know something happened there once.

 

[NaeNae87]

I broke my collar bone in 2007, it hurt for a fair while after that. Once the bone was healed, my muscles were used to being held a certain way it caused a whe heap of tightness and pain around my shoulders and neck.
I found Pilates and Bowen therapy helped a heap with the tension and pain.

 

[trottingon]

I broke my collarbone ladt year and it took approx 9 months to feel properly useable again. Longest 9 months of my life!!!!! Felt pretty much back to normal a year later and now just have the occasional ache if I've done more manual stuff than usual. Definitely think I tried to do too much too soon which is why it took so long to heal in the first place!
My advice, do some physio exercises and take it easy, don't push yourself at all!

 

[123skyflyer]

Thanks for that guys It's good to know that this is pretty normal, I was beginning to worry that I'd damaged my shoulder blade aswel or something. The hospitals where I live are pretty rubbish so I didn't want to bother going back to ask the doctor as I'd have to wait weeks for an opointment anyway.
sue12345; the doctor never told me anything, haha. Mine wasn't as bad as yours sounds, I went to the hospital one week after it happened for a check up but that was all. They didn't even meantion that I might need physio.

 

[suffolkmare]

It seems quite common for riders to break a collar bone or upper humerus. The broken bone heals much quicker than the ligaments around the shoulder area, and we are tempted to get on with things like leading, lugging wet hay, jumps, wheelbarrows, etc. as soon as fracture clinic says goodbye. I keep remiunding my daughter to continue the physio exercises to help, as she has pain at time and some reduced mobility after breaking her Rt upper arm 2 years ago. My advice to OP would be try and get a physio appointment for further assessment and exercises/treatment.

 

[123skyflyer]

Yeah, I think my only problem is I havn't told any one it hurts, my parents haven't asked so I left it be, thinking would go away. Telling them might be a problem, haha.

 

[ladyt25]

I broke mine several years back now - there's still a lump there as I don't think the bone ever dropped back down fully. I guess, thinking back, it did twinge a fair bit for a good while afterwards. I had a few physio appointments though at the hospital after - were you not given these? If not then that's pretty bad. I would suggest just doing some gentle exercises - like just lifting your arm from infront of you to straight above your head to help the muscles get back in working order. It may be you just haven't been doing adequate stretches/exercises to help (which had you had physio, they would have told you to do!).

 

[Lolo]

To be on the safe side, speak to your GP and get it re-xrayed.

My sister broke her collarbone, and it healed well it seemed with just a lump left. But it was aching a lot, and it got to the point where she was sore and achey whenever she used that arm to do anything. Both my parents are medically-minded, and my mum is a radiographer, so she was taken to be x-rayed again and the bone had healed too short to sit comfortably in the right place. She ended up having it pinned, and then last year she had the pin removed. Now, all that's left is an impressive scar, but as soon as it was pinned the aching and pain stopped.

I don't want to scare you or anyting, but Al let it go on for 8 months before speaking up, and she had considerably muscle wastage over that shoulder looking back. If she's said something sooner, it wouldn't have hurt her for so long!

 

[TallulahBright]

I went to see a McTimony chiropractor after falling down the stairs and dislocating the collar bone/ sternum joint. This was a year after a ditching where shoulder was dislocated so really inflamed the whole area again.
Amazing results! Been twice and so much better.

 

[123skyflyer]

To be on the safe side, speak to your GP and get it re-xrayed.

My sister broke her collarbone, and it healed well it seemed with just a lump left. But it was aching a lot, and it got to the point where she was sore and achey whenever she used that arm to do anything. Both my parents are medically-minded, and my mum is a radiographer, so she was taken to be x-rayed again and the bone had healed too short to sit comfortably in the right place. She ended up having it pinned, and then last year she had the pin removed. Now, all that's left is an impressive scar, but as soon as it was pinned the aching and pain stopped.

I don't want to scare you or anyting, but Al let it go on for 8 months before speaking up, and she had considerably muscle wastage over that shoulder looking back. If she's said something sooner, it wouldn't have hurt her for so long!

Hmm, maybe I should then . I guess it's always better to be safe than sorry. Thank you

 

[123skyflyer]

I broke mine several years back now - there's still a lump there as I don't think the bone ever dropped back down fully. I guess, thinking back, it did twinge a fair bit for a good while afterwards. I had a few physio appointments though at the hospital after - were you not given these? If not then that's pretty bad. I would suggest just doing some gentle exercises - like just lifting your arm from infront of you to straight above your head to help the muscles get back in working order. It may be you just haven't been doing adequate stretches/exercises to help (which had you had physio, they would have told you to do!).

Yeah, that's what I thought. But then, I was told that the NHS are so short of money, they don't bother sending people for physio as much as before. I don't know how acurate that is though.
but thank you for the advice, I have started doing some gentle excersice over the last week or so. If it doesn't help the I'll get physio I guess.
Thanks

 

[trottingon]

If the hospital won't refer you for physio, your GP will be able to.

 

[Nicnac]

Daughter broke collarbone riding her first pony Bobby the Barsteward when she was about 9 or 10. It still hurts now when she overdoes things and she's 22.

It was a nasty break and didn't heal properly. Surgeon didn't want to operate as didn't think it would make any difference (yes it was the NHS )

I would make a fuss until you are heard which is what I do now!

 

[123skyflyer]

If the hospital won't refer you for physio, your GP will be able to.

Okay, that's great thanks

 

[123skyflyer]

Daughter broke collarbone riding her first pony Bobby the Barsteward when she was about 9 or 10. It still hurts now when she overdoes things and she's 22.

It was a nasty break and didn't heal properly. Surgeon didn't want to operate as didn't think it would make any difference (yes it was the NHS )

I would make a fuss until you are heard which is what I do now!

I guess that making a fuss would work. My break wasn't too bad though, it was pretty clean. Thanks though, I'll bear in mind that you have to be fussy with the NHS for future breaks

 

[travelmad]

I've broken my left one twice, second time the bone wouldn't re join so. They didn't want me to start physio for nearly a year. I went through ages - prob 12 mnths- of not being able to even carry a heavy shopping bag in my left hand.

However now it's hardly noticeable except I cant raise it to hold a mobile for long conversations! Swimming helped so much in beginning to get more movement and strength back, then eventually physio - ESP acupuncture as the muscles around the bone were so stiff. I found the biggest issue was riding horses that would lean on my hands but even that eventually gets better.

 

[Gusbear]

I broke mine when I was 3 (clumsy me fell out of bed). Still clearly remember sitting on my mum's knee screaming my head off in pain.
Now 44 years later the darn thing still gives me trouble. If prop myself up on the lounge on that side it feels uncomfortable like the bones are rubbing together and also like my shoulder is going to pop. Also I have trouble sleeping comfortably on my left side as again my shoulder doesn't feel right. It aches like mad in cold weather (probably arthritis) and clicks and crunches if I rotate my arm. I find that my left arm has not much strength so I can only girth up and carry things with my right arm although I am left handed for things like writing.