broken collarbone-success stories please!

[philamena]

As soon as you know where you are re the op, get a private physio who's a geek about shoulders. And do ALL of what they tell you to do, not just the bits that make sense and feel essential to restore the movement you need. You can end up quite wonky through favouring / subconsciously protecting an injured shoulder, and that can be tough to put right if it goes on long enough that your body changes its sense of 'straight', trust me!
I displaced my collar bone when I broke the ball of my humerus and it didn't reconnect, but to be honest the collar bone has never given me any problems really.
And the same as above - it wasn't until I broke the shoulder and had docs and physios looking at it that they pointed out I'd broken the collar bone before and never noticed, but it had reset not quite straight.
So sounds like every case is different. But would echo what's said above - what you want to avoid is the 'we'll wait 8 weeks to see if it sorts and if not we'll plate it' scenario.

 

[shortstuff99]

I think I missed you saying you had broken your collar bone! how did it happen? I don't really know much about collar bones the only person I know had a very bad time with hers but yours doesn't look as bad. Wishing you a very speedy recovery and (((((vibes)))))

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Speak to the IJF. They will let you know where you stand and reccomend a route of recovery at the fastest possible rate for you and your break.

 

[Impu1sion]

You are doing well if you can bandage legs and get a bridle on! I broke mine a few years ago exactly 6 weeks before I was due to ride at Royal Windsor - I made it, no problem and am probably twice your age so hope that you heal quickly. I do feel your pain - don't know what happened to you, but 2 weeks ago my 3 year old 'bounced' into me and I have a fetching cast on my arm now - bust my wrist. They were going to plate it but it seems not to have displaced so they aren't going to now. Cant drive or anything!! Sooo frustrating!!! *healing vibes to you*

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

thank you everyone

it feels better again today but i suspect its healing one end on top of the other as the lump is hard and hasnt reduced and i look very lumpy again.

i suspect because im going to turn up in a good frame of mind and having been getting on with life they will want to wait and see, argh.

however i do have the option of going private and will then get access to more physio quicker too so suspect thats the route ill take but will wait and see on tues, maybe ill be surprised.

thank you for the link to the IJF places, definitely something to consider if i stick with NHS but suspect i will get similar options if i go private so again will see how tues pans out.

i got pinged off Goof, annoyingly i had already sat on him once and he was fine, got off still all fine, got on again and he humped his back up and launched off all 4 feet and i plopped out the side door. i'm not convinced the fall warrants the injury if that makes sense and as there's a family history of osteoporosis will be asking for the test too.

so whilst im recuperating Goof will continue his ridden education with a friends western trainer. I really like the way he has bought on her 3yo and his ethos fits in with what i want for my horses, and hes close enough to work Goof at home so i can watch every session. so watch this space for western Goofy updates. I totally dont blame the horse, hes been a rockstar really, just an unfortunate buck and unfortunate i landed fully on my shoulder-if i had plopped on my arse i would have dusted myself off and carried on working him and you would probably be looking at pics of me sat on him rather than a manky collarbone!!!! frustrated doesnt cover it

 

[MyBoyChe]

Oh poor you, what a shame for that to happen just as everything was coming on so well with Goof. As you say, the injury doesnt really fit the crime does it, makes good sense to get the osteoporosis test. Can I ask you a question re the western trainer? Im not a million miles from you and Im struggling to find someone who knows their stuff to talk to about retraining my pony to ride western. Do you think he would be happy to have a chat and either recommend someone or travel? Pm me if you would prefer, happy to get a number from you if he is agreeable. Gentle hugs for a speedy recovery.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

ill pm you

 

[shortstuff99]

Gosh that's such a shame PS! After all the work you put into desensitisation etc you really didn't deserve that! Well I hope you are quickly on the mend so we can see ridden pics

 

[gunnergundog]

thank you for the link to the IJF places, definitely something to consider if i stick with NHS but suspect i will get similar options if i go private so again will see how tues pans out.

(

Two points; bony lumps are not necessarily bad....often just cosmetic, so unless you are after beach body beautiful, I wouldn't be too concerned re collar bone healing.

Secondly, private is definitely better than NHS but unless you strike lucky with someone who has empirical knowledge of horses/jockies, you will be doing yourself a dis-service......the IJF is there for people like you to use, so USE IT!

 

[McFluff]

My hubby smashed himself up skiing in the states this year. The advice he got for fast healing:
Don't smoke or take any nicotine (slows the healing of bones significantly apparently)
Don't drink diet coke (especially if you are at risk of osteoporosis)
Do your physio - every day
Within 5 weeks he was back sea kayaking (he doesn't ride, says that's for nutters!)
Their preference was to avoid an op if possible as it risks complications and slows healing.
Good luck with your healing.

 

[trottingon]

I can't believe how quickly most of you have mended!!! I had a backwards rotational fall in 2012 and broke my collarbone, and then 3 weeks later just as it was knitting I did too much (non horsey stuff) and displaced/broke it again, the pain was immense, sitting hurt, moving hurt, lying down hurt, I had to move my horse from DIY to a full livery yard because I couldn't look after him. I tried riding after about 5 months but it was too painful, didn't ride again properly until about 9 months after the accident. I was still having to sleep on my back with a pillow supporting my arm until around then!
I never want to go through that again and wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy!!!
Having said all that, although I have been left with a lump, I have not suffered any further pain or issues and my shoulder is completely back to normal with a full range of movement thankfully.
OP I wish you well with your recovery.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

so far so good:

i can carry light objects on my bad side and reasonably heavy objects on my good side. i can get a headcollar and bridle on,boots or bandages and LW rugs.

im mucking out with a poop scoop using both hands and can sweep moderately effectively.

managed to do 10mins in hand work with Goof last night

the only two things i cant yet do are pin my own hair up or put earrings in as i cant bring my bad arm up across and round my head but as being as i couldnt lift it an inch on mon, i am guessing that will come!

i have a physio on standby, who also does pulsed and laser therapy so after tues we will make a plan for the collarbone and a plan for goofs on going backing whilst collarbone recovers

 

[Under-the-radar]

PS if you haven't got the answers you want from the NHS, make an appointment to go private and see the consultant. Usually, once you have had this appointment, most consultants will also work on NHS too and can then do the surgery on NHS, so you don't have to pay for it, but you will benefit from a more speedy service as you've already got a foot in the door.

To be honest, I would just make the appt for a private consult now and then you're already on the way

 

[Liloandstitch]

I broke mine last year and was expecting an extremely long recovery beachside that's what I was told! However, within 6/7 weeks I felt fine, I'd already say on my pony plenty of times and before I knew it was riding and competiting again! My friend also broke her elbow and 6 weeks later went to pony camp and was perfectly fine! Hopefully you'll have similar recovery

 

[mandyroberts]

Broke collar bone December 2001, tried to 'be good' but took rather alot of decent painkillers. Rode at 5 weeks, felt a bit weak, moved wrong at 6 weeks and rebroke it. Also got red wine mark under skin which hospital said was unrelated. Had painful burning freezing sensations and numbness, get sent to vascular specialist and find I have nicked an artery with debate of open chest surgery to replace artery(red wine mark was bleeding under skin). They decide surgery not required and all settles down. Another 12 weeks and all seems OK but shoulder feels weak and bone sticks up if I move a certain way but say nothing as no pain and just want to get on riding. A year later OH wants me to ski and I confess I don't think I can, get dragged off to private consultant who says end of bone is floating and need urgent plate as there is risk if severing artery and bleeding out internally. Plate done all fine, taken out 15 months later, all fine, 6 months later prop myself up in bed and there is an almighty crack and it is broken again. Turned out I had broken it in two places the first time and the unplated break had given way. Had longer plate covering both breaks and decided to leave it in. No problem now except things can cut into me on screws eg seat belt in car. So mine took about 2.5 years to sort out and my friend reminds me regularly how jockeys are riding at 3-4 weeks! Strongly recommend private advice, NHS want the cheap option. My consultant who I saw at 15 months said he would have plated mine at 6 months if I was not 100% because I had 2 breaks. Interestingly xrays can look OK as they are taken when you are lined up - my consultant knew what was going on by moving my arm and feeling the bone ends move

 

[kit279]

Sorry to hear that you've broken your collarbone. As frustrating as it is to be out of action and not able to do everything you want to, can I sound a small note of caution about pushing for surgery? The point of a consultant orthopaedic surgeon is to do the right thing for the specific fracture you have, based on the best evidence available for how to get that fracture to heal best and give you a good long term result. By all means, tell them what you want to be doing with yourself and how quickly you want to do it but do take their advice on board. My husband worked in trauma and orthopaedics a few years back and you do see some pretty unpleasant complications post-op. That's not to say you shouldn't have an op, just that an not-completely-necessary one with complications would be a whole sight worse than the annoying delay in getting your life back so you and the consultant need to weigh up the risks versus the benefits.

I would be pretty wary of any surgeon who was prepared to do something they didn't think was right, just because you went privately - and that's speaking as someone who does operate themselves, albeit in a totally different area of the body! By all means, get a second opinion privately and if you need surgery, feel free to have it done privately but any decent surgeon will give you their opinion and will not operate unless they think it's the right thing to do.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

These stories are giving me the hebie-jebies! Mine, as I said on FB, was 4 weeks for a walk round on my oldie as a bday treat, 6 weeks to compete at a championship we had qualified for with the oldie and then 6/7 weeks to be back on Topaz. Fell off again at 8 weeks without anything devastating happening (lucky I know, she stopped at a fence and I slid down her neck ).

I have a question though everyone who broke theirs without plating or complications, did x-Rays show yours had healed at the end? I had my last x-Ray 14 weeks post break and it wasn't fully done, hospital discharged me and I got on with life but I found it a bit odd at the time? Still have a little pain and twinges two years down the line but figured it was normal?

PS sorry for the tangent!

 

[Tr0uble]

Kick up stink and don't accept them not doing everything they can.

Shoulder/collar bone is one of the few bones I've not broken but (as u know) when I smashed my knee I was out of action for over a year because they wanted to try the 'let nature take its course' approach despite me describing what was basically a bag of bits that had no chance of healing.

It took months to be taken seriously and 8 months before I finally had surgery to rebuild the bone, and now 4.5 years later I still don't have full use of it and am likely to need a knee replacement within 10 years.

I can't run properly, can't kneel down without knee pads, can't squat down etc....

 

[Ella19]

I shattered mine, it broke into 5 pieces. Had it pinned and plated privately. First set didn't hold and pinged loose after 4 weeks, had it 're done and bone grafts and second time it held. Due to severity of the breaks, tissue and nerve damage my plate can never be taken out. It took almost a year to use it fully and 9 months off work for it to heal, all with intensive physio and hydrotherapy. I still can't feel the front of my shoulder, have reduced movement and pull from my mid back rather than shoulder blade. Mine was however very severe, the consultant said it was the worse he had seen in his career! Once plated and held the second time round I was instantly more comfy so would opt for that if you can. I'm sure you will heal quickly.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

Thanks guys.....people with horrendous complications were you in a lot of pain and knew it wasn't healing?

I'm trying to gauge (guess!) how well it's doing......the only thing I've really done all week that's hurt is sneeze lol!

I'm down to 2 x ibuprofen or 1 x codeine about every 4/5/6 hours and I can bend down and pick things up on my bad side,rug a horse,get a bridle on,drive,plait up,sweep,muck out with a poop scoop,groom,wash off with a hose in bad hand.

I can now get my own earrings in too lol! I can't pin my own hair up yet though.... Just trying to give examples so you know where I'm at!

I know this is how longs a piece of string but I so want Tuesday to be good news.....

 

[Dizzydancer]

Yes if it's in poor position then you wouldn't be doing any of that!! My OH couldn't even move his arm away from his side without agony!
It could of course be the brace-
One thing in your post makes me nervous as you won't be insured to drive at present!! So hope that was off road!!

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

I'm taking the brace off to shower and am not in instant pain....I think I'd be sore going 24/7 without it but the break feels very stable WITH it so hoping it's helping not masking if that makes sense? I don't feel unstable minus brace just fragile!

NMT is less freaked out by shape of it which can only be good lol!!!!!

 

[Dizzydancer]

All sounds positive- sounds like a career of shoulder modelling maybe out tho lol you will learn to ignore the bump- my OHs is horrible as he has plate and 6 screws which are all visible and palpable as he is very lean!

 

[LCH611]

Dizzydancer is right, you do need to be careful of the insurance situation if you are driving.

In answer to your question about pain, I didn't find the pain unmanageable at all, and rarely needed to take anything other than the occasional painkiller after the first couple of days. It felt revolting when it moved about and occasionally there was a stab of pain when I did something I shouldn't have done, but it wasn't unbearable. I did it just before the 3 days of international horse trials that I run, and I just cracked on and did that as usual (all bar driving as the company fleet manager would have crucified me for driving without insurance). It didn't therefore come as a surprise to me to discover that when it was reviewed that it hadn't healed......... further on down the line I now have major rotator cuff problems because I ended up not using it for so long and all the muscles have atrophied. There is a fine line between keeping it mobile and overdoing it, so do quiz them about what you are allowed to do when you see them tomorrow. My consultant was aghast to hear that I was carting around buckets of water and mucking out when they didn't want me carrying anything heavier than a cup of tea

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

i will do

i will report back tomorrow! #comeoncollarbone!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Routing for the collarbone, #miracleinaweekhealing!

I'm amazed how much you can do, and feeling somewhat mardy with mine . On the face of it mine was not as severe as yours (nasty fractures and splintering in the middle but no seperation), but I could feel it moving around and grating which meant I really could do very little for at least a week or so. So I'm thinking you're on track for a quick turnaround.

I'm banking on you backing Goofy first so I can follow your updates for Skylla .

x x

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

aaaaaah i have plans for Goofy whilst i mend-friends fab western trainer is coming to assess him once i know what the expected healing time is.

so he will continue the de spooking/desensitising work and hopefully get on board so by time im ready Goof will be w/t/c. But it will all be documented dont worry, in an odd way it will be very interesting and exciting, just wish i didnt have to be broken at same time

 

[catembi]

Oh no - sorry to hear that! Lady around the corner from me events & broke her collarbone, didn't get much joy out of the NHS, had it plated privately, it healed up fine, had the plate out & all is well. I don't rem the exact timescales, but I'm pretty sure she was back eventing surprisingly quickly!

Hope you get better soon!

T x

 

[HotToTrot]

Don't know, but ouch and sorry!

 

[noname]

I broke mine yonks ago and the bones overlapped so had shoulders strapped back for a bit as well as NHS sling.

A few things:
* Your probably end up with a lump really not a big deal - a battle wound but looks far less ugly than a surgery scar!
* if it's a straightforward break don't mess with surgery or it will take longer.
* second opinion always useful, when I bust my leg I do believe it should have been operated on.
*Seriously, stop doing stuff now and you have decent chance at getting back on earlier
* I was doing sneaky swims and rides at 3 weeks
* standard riding injury, really not a big deal 😜😜😜 everyone in my family has bust theirs a least once!

Good luck