How long do collar bones take to heal??

[FinkleyGladiator]

I fell off and broke mine last night

How long will it be before I can do anything? Even grooming is painful

Thanks x

 

[Steeleydan]

I was riding after 5 days, but had to get some one to tack up It hurt too much to lift the saddle on. But for the rest of the time I kept my sling on, mine has healed with a big boney lump on it. Have you just got a sling or have they put a figure 8 like brace thingy across your back to stop you collar bone crossing over at the break, hence why ive got a boney lump.

 

[kerilli]

don't listen to her, she's mad.

well, iirc bone takes at least 6 weeks to start healing properly, i'd be guided by your doctor and then try to beat what he says by a little bit, but not much!
i think there are new things that they can do nowadays that really speed up bone healing, e.g. being in a hyperbaric chamber etc (i think there's one in Norwich iirc), might be worth a try.

 

[millitiger]

i was back riding properly after 3 weeks but it hurt like hell and i am sure that is the reason mine is still stiff (i still can't sleep on that side 5 years later).

 

[kerilli]

[ QUOTE ]
i was back riding properly after 3 weeks but it hurt like hell and i am sure that is the reason mine is still stiff (i still can't sleep on that side 5 years later).

[/ QUOTE ]

yes, without wanting to sound like a right boring old cow, it is worth giving things time to heal properly, so that they don't bug you for the rest of your days...
my doctors have always put the fear of God into me, they obviously knew what horsey girls are like!

 

[Diane_Pepper]

I rode 2 weeks later & competed at PN a month later - was painful to begin with but I was fine competing, however mine has now healed and I 'slump' my shoulder on that side because the bone joined together wonky so I look half round shouldered. Not a great look!
I'd advise you to stay away from the beasts until it's properly healed, i.e. the bone has actually joined together which varies in different people. Take it easy and make the most of people waiting on hand and foot for you!

 

[Thistle]

My son (16) was signed off by the doctors and told he could play sport at school(not rugby though) after just over 3 weeks. He had quite a bad break and the bones were more than 1 cm apart.

Get a figure of 8 bandage and wear it 24/7. It really helps realign the bones.

 

[dieseldog]

Depends how bad you broke it. Mine went into 3 pieces with one bit nearly coming thru the skin. To heal properly it took about a year. I probably didn't ride for 6 weeks, it just felt too wrong.

 

[Lolo]

Well,. as ypou know Alice mushed hers at the start of the summer and rode after 2 weeks, did PC SJ teams after 4, camp after 5, Eventing teams after 6 and PC Champs after 8. Doctors advised 8 weeks total rest and recuperation. She had 2 phsyio sessions in this time at the beginning and came off pain relief pretty quickly because she wanted to save it up for camp!

However, you have the whole winter to heal- so take your time. Hers has now got a massive lump, she's been told not to do ny contact spiorts (used to play rugby very well) and it still aches after riding the little ginger. I din't think she regrets doing so much, but in her eyes she had no choice- if she didn't get back on son she'd have missed an amazing summer. That's something you won't, so give it plenty of time...

 

[SusieT]

Most riders seem to be back on board after 3-4 weeks for a simple not too painful collarbone.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

Give it time. I broke mine earlier in the year and was banned from doing anything for a week

I began grooming and everything after that and in weeks 2/3 I took horsey for walks. Was back on 4 weeks later to the day, but made the most of not having to do PE for 6wks at school

Hugs, its a horrible break

If you have trouble sleeping try drugging yourself up with codine and paracetemol.

 

[alidegg]

Well with mine it was a pretty bad break and they told me not to take it out of the sling for 8 weeks... However me being me got back on after 2 weeks, went to camp after 4 weeks, SJed at the PC Area SJ after 5 weeks and qualified for the PC Eventing Champs after 7 weeks... Did the PC Champs at 8 weeks ;D I think that for riding it was ok because it stays mainly by your side and theres not a hell of a lot of movement until you fall off (which I did twice in the practice ring at the Area SJing...). It does ache like theres no effing tomorrow though even now after I think about 11 weeks and theres a lump the size of Manhattan (i thinkthats big isnt it???!) which will be there for life, spoiling any chance that I may have had of looking OK at the prom in my Mums lovely dress that she wore for her school prom

Im really p*ssed off tho cos last year and year before i played rugby for county and was invited to regional trials but now I wont be able to play any contact sport (the doctor laughed when I asked for strapping of any sort for it)

. Its actually stopping me doing quite a lot but how much this is related to not following doctors orders I dont know... ???????
Any hoo get well soon hunny Im sure you'll be fine in no time
xxxx

 

[littlespritz]

I broke mine about 6 weeks ago now, i was riding after a week and doing normal horsey jobs altho in style & driving was very hard!! at 2 weeks i tripped over ( drunk) & re broke it by this time my bone was very close to saying hello through my skin! i didint ride for another week & then started riding- which i found one of the most pain less jobs

i went for re x- ray on thurs this week & have been told to go back in another month as there not happy with it yet

but as far as im concerned i can tack up (in style) ride & tie my own hair up as well as drive the horse box so sod it ill be competing tomo! i recomend going to Gp & asking for better pain killers as i ran out of cocodimol very quickly!

 

[RobinHood]

I had mine plated because the fracture was so displaced the loose bone was hitting my ribs. I dug out a winter's worth of deep litter after 1 week and was hunting within 4 weeks. It was 3 years ago and the only things I struggle with a chucking up muckheaps (oh what a shame!) and giving leg ups from the left hand side.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

QR
You people are silly

All of you who have big lumps, I can only presume that its becuase you did things too early, I waited 4wks to ride and now have the tiniest of lumps and can do anything, sleep on it, lift things,carry my bag there etc. (I did it in feb)

FG- please please give it time unless you want permanent damage, its a small price to pay

x

 

[Lolo]

C_B, I can only say that Alice doesn't regret her 'lump' (despite not being able to wear the prom dress of her dreams, although I always say that her cb is definitely not the thing most people look at first!) and because of getting back on so soon managed to have a truly amazing season her lovely pony, who is now being retired. It still aches, but it will do- my mum's a radiographer and says that it will prolly ache anyway for the next 6 months because of the severity of the break.

 

[pocket]

Any bone injury takes 6-8 weeks to heal and you also have to consider the soft tissue surrounding the bone. Dont rush back into riding as you can do more damage......

 

[punk]

OMG! You have ALL been lucky!!!

I broke mine team chasing about 10 years ago.

Bone broke, and overlapped (ie pushed in towards neck) - but with the wrong sides of the bone together so it never mended!! ( has to have rough bone to rough bone to mend apparently!)

As the hospital told me to throw away the sling and get on with it - that's what I did!! Painful but possible. Went on riding and eventing with difficulty!!

After a year - with bones still flapping around, I decided to have it pinned!!!

Very painful op - especially where they take the bone off your hip to patch up the collar bone!!!

A year after that (having hunted and evented with the pin in) I had it taken out, as I was warned that to fall again with the pin in would smash the collar bone beyond any repair!!!

The final part of this story is to say that I now have serious back problems caused by the scar tissue where the bone was taken off my hip.

Moral of story -- unless it is a very simple break ( ie NOT high speed impact break) take it very carefully!!! If there is any overlap (ie pushed in displacement of the bones) get VERY good advise!! And not from someone who normally treats Rugby scrum breaks!!!

Am happy to give any advise - as am an expert now in hindsight!!!

 

[dieseldog]

[ QUOTE ]
QR
You people are silly

All of you who have big lumps, I can only presume that its becuase you did things too early, I waited 4wks to ride and now have the tiniest of lumps and can do anything, sleep on it, lift things,carry my bag there etc. (I did it in feb)

FG- please please give it time unless you want permanent damage, its a small price to pay

x

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not, I have the most enormous lump and I did nothing - the horse got a rug and thrown out in a field. I think the lump depends on the break and wether they plate it or not.

 

[littlelady1221]

I broke mine 3 weeks ago and i had to get an op to put a plate and some pins last friday

my doctor said it would be atleast 3months till i can ride again :'(

but after reading all your posts i really think i should start riding again ! however i will pretend its still sore so no pe for me

i think it depends on how bad your break is etc
hope your ok !
x

 

[PapaFrita]

After 4 weeks x-rays showed mine hadn't healed

A full 6 weeks after the accident (and it wasn't a particularly bad break) it's healed but I still have limited mobility and it bloody hurts if I make a wrong move. I can't muck out properly, and putting on a saddle or bridle is really rather painful. I AM an old fart though. Young peeps heal much better than us. DON'T be tempted to hurry things along... you WILL regret it (says the voice of experience!)
The figure of 8 harnessy thing is a GREAT idea. Much more comfortable IMO than the sling.

 

[PapaFrita]

[ QUOTE ]
QR
You people are silly

All of you who have big lumps, I can only presume that its becuase you did things too early, I waited 4wks to ride and now have the tiniest of lumps and can do anything, sleep on it, lift things,carry my bag there etc. (I did it in feb)

FG- please please give it time unless you want permanent damage, its a small price to pay

x

[/ QUOTE ]
I think you have a wee lump because you're young and heal better than old fogeys

I haven't mucked out or ridden in more than 6 weeks, my break wasn't particularly bad and I've still got a lump and I definitely can't sleep on that side or move my arm too high or across my body.

 

[PapaFrita]

[ QUOTE ]
I fell off and broke mine last night

How long will it be before I can do anything? Even grooming is painful

Thanks x

[/ QUOTE ]
I couldn't cut my own food or raise my arm high enough to scratch my nose when I broke mine. Grooming would've been impossible and I couldn't wear any tops that didn't have buttons for about 4 weeks. 6 weeks on, I'm still in a LOT of pain at times.
If you're young (teens-twenties) you will heal much more quickly than me (40

)

ETS; I know I've answered several times... I've just warmed to the topic!

 

[vicijp]

OP - If it is the first time you have broken it you should give it at least a few weeks and get plenty of physio.
That gives you less chance of the same happening again. Come back too quick the firsttime and you will weaken it.

 

[jcberry]

after 3 weeks i had mine x rayed and it hadnt healed, i had full on snapped it in half and one bone was on top of the other, but i carried on riding, its still proberly not healed now - it moves around haha, but ahh well

i was the same as PF, it was so painfull and i dont think they ever heal completely, i broke mine about 2 years ago now and it still aches and hurts today

 

[Rosiefan]

You should all have gone to see a therapist like this guy http://www.physioclinic.net/. Rosie did, about a week after she broke hers (bone was crossed over - hospital had said plating would probably be necessary) and the treatment and strapping he provided more or less banished the pain and she was riding a week later. She now has no discomfort and a hardly noticeable lump. Mind you, she did spend about 4 weeks flat on her back (due to broken neck and being in a coma) within six weeks of breaking her cb - maybe that has something to do with it.

 

[MrsMozart]

FG, hope you're feeling better

I cracked and chipped forearm bone. Waited six weeks 'till I got back on as didn't want to cause further damage if I came off again!

Came off last Sunday. Landed on head. Bleed on brain and three days in hospital. Really glad I didn't do that whilst still dealing with wonky left arm

Accidents unrelated lol. The first one, Dizz slipped on the road; the second one, rider must go left when horse goes left, especially when moving at speed! If not, then rider must get feet down and not think that landing on head is a good plan

 

[turpsamd]

I broke mine badly about 6 years ago, it was snapped and healed bone on top of bone, the surgeons wanted to plate it but I am such a wimp I said no, in hindsight I wish I had said yes as I took 6 months to get back to normality! Then in May this year I did a grade 3 fracture of the AC joint in the other shoulder (very similar to collar bone break) it was 6 weeks before I could get t-shirts on and off and I still cant lie on that side but I was back riding fairly quickly (within 3 weeks), it just takes time but dont push it or it will never heal! Go to a good physio too as NHS is a waste of time!

 

[Trackeroo]

I think it depends on how mad you are (and if you have qualifiers coming up) and whether your horse is a puller ! ! !

 

[paddywak]

i bvroke my collar bone 4 years ago didnt have it plated and was riding fairly convincingly in 4 weeks lthough faffed about on brothers quiet pony after first week!
Unfortunatly i am now very wonky have a shoulder pad on my show jacket and am contemplating getting it rebroken now and straightened not sure... x