broken clavicle titanium plate op experiences
zzgavin
Posts: 21
So, I fell off my mountain bike in March in Epping, broke four ribs, punctured my lung and broke my left clavicle. (did it properly)
Yesterday I had the surgery to fit a titanium plate, including a bone graft from my hip. Not feeling too bad now, hip is sore and front of shoulder is a bit numb, all expected.
I've been told six weeks until I can get back on my bike, 12 until I can do contact sports.
More notes on my blog post http://takeoneonion.org/archives/2011/0 ... ery--.html
Any on else had a similar experience?
many thanks
Gavin
Yesterday I had the surgery to fit a titanium plate, including a bone graft from my hip. Not feeling too bad now, hip is sore and front of shoulder is a bit numb, all expected.
I've been told six weeks until I can get back on my bike, 12 until I can do contact sports.
More notes on my blog post http://takeoneonion.org/archives/2011/0 ... ery--.html
Any on else had a similar experience?
many thanks
Gavin
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Comments
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Hi,
Got a plate ten years ago after failing to jump down a small flight of steps. Still have the metal in as has caused no probs. Had the surgery 4 days after as clavicle was only injury. Bone was pretty smashed up so he bolted together the three big bits and took out all the little bits.
For a year or so after getting back on bike it used to ache after long rides and I worried about coming off and landing on it. Now I never think about it.
The skin near the scar was creepy to touch for a good while as superficial nerves were cut in op.
If you are young and fit you will probably recover a bit faster than std times he gave you.
Heal strong!0 -
When I was 16 I broke my clavicle in three places after a crash at Hillingdon, was not healing straight so after two weeks, got it pinned privately.
Occasionally, 5 years later, I still get weird pains from it. It took about a year for the nerves to grow back properly too, which was quite a painful process at times, it felt like it was broken all over again.
Having said that, it does look fine, rather than some mucked up lump on my shoulder, and l don't have any lingering long term problems...You live and learn. At any rate, you live0 -
thanks upsanddowns and jez mon
Mine did look a bit odd, the end of my clavicle was beside the larger bit.
I'm young ish and fit ish, so we'll see
cheer Gavin0 -
I have one and it's been in for 5 years, with no problems.
If it does annoy you, they'll take it out and you just need to be careful for a few weeks after that.Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
Thanks Iainf72, I'm hoping that mine just settles down quietly and I can at least get to ride for some of the summer. I've lost my hard earned winter fitness already...0
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zzgavin wrote:Thanks Iainf72, I'm hoping that mine just settles down quietly and I can at least get to ride for some of the summer. I've lost my hard earned winter fitness already...
I found I felt much better once the plate was in.
Just don't watch last weeks "Bizzare ER"Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
Yes, it feels much better to have my left shoulder out to the right width, I've been careful as to what I've watched, though the acumed animations of plate fixation were excellent
cheers Gavin0 -
Hi, I came off my bike May 1st and fell onto my right shoulder. Clavicle was blown into bits. Skin tenting looked gross. Still I got a ride in an ambulance with the lights going.
A&E fitted me with a sling, seen in fracture clinic following day then had a titanium plate fitted following day.
Have numb area same as you, was warned of this pre-op.
Consultant says I can cycle again 6 weeks post-op.
Currently passively stretching the shoulder to stop it going stiff.
Now considering buying a titanium bike, man and machine in harmony.0 -
I've just had a shoulder decompression - so not patched up so much like you. Told 6 weeks off bike and no physio till after 6 weeks.
Got to see a physio after two weeks, and he let me ride carefully - so I was out...yes. Told not to fall off ! Off work for 5 weeks, and didn't commute by bike for a further two (went out after work when quiet).
Three months on and it's OK, can't climb 20% plus hills yet though - 12-15% is my maximum before my shoulder sets on fire.
:evil:0 -
Hmmm. I wasn't going to have the option of surgery until I pressed the issue. Broke mine in 3 places on Sunday, sent home. Fracture clinic weds, they were just going to 'see how it went' but my career depends on me being fit!
I managed to get a referral to the upper limb surgeon on Tuesday...0 -
@B1ghubba yes that is pretty much what I'd expected, though the punctured lung and ribs delayed it all 7 weeks. I was booked in on the Tuesday after I fell, but the other injuries meant the op was cancelled.
@fossyant that sounds promising, not falling off is the trick
@NapoleonD I hope it goes well, plating is apparently the best outcome0 -
NapoleonD wrote:Hmmm. I wasn't going to have the option of surgery until I pressed the issue. Broke mine in 3 places on Sunday, sent home. Fracture clinic weds, they were just going to 'see how it went' but my career depends on me being fit!
I managed to get a referral to the upper limb surgeon on Tuesday...
Plating is controversial. The way it was explained to me was there are three elements:
:arrow: the personality of the surgeon
:arrow: the personality of the patient
:arrow: the personality of the clavicle
Some surgeons plate everything, some plate none, some are in between.
Some patients sit at home watching TV all day on benefits, some patients have a job, have a sport and want to get well fast.
Some clavicle fractures have to be plated - open fractures, comminuted fractures, fractures at greater risk of non union or mal union.
I chose surgery as my fracture was comminuted and the clavicle was essentially 3cm shorter giving me a dropped and rounded shoulder - not good for bike riding. I'm also booked in to do London-Paris at the end of June.0 -
iainf72 wrote:zzgavin wrote:Thanks Iainf72, I'm hoping that mine just settles down quietly and I can at least get to ride for some of the summer. I've lost my hard earned winter fitness already...
I found I felt much better once the plate was in.
Just don't watch last weeks "Bizzare ER"
I thought riding bikes was for weirdos Iain?
I had plate fitted about two years ago and the stories on here are pretty much the norm.
No feeling for about a year whilst the nerves grow back which is weird, then random weird pains now and again.
You do get to freak people out though which is pretty cool0 -
I broke my clavicle - right at the very end - when I fell off on ice. It was a few months later when I found out that I had fractured it and that the fracture hadn't healed. The result was an operation to have a plate put in.
The op was fine. I didn't have to have a bone graft; I had heard that the recovery from this is longer than from the plate op. I was in a sling for 6 weeks and that was perhaps the worst bit about it. My shoulder was pretty immobile after getting out of the sling and it took a while (couple of months more at least) to get the full movement and strength back. Cycling wasn't a problem at all once out of the sling though.
The plate itself hasn't been a problem. Its close to the skin so its pretty obvious its there and can be a pain when carrying a rucksack. I am a bit skinny and my plate sticks out quite a lot so the surgeon is going to take it out later in the year. He would have preferred to leave it in, but it doesn't look very nice.
Oh and it doesn't set the detectors off in airports!
Good luck with the recovery.0
