Broken clavicle

[Divin'Papaw]

For those who have broken your clavicle, I’d love to hear your recovery story.

I broke my left clavicle last Thursday 8/31 in a cycling accident. I’m already missing diving as I was supposed to dive this past Friday 9/1 & next weekend 9/9-10.

I realize I’ve got several months of recuperation ahead of me. Hoping to be back diving later this year, but we’ll see how my recovery goes.

@tridacna has graciously shared his story with me via PM. I’d love to hear from others who have gone through a similar injury.

 

[noserider]

I am sorry to hear that, it is such a common cycling injury. Quite a few cycling mates have done it over the years and a few of them dive and have not moaned about it diving, the main moans have been regarding recuperation time and the pot hole / driver that caused the accident in the first place

 

[Outbound]

Sorry to hear about your accident. I broke my clavicle twice - once on either side - when I was younger. The second time I did it I was a teenager and exceptionally stupid and didn't tell my parents about it. I was heavily into martial arts at the time and had a test that evening, which included sparring. Let's just say I wouldn't recommend doing that...

If I remember correctly, it took about 2 months or so to heal up, and perhaps another month or so of feeling tender. I had some muscle atrophy, but being an active teenager took care of that quickly. That was several decades ago, however, and I doubt I'd heal that quickly today. Plus, it was an uncomplicated fracture that didn't displace.

Good luck in your recovery.

 

[boulderjohn]

My left clavicle was shattered in a cycling accident a couple weeks after I was certified as a tech instructor. I lay there in pain realizing my plans of starting my tech instruction business had just gone out the window.

I had to have the clavicle put back together with a brass plate and multiple screws. The hard part of that is that so many muscles connect to the clavicle, especially those going up into the neck. It took several months, and I was very, very stiff in that shoulder. I asked the surgeon for a tentative date for when I could dive again, and I scheduled a trip for tech diving in Mexico for two weeks after that. That was ambitious.

Since I was deco and cave diving, it was critical that I have the mobility in that left arm to reach valves, etc. Two weeks before the trip I went into a pool to practice, and I couldn't do it. I went to a good massage therapist a few times in those couple weeks, and she worked my shoulder and neck over and did a marvelous job of restoring mobility. When I got to Mexico and tested things out, that was when I discovered how much easier it is to do those things in a wet suit. I had no trouble. The diving was great.

 

[grantctobin]

For those who have broken your clavicle, I’d love to hear your recovery story.

I broke my left clavicle last Thursday 8/31 in a cycling accident. I’m already missing diving as I was supposed to dive this past Friday 9/1 & next weekend 9/9-10.

I realize I’ve got several months of recuperation ahead of me. Hoping to be back diving later this year, but we’ll see how my recovery goes.

@tridacna has graciously shared his story with me via PM. I’d love to hear from others who have gone through a similar injury.

Have a surgical success story if that’s of any help. Shattered mine in a race 1 May 2022. Plate, thirteen screws and a wire 10 May 2022. Soft sling when in public for two weeks, but was on the trainer 15 ish May. The election to have surgery came down to being able begin PT sooner and avoid shortening of the bone. Self prescribed PT began around 13 May, formal PT and massage beginning 24? May. Spent ten days in Tulum at the end of June. Semi skeptical I would have taken the trip if it had healed naturally but mostly because the wetsuit would have been a pain to put on.

Disclaimer: youth and stubbornness were on my side.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I asked the surgeon for a tentative date for when I could dive again, and I scheduled a trip for tech diving in Mexico for two weeks after that. That was ambitious.

Do you recall approximately how long that was post-surgery?

I will be asking my orthopedic surgeon & following his guidance, but I don’t see him until Tuesday due to the holiday.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Have a surgical success story if that’s of any help. Shattered mine in a race 1 May 2022. Plate, thirteen screws and a wire 10 May 2022. Soft sling when in public for two weeks, but was on the trainer 15 ish May. The election to have surgery came down to being able begin PT sooner and avoid shortening of the bone. Self prescribed PT began around 13 May, formal PT and massage beginning 24? May. Spent ten days in Tulum at the end of June. Semi skeptical I would have taken the trip if it had healed naturally but mostly because the wetsuit would have been a pain to put on.

Disclaimer: youth and stubbornness were on my side.

Good to know! I plan to talk to the doc about the pros/cons of surgery. Even though I’m an old fart (58), I do live a very active lifestyle. I’m all for what gets me back to that as quickly & completely as possible. If surgery helps with that, I’ll go that route.

 

[grantctobin]

Good to know! I plan to talk to the doc about the pros/cons of surgery. Even though I’m an old fart (58), I do live a very active lifestyle. I’m all for what gets me back to that as quickly & completely as possible. If surgery helps with that, I’ll go that route.

Good luck. Far better a clavicle than a femur or an AC joint.

 

[boulderjohn]

Do you recall approximately how long that was post-surgery?

I will be asking my orthopedic surgeon & following his guidance, but I don’t see him until Tuesday due to the holiday.

It was a bit over two months.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Good luck. Far better a clavicle than a femur or an AC joint.

Indeed!!!! I’m very luck/blessed and I know it.