Is there a doctor in the house (broken collar bone)

[Spuds1234]

So just under two weeks ago I broke my left collar bone (dont drink and ride your pushbike kids).

Since then (and at the time) I've never been in any real pain just a bit of mild discomfort unless I forget that its broken and try to lift anything substantial and even then its only 10 seconds or so of "I have made a huge mistake" and its back to normal.

I've had my arm in a sling for the last 2 weeks and I'll continue wearing it until Im told otherwise and its starting to feel pretty good. To the point where I can do your usual day to day activities without any pain and my left arm can be of some use in said activities.

What I want to know is should I be completely resting this arm aside from the activities that that the doc told me to do (which I have been doing) or is it ok to wear the sling but carry on with my day to day life. Ie if its not causing me pain to do something with my left arm am I ok to keep doing it? All the doctors told me at the time was come and see us in 3 weeks and come straight back if the bone pokes through the skin and I forgot to ask about anything else, I was just happy to be out of the hospital.

[JMemonic]

Ring 3640640 ask for "the bone shop" a few questions there will get you all the correct advice you will ever need on the issue.

[Spuds1234]

I never even thought of ringing the hospital. Cheers mate.

Hope you have a good one down at March Hare this weekend.

[hellokitty]

Make sure you get it sorted now. A mate of mine mucked around with his broken collar bone, ended up having surgery twice and still mucked around and didn't do as he was told. Basically it dragged on for a couple of years. Major pain in the ass

[Spuds1234]

I have an out patient appointment on Tuesday morning so they will be looking at it then. Fingers crossed they wont have to operate because thats really going to screw up my uni schedule.

[FJRider]

I broke mine a few years back. Exercise is good. Same for moving the arm. My right collarbone was broken ( I'm right handed)) so I had to re-learn a few things. Signing important documents was fun too .... especially if it didn't match the one on my licence.
Nine weeks I was told before I could go back to work. And they were pretty much on the nail with that. I was still a bit weak in my right arm, but didn't take long to get back to normal.
Keep off the heavy lifting .... if it hurts don't do it. The first four weeks is the bit care is needed. If it is more comfortable in a sling for you ... put it in one. Chicks do the sympathy thing ... and guys just laugh at you. Such is life.

Do it right the first time ... if it doesn't heal right ...

[hellokitty]

Chicks do the sympathy thing ... and guys just laugh at you. :

Yep! You will get the awwwwww *hugs* and squished to the bosom sympathy

[FJRider]

Yep! You will get the awwwwww *hugs* and squished to the bosom sympathy

Yeah ... but instead of the young nubile bosom's ... I got elderly (auntie) sagging bosom's ...

[Spuds1234]

I must be doing it wrong then. So squishy boob hugs for me yet.

Im lucky Im right handed and have been able to maintain my independence since the accident albeit with a few dietary changes (if I cant cook it in a microwave its not getting cooked).

I have it in a sling but I do take it out to work the shoulder and straighten my arm out several times a day because otherwise I pinch a nerve in my elbow and my hand starts tingling madly when I straighten it out at the end of the day.

The worst part is definitely the stiffness in the shoulder from it not being used as much as it used to be though.

[F5 Dave]

uni? Ahh so you're young. You miserable little krunt, you'll probably heal that up in 6 weeks.

They will check you & again. You may end up with a bit of a bump in the area. A mate broke his 6 times, well 4 on one side, 2 the other downhill mB.

But the bone won't get to full strength till another 6 weeks after if has knitted so be careful to let it heal or you will mess things up.

If it isn't bothering you, pretty much I hate you.

Sleep with it out of sling & straighten as you have been doing periodically. The stiffness is referred pain & isn't necessarily coming from the area that is sore.

Depending where the break is affects the chances they will reheal or if you need surgery (near the outer end is less likely to heal by itself). Also how much bother it gives you I think.

re rant above, mine hurt like a bitch, even a tap on the shoulder was grief. it was about 8 months before I got surgery & then another 6 months later I got the plate taken out which was joyous. Another 6 or so weeks after that the holes from the screws will have healed & hopefully full strength was achieved.

So for ~ 8 months I didn't lift my shoulder more than 30 degrees. After the plate was in (say once your bone is knitted) I was allowed to & did physio at the gym. I strongly recommend this to obtain full movement, although you probably won't have too much drama, but must get full movement back or you might never.

I found the final bit was lying on my back with hands above head then moving them in the air & lowering the arms to outstretched side to side & doing the same & working that whole 90 degs in between. I was weak in about 30 degrees but slowly encroached on that area and got back to 99% I'd say.

Do a search on Broken bones, waiting is the hardest part I think I called my thread.

[ellipsis]

...i toughed out a broken collar bone when i was a lot younger and probably as stupid as i am now...some years down the track it was diagnosed as the starting point of my hip and leg problem that caused me a lot of shit and a re-break of bone to set it right...do yourself a favour and get it sorted correctly...

[Spuds1234]

I rang the bone shop this morning and they pretty much said that I need to keep my arm immobilized in the sling until at least Tuesday and then I'll get a foam thing that will afford me some more motion.

They will x-ray it in about 4 weeks to see how its healing (apparently you cant tell how its healing after just 2 weeks as the bones have yet to really start to knit together).

So depending on how Tuesday goes and how my x-ray goes in 4 weeks I may or may not need an operation. Only time will tell.

As for the break, its up near the neck with some severe "tenting" (they were concerned that it would poke though the skin).

They prescribed 30 odd codeine and 100 paracetamol which I have taken none of so far. I was carrying them around uni for a wee bit but gave up as they just took up space in my bag and I wasn't taking them.

I'll definitely be getting it sorted. There is no reason not to as healthcare is free and so far its only cost me time.

[F5 Dave]

you barstard. I went into work the next day but even the drive in the passenger seat was super uncomfortable. walking was at old man speed. I spent a bit of time just lying on the bed staying still, waiting for the diclofinic (voltarin) & codine & paracetamol to kick in & thinking of all the things I couldn't do as I lay there aging, also aware we were due a kid in 3 months.

The sling will get smelly, get a couple from chemist in Large size. The foam ones are useless until the area is more comfortable. In the shower use a webbing strap from a roll bag to support your arm, or some sort of rope perhaps.

[Spuds1234]

Yea I've washed the sling once already. For showers I just use a belt to hold my arm still (wrap it around my nipples and tuck my hand up inside it) and that works a treat at keeping my shoulder still.

The area is pretty comfortable now hence my question about what I can and cannot do on my arm.

I spent the first few days walking around like an old man to. I have a large hematoma on my left hip as well and basically if I favored that hip so it didn't hurt my collarbone would hurt like a mofo. In the end I just walked through the pain in my hip (it was like I had done way to much exercise and the muscle was just sore). Once I got walking it was ok though, it was getting started that was a bitch.

I think I just got lucky though with the pain thing. Everyone I have spoken to has said that its the most painful bone to break.

[F5 Dave]

yeah hematomas aren't fun. You can try break them up with massage/pinching. that will open your eyes. there is tiny risk that they cause a clot at some undetermined time so if you find yourself in serious pain sore chest do get to a hospital. Happened to a 20yr mate & some drugs sorted him out quick but he'd put it off as it came & went, silly lad.