Hey everyone I’m 26 years old about two weeks ago I experienced a little accident and broke my clavicle ( collar bone) currently I don’t have much pain at all. I spoke with couple of orthopaedic doctors and they said I am able to heal cosmetically but there is always the option of doing the surgery. I would just like to hear your opinions and feel free to leave some advice for fast healing. I placed a picture of my x-ray for y’all to see the damage and perhaps you may have experienced or know someone that experienced a similar break. Feel free to leave your advice based on my picture. Thank you for your time
I knew a guy who broke his collarbone, didn’t get the surgery and thought he was fine. Then he tried to do the hammer throw (field event) and we all heard his bone break a second time. I’m not a doctor, but get it fixed with whatever option is strongest and most available to you.
I broke my collar bone playing flag football back in 2007. Shattered it into pieces. So I didn’t have the option but to have a titanium plate and 8 screws get put in. It’s now 2025, still have the plate. If it gets hit, its pretty painful and will ache for awhile after. Other than that, no complaints.
Thanks for that info do you know how long after his accident he tried to do that. Like how much time did he give himself to heal before he tried that event?
Honestly, it’s been so long I can’t remember. It wasn’t horrible though. I didn’t ride back then, but I’m sure I could have started riding indoors really soon after. It would have just come down to pain threshold.
Thanks for that info do you know how long after his accident he tried to do that. Like how much time did he give himself to heal before he tried that event?
Broke mine ~12 years ago. Consulted three ortho docs and based on the break and those discussions, I opted not to have surgery. I was riding (gingerly) 10 days later. Mine was toward the distal end which is well supported by ligaments so got away without surgery. I did have a sharp end protruding under my skin like it might poke through, but it has since remodeled into a smooth bump.
I was given the choice for surgery. Ortho is very confident it will heal fine without surgery and first open date was 13 days post break. Figure 2 weeks is about the amount surgery would speed this up and I’m going to let it go.
I’ve done both sides. One side was approx 2" separation and they were opting to let it heal naturally but I had an MTB trip in the Alps scheduled for 6 weeks and considering the separation I asked for surgery and they put a plate in. I was back on the trainer after 2 weeks and made my trip.
The other side there was considerable overlap of the two pieces of bone and they said it would heal fine naturally. It did heal, and im ok, however I wish I’d got surgery on that side too as Im a good inch shorter in the shoulder that side now. I’m wonky and my chest tattoo is now lopsided too! My body has adapted but its deffo not optimal.
I’d trust your doctor’s advice, but I personally would opt for surgery.
I broke mine two years ago, and my case was closer to @daness40’s, so things might be a bit different for you, but I could feel how off my entire shoulder was without the support from my collarbone.
It kind of works like a strut to keep everything in place, and losing length through a break slightly changes the geometry of your shoulder.
Maybe it’s a bit of OCD, but I’d like for my shoulders to remain as symmetrical as possible, and would worry that there could be some issues in certain situations with a functionally shorter collarbone.
Again, trust your doctor’s advice, but those are my thoughts!
I too broke collar bone in 2007, except I broke both collar bones, six ribs, and the scapula of my right shoulder blade. I had my collar bones plated and they still are. Can feel them with fingers if I want to, but no complaints or restrictions on what I do all these years later.
Just my personal opinion. I am not qualified to give advice. But I would definitely not have surgery ,considering what your orthopaedic doctors say.
I have knee arthritis, and thought I might need a knee replacement. My knee surgeon strongly recommended I did not need it,and if I could run and ride my bike without pain, then don’t do it! I’m so glad I listened to his advice, as 6 years later my knee is fine.
Make sure you get a good physio to do the correct rehab, and don’t be tempted to rush it, even though you don’t have a lot of pain.
I just broke mine in the spring racing road (3rd time), not a huge separation, wanted to get a plate because of the faster recovery. Got 3 opinions from different orthos and they all said i didn’t need the plate and the final one called me out on it saying to stop reading articles on what the pros are doing and each case is different, they all did not want to risk infecton from surgury and said to let it heal on its own. I was on a trainer 2 days later doing zone 1 for about 3 weeks then started to be able to get out side for easy road and racing 6 weeks later. Have a bump, still feel it now and then (MTB pulling up on the bars or big jumps) it makes wierd clicking noises now and then, but ok. Have not been doing any official rehab, just lifting in the gym and riding. Definitely lost some fitness but not that bad, probably 8 weeks to get back to “normal”.
one thing that i did on the trainer that really helped was getting a dropper post. Got a cheap used one with the lever below the saddle and was a game changer climbing on and off the trainer. I also just used a ski boot strap for my sling. My wife and kids made fun of me and one of my orthos said i was risking carpaltunnle syndrome (BS) but looks way better than a sling and shows your sporty side.
My break was much worse than yours so I had to get the plate. I am glad I did because I had the same crash 5 month’s later and bent the plate and broke it again, but since I had the plate it held everything in place and the second surgery was a lot easier to recover from.
Yours is a clean break but there is a some seperation. How will those two pieces line back up? Will wearing a brace re-align them so they can grow back together? If it was me and I had the choice, I would get the plate. It is an easy surgery and you will recover from it much faster. I was back on my bike outside in three weeks after my first break and it was broken in 3 places. On the second break I was back outside after a week, but my doctor said it was the easiest clavicle surgery he ever did since the plate kept everything together. He Just had to remove the bent twisted plate and place in a new one and staple me back up.
Oh yeah, if you do get the surgery make sure you get the nerve block before surgery. It is really beneficial with post surgery pain (actually no post surgery pain for about 24-36 hours).
Check with a physician, and try getting secondary check from another ortho doc. Then do as they recommend. That would be the advice, that way you get two povs and if both are okay with it healing by its own, then fine. But if one of them differs and is inclined on surgery, I would the consider the surgery. The most important advice here, is to consult with a physician.
It took 5-6 months for my collarbone to heal completely even after being plated. Luckily the plate allowed be to resume riding quickly. How long does it take for the bone to heal back like that?
It all depends. It’s hard to put a blanket statement on healing bones…largely depends on the break, how much gap there is between the bones, age of the patient, their diet, etc. but yeah 5-6 months is about right.
luckily mine was a clean break at the middle how long did it take you to recover after your surgery
My body has adapted but its deffo not optimal.
