clavicle fractures

**kikoolol** · Posted On: 5/29/2010 1:33pm

one tori dumped me on my shoulder during a botched kata-guruma in drilling. there was nothing i could do except pray i wouldn't get dumped on my head when i saw my fall was at such an angle.

result is that my left clavicle is fractured. on the x-ray it seems like a basic enough fracture that left my clavicle broken in half and at a 45 degree angle. however, my mom keeps running me in hospitals because my injured shoulder has both moved forward and also hangs lower than the other. i think it's normal, after all, the collar bone is broken, but my mom is convinced it isn't and that were my bone mend itself like that, my shoulder will be permanently offset.

the emergency ward dude gave me a sling and painkillers and gave me an appointment with an orthopedist, saying that i might have to be operated. i have been told that nothing else is necessary by the orthopedist, just wear the sling, which i understand is common.

i have some interrogations, would be fun to have someone with experience in similarly fucked shoulders to answer :

-in your experience, do clavicle fractures leave the shoulder invariably hanging forward and low? wil it fix itself over time as the bone mends?

-how much strength can i look forward to losing in my injured shoulder? were push-ups and other activities hard to do? will the strength loss go away with time or is it permanent? if you were in judo, BJJ, wrestling, etc, how much did a clavicle fracture impair your performance?

thanks if you can answer.

**Kickapoo** · Posted On: 5/29/2010 1:49pm

Aren't fractures and breaks different?

EDIT: Nope, they aren't.

I had a hairline fracture in my clavicle, it hurt like a bitch. I was in a sling for a while. Because it wasn't broken in half I can't comment on how your bone position will heal, but all the strength I lost did return.

**kikoolol** · Posted On: 5/29/2010 1:55pm

i'm esl, i dunno which is which.

it's snapped in half in any case.

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 5/29/2010 2:10pm

Hm. I think - but am not sure - that if your clavicle is "properly set" right now and your shoulder's hanging low and forward, that's how it's going to heal. Get on your ortho's case about this. Surgery sucks, but it may be the best option.

**Lindz** · Posted On: 5/29/2010 2:22pm

My clavicle broke. It ended up lower and twisted. But the ortho said there was no point operating. There's very little noticeable difference between the 2 now. I can even rack a clean on it now even though the bar sits on the stub of where the bone broke.

**Byuki** · Posted On: 6/06/2010 3:07am

I experienced the same thing in the displacement of my clavicle when I broke it in a skiing accident. It gets more in place, but mine never truly went back to the way it was and sometimes after a judo session gets irritated. It doesn't hurt but it gets irritated. I just went in the pool and did lots of swimming, one armed obviously but it should keep you fit. And the strength you lost should be gained back in a relatively quick amount of time, atleast in my experience, once full recovery is acheived

**SifuJason** · Posted On: 6/07/2010 11:30am

I had a student with a broken clavicle once. It's normal for it to hang low (they teach that as a diagnostic symptom in medical school). After it heals (use the sling so it heals properly!!) you should be able to get all of your strength back, just make sure you do any physical therapy or other exercises set out for you.

**Saywardwarrior** · Posted On: 6/16/2010 9:06pm

I just broke my collar bone almost exactly 24 hours ago. (typing with one hand) I only fell off a bike and couldnt believe it when i felt the space where my clavicle was supposed to be. i figured this would be a great site to get some info. thanks to anyone who posts.

**SifuJason** · Posted On: 6/16/2010 11:00pm

go to the doctor, especially if you have any shortness of breath or lightheadness (in either of those cases, go immediately!!!). Assuming no complications, you will get a sling to keep your arm in so the bone can regrow. No sling, no nice healing.

**elipson** · Posted On: 6/17/2010 2:02pm

Your doctor should have gone over this with you. When I broke mine the advice is was given was to sleep on my back with a folded towel behind my shoulder blade to allow the shoulder to rest in its proper place. They used to have a butterfly brace that people would wear for this injury, but my doctor said it didn't really work.

I don't know if my shoulder is lower than it was, but the shoulder blade has been pulled out of it properalignment because of the collar bone healing in a different alignment. The shoujlder blade sticks out a bit now on my back, and the muscles around it are prone to injury because of the added stress.

My collar bone was completely broken and stacked on top of each other.