ExRx.net

Hey, guys, it's been a while since I've posted. Sadly, I haven't been working out as much as I should have, but I've been pretty busy staying active chasing my daughter around the ball field and playing slow pitch softball.

Anyway, now to my question and issue.

This past weekend, I was playing outfield and dove for a ball. Long story short, I landed on my shoulder/elbow/arm and broke my collar bone. I go to see an Orthopedic surgeon tomorrow to find out exactly how bad it is and if I end up needing surgery to straighten it our (Likely due to it's current position).

Question 1: what would be good rehab once I'm released to start doing something with that arm? I'm pretty sure for the first couple weeks, I won't be able to do anything buy some arm movements and squeezing with my hand, but will have to wait and see for sure.

Question 2: Would any specific exercises have been better to prevent this type of injury? I don't want this to happen again, so I will be focusing on preventative exercises in the future. I will be off the field until next spring because the fall season starts this week and is pretty short. This will allow me lots of time to get stronger before next year.

Question 3: Once released from the docs, should I be concerned about squatting or Deadlifting, or really any other exercise? The last broken bone I had was 20+ years ago and lifting weights was not in my vocabulary at that time.

I have broken my other collar bone in the past, and I really remember the range of motion loss being real bad. I'm not looking forward to that at all. It was a LONG time before I could raise my arm straight up.

Thanks,
Cliff

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Hey, good to see a post! Softball and your daughter's baseball is an adequate excuse for not posting here!

If the ortho does do something to it, he/she will tell you what you can't do at first. Once they release you, you can do pretty much anything. You can just get back into general shoulder/chest/back stuff that you would have been missing out on while restricted. You'll get back previous strength pretty quickly.

I don't think that there are any exercises that protect from a clavicle fracture. I don't think that there is any muscle group that can take any of the energy of the impact that usually causes these. Whatever muscles keep you from falling on it in the first place, maybe!

I think once released you'll be able to feel your way. Somethings will be a bit uncomfortable at first (front squats?), but you'll work you way through it. What you can do, you may do.

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Glad to hear that there likely wasn't anything I could have done to help prevent this type of injury (besides being a little smaller and lighter). It was a fluke for sure, as I have attempted the same play many times before, but it wasn't to be this time.

It will likely be a while before I do any good overhead presses if my mobility/flexibility is as bad as it was for my other shoulder. But I will work hard to get there.

Cliff

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There's not a lot you could do to protect against this type of injury. Collar bones break in the same location in 85% of cases; it's just not capable of absorbing that much impact. As per Wolff's Law, loading a bone increases it's resistance to load, but I doubt very much you'd be able to build an invincible collarbone with the right set of exercise. You'd be better off just not landing on it!

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Time for an update. Saw the Surgeon Yesterday. Looks like I'll be in surgery this coming Friday. Then a week of NOTHING (nearly bed rest) two to Three weeks of minimal movement in a sling, then I'll be able to think about the rehab PT work.

Gonna be a long recovery as it will take screws, wire, and plates to put me back together. The Bone is broken, then one side of the break is splintered, then my shoulder is compressed/jammed.

In Three months, the bone will be full strength again, I just hope I have most of my motion by then. (doubtful).

Cliff

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Good news. I AM NOT A PHYSICAL THERAPIST OR ANY OTHER SORT OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL so take this advise for what it's worth. I separated my AC joint, tore my labral cartilage, my proximal bicep tendon, and had extensive damage to my brachial plexus a few years ago (nerve damage). Bad things happen when you do an unintended cartwheel on the football field. The most important thing for me was to find a good PT and Ortho who understood my athletic goals at the time. When I told most Ortho docs that I wanted to compete in strongman, they pretty much looked at me and said I was stupid. When I found one I liked, his actual response to my conserns were, "I don't take chevette's and make them run again, I take ferarrie's and make them race again." I've benched 455 since them and push pressed 400.

Follow the PT protocols to a "T". The most important thing will be establishing range of motion. After that, add stability. For me, the biggest problem was scapular stability - post op.

The biggest thing is to find a Doc and PT who understand your goals. For me, most doc's looked at me like I was from Mars when I told them mine. That's why I go see Bill Hartman for my rehab problems. He gets "it".

Thanks Jason, Glad to see it all worked out well for you. I'm fairly confident that all will work out for me also. My Surgeon has been great and he does understand that I will continue to be active, play sports, and that I must get my range of motion back. Thankfully, it's not my throwing arm (also my writing arm), so I can currently function fairly well. However, it is my catching arm/hand, so it's just as important that I can stretch it out far and high to catch those almost out of reach.

Top give an update on my current status, Here it is..
I'm working again (I sit in front of a computer all day)
The stitches were removed last Tuesday and the Surgeon said everything looked OK (Visual external inspection)
I will remain in a sling for at least another week, but he really prefers that I stay in a sling until I return on Sept 25.
I am allowed to move my arm as much as I can up to 90^ (Straight Out either direction), but I'm not supposed not swing it or lift anything (Less than 5#) - Surgeon actually prefers less movement.
I return to the Surgeon on the 25th for an Xray and followup visit. If everything looks good, I will begin PT after that.

There is no chance that I can get my arm to 90^ in any direction at this point, but I'm trying to get it moving a little, just not much as I want to follow Dr's Orders, which are to be cautious..

Some of you may have seen this on Facebook, but here are the two Xrays.

The Break


The Repair Job - 8 Screws and 2 Plates (approx 7" Long)


Cliff

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Yep. It's broken.

The bill for my professional opinion will follow.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Go ahead and send the bill. Everyone else has. :)

Cliff

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