# rehab broken collarbone



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

You might spend the money to speak with a PT specialist. For a collarbone it can be fairly simple actually. So I wouldn't be surprised if one visit is all you need. Worth checking for sure.


----------



## backstop13 (Jun 27, 2012)

nah you'll be fine man. My bro-in-law snapped his collarbone in two spots 2 seasons ago and required surgery as well. He is 21 and he pretty much followed the same routine as you (pushups, working out, etc.).

He was fine last year boarding and didn't have any setbacks. I would imagine you would have pretty similar results.


----------



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

I pretty much agree with you backstop, but every break is different.


----------



## backstop13 (Jun 27, 2012)

yeah you're right. Obviously things could be different and I don't disagree with your assessment of going to see a PT at least once. I just meant I didn't think there was a whole lot of need to worry or get himself worked up over.


----------



## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

I fractured my collarbone several years ago and had surgical repair. I didn't do any formal rehab and fortunately I regained full strength and range of motion, but it took at least a year to get to that point due to scar tissue.

Clavicle Fracture Rehab Exercises - Rehab for a Broken Collarbone


----------



## East§ide (Mar 14, 2011)

a broken collarbone is cake..i broke mine twice last year..waited 4 weeks after the first one and started riding again. i wouldnt worry about it too much, you should have most of your strength back


----------



## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

sheepstealer said:


> I broke my collarbone last season...I wasn't even doing anything remotely "cool." I caught an edge and mousetrapped onto my left shoulder. Probably one of the more painful injuries I've ever received.
> 
> I had surgery on it a week or two later (this is back in early March). After about a month a half of being in a sling, I was finally able to use my left arm "regularly" and slowly worked it back up to semi-normal strength. I was able to to do my normal push-up routine by the beginning of June (guesstimating here).
> 
> ...


Hopefully it will be fine, I've never done the collar bone so I have no idea.

But I swear by physiotherapy, I've had lots of injuries & physiotherapy does work miracles.
Doing your own rehab I'm sure helped. The electrical pulse thing they hook up to you sends electric current causing your muscles to flex like a million times a second( I'm exaggerating, but you get the point).
Nothing you can do even comes close to how many times this gets your muscles moving, it also goes in waves of different strengths.

For sure physiotherapy will make your injury heal faster than without it.
The final results might be the same, but physiotherapy will get you back out there faster.

A lot of the things they make you do is working on proper movements, injuries tend to cause you to change the way you did something before, obviously cause it hurts like a son of a bitch. They will get you back to doing things with the proper mechanics.

Breaking a bone will also cause some damage to the ligaments & tendons surrounding it. That's what physio is for not the actual broken bone, only time will fix that.

I ain't makin' this shit up.


----------



## East§ide (Mar 14, 2011)

break one








break two:









no rehab needed


----------



## Dysantic (Oct 11, 2012)

^^ Man, you have alot of play in your AC joint. How many times have you seperated your shoulder before? lol

As for rehabbing a broken clavicle, I actually have worked in a Physio clinic for the past few years as a kinesiologist. Ideally, once you regain enough motion to move it without pain, you should start with just some light weights while working on extending the range of motion. Holding a weight while hunched over, doing arm circles, alternating arm and leg lifts while chest down on a physio ball, just easy stuff to get that range of motion back completely while also slowly restrengthening the muscles in the shoulder.

Although since your already back into pushups and actual strengthening, just do what you would normally do but take it easy on the weights. Also make sure, and I can't stress this enough, that you are using proper form when doing any exercises. Normally with a break like this, you start to favour other muscles while it is hurt and you become dependand on those muscles and your form and mechanics get all messed up. So whatever you are doing, make sure you set your shoulder blade down and back before lifting or doing pushups. If your shoulder blade and shoulder are swinging open all over the place or your shrugging that shoulder up when you shouldn't your engaging muscles that you don't want to and aren't strengthening the weak ones. Like killclimbz suggested, it might be a good idea to book one appointment with a PT and just get them to give you some pointers on what to look for when working out. They are very slight things that most people wouldn't notice, but if you go on without knowing them, your shoulder could be pretty messed up in the long run. Right now, when your young you won't notice, but when you get older and the muscles that have been holding the fort where they shouldn't for so long start to break down, you will be in trouble. Trust me, I've seen it too many times to count. 

If I had the time I could post a huge workout plan, but I don't and it's much easier to do all this in person, which isn't possible. lol. So yeah, take it easy with whatever you are doing and if you have the cash or coverage, book something with a PT who can just give you a once over assessment.


----------



## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

Here's a good shoulder strenhthening routine. Don't have to do all of them all the time, but it's a good reference. Keeps my shoulders in nice shape after quite a few years of heavy benching and many years of pitching. Got rid of all my pops and clicks.


----------



## East§ide (Mar 14, 2011)

Dysantic said:


> ^^ Man, you have alot of play in your AC joint. How many times have you seperated your shoulder before? lol


probably over a dozen times. i used to play competitive paintball and id separate my shoulder all the time diving with the gun in my hand. Used to shake it off and keep playing lol. 
the good ole days:


----------



## DirtyD27 (Dec 31, 2011)

I am a physical therapist. The main question to ask at this point is how do you feel in terms of shoulder function? Do you feel that you a lacking in anything besides strength? What I mean by this is do you have full range of motion of your shoulder our any upper back or neck problems that were associated to this injury. Also, do you still have pain at the fracture site? Being that you fractured the clavicle, (collar bone) last year it should be more than healed. it takes 6-8 weeks for bone to heal to a significant degree. The last phase of bone healing is called remodeling this phase can take several months and in some cases a year or more. Performing regular activities and exercise promotes bone health and strength. At this point I would recommend, so long as you do not have pain or other complications with shoulder, upper back or neck that it would be fine to perform regular exercise. If you are unfamiliar with appropriate exercises to perform or what area's of the body to strength I'd seek help from a licensed professional trainer, not your buddy who's into weight lifting as your training should not be tailored to bulking up, rather an overall general strengthening and muscle endurance program to include the core (not abs), chest, shoulder and scapular strengthening both eccentric and concentric exercises. Being that your a young guy you'll bounce back quickly. Hope it works out for you, good luck and safe riding this year!


----------



## havin_a_ball (Oct 18, 2012)

I had a plate and 7 screws put in Sep 1st, and like everybody else has already said, it will be fine if you are start using it again.

I feel like I have been healed for a month now, but can still feel what the PT was talking about - the long term healing.

Hope you feel better man!


----------

