 Poster: A snowHead
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2nd day skiing in les arcs when a snowboarder came from the side and took me out no idea where he came from but I landed 10 ft away minus my
Skis he was very sorry and admitted just not seeing me anyway he broke my collarbone I know this sounds like a stupid question could I still ski if I managed the pain not to far or fast but just to meet-up for lunch I managed to ski down the mountain but it did hurt 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| charlie26 wrote: |
| I know this sounds like a stupid question could I still ski |
You know the answer is 'no' don't you?! Potential for further, more serious, injury massively increased and won't be insured for a start - also very hurty and very difficult.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Having fractured both collar bones and my shoulder skiing I will reliably inform you that it's a nope. Slight jolts flipping hurt.
Feet up, beer, done
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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No, you definitely shouldn't. I did however have a similar accident about 4 years ago broke my collar bone in 3 places, got a titanium plate put in and then go skiing again about 5 weeks later.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| wills_h wrote: |
| No, you definitely shouldn't. I did however have a similar accident about 4 years ago broke my collar bone in 3 places, got a titanium plate put in and then go skiing again about 5 weeks later. |
I also did this.
Sat it out for 4 weeks and then went back with full mountain bike armour under my ski jacket.
Consultant called me many rude words when I told her.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The collar bone stabalises the shoulder. It will hurt lots for at least 2 weeks.
It really would be stupid to ski with it.
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Make sure you wear the rucksack bandage, otherwise you risk the bones not knitting properly.
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Why not ski?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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make sure you get it set properly, don't just leave it if the bone (or pieces of bone) are out of alignment - Dr Funk is probably the best UK shoulder doctor, try to get him
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I broke mine falling off a motorbike. Got back on a couple of weeks later and it still piggin' hurt. Fast forward a month or so and it's still not getting any better so a trip to an x-ray dept showed it wasn't healing, when I was opened up to pin and plate it, they discovered that the moving bones were starting to saw through 'stuff' under the broken bit and it was a bit of a mess apparently. The surgeon was so relieved after I woke up when I could wiggle all my fingers!
If I'd carried on being stupid I would have lost the use of the arm they told me...gulp!
Anyway, after it was pinned and plated no worries, I was back on the bike in no time!
The collar bone acts as a bridge under which all sorts of nerves, arteries and things run down towards you arm, none of which you can do without. You really need the bone to knit properly and stay knitted.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
don't just leave it if the bone (or pieces of bone) are out of alignment
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Generally as a rule the NHS don't operate on collar bones at all so you do see quite a few people with lumps where it should be smooth. I had the X-rays done in France where they wanted to take me in immediately but I actually had mine fixed in the eastern part of Germany. The NHS just weren't interested, even after I showed them the french x-rays.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Broken both of mine, NHS "don't plate those unless you're an athlete".......
First one healed fine end to end, bit of a lump around it, but cool....
Second one is crossed over, still not sure if it's healed good, it's raised by around the thickness of a finger and I can feel the rough end!
Guess it's ok, been that way for 20-odd years.....
Think I saw on Ski A&E on TV there's a limit for misalignment before they need to reduce and plate, but that was in VT, France.........
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Broken both of mine x3 on motorbikes & skis, the first, 38 years ago, was a complete break, NHS put a stupid figure of 8 bandage around my shoulders, it set out of alignment & still causes shoulder pain now, if it is a complete break, get it plated, pinned, whatever.
The 2nd was the other side, not a complete break & set ok.
The 3rd was gettig high sided on snowblades, landed on my shoulder that "popped" my collarbone which was sore afterwards, I made my own figure of 8 & carried on skiing for the week.
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You know it makes sense.
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I had a severe stack while I was in Arabba last January. Despite some considerable pain I dusted myself off and continued to ski. ‘Poling’ was very painful and getting my shirt on and off was excruciating. I had three wonderful days skiing after the incident (with the aid of over the counter pain medication).
It was not until I got home to Australia that I discovered I had fractured my collarbone at the shoulder end and dislocated it from the sternum end. I also broke my thumb in the same incident. The thumb probably gave me more grief.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Interesting what people have said about the NHS never wanting to pin or plate. I hadmy plate and pins put in at the hospital in Bourg and a very good job they did of it too. However they said I should wait about 6 months and then have the plate removed. When I got home and said this to the NHS they said why would we take it out? It's still there now, 6 or 7 years later. The plate causes a bit of pain when my son bashes it (he's two and very active) and when a seat belt in the car rubs on it, but otherwise mostly I totally forget its there.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I think it depends on the type of break.
Most heal just fine without an op. They don't use the figure of 8 bandage now.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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N broke his collarbone in a cycling accident some years ago. The NHS treatment was to “see how it goes” without operating, with a view to operate later if required. The dislocation left quite a significant lump but the healing is good and doesn't cause too many issues these days (backpacks rubbing is the main one, I think. A bit of padding usually sorts it). The final consultant said they would operate if he really wanted it, but explained the risks re. nerve damage and said he wouldn't recommend it unless there was a problem. He decided not to risk it, figuring nerve damage would be a bigger issue than a lumpy collarbone.
However, having seen the amount of pain he was in, I can only think that anyone thinking about skiing with a broken collarbone must be dosed up on the special drugs, and not able to think straight 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Generally as a rule the NHS don't operate on collar bones at all so you do see quite a few people with lumps where it should be smooth.
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I had mine plated in Bourg St Maurice. But because I was extremely skinny at the time they could only use a very thin plate. Which I then bent rolling over in my sleep (bloody hell that was painful) and it held my collarbone bent whilst it set.
It would probably be straighter if it hadn't been plated....
Interestingly the NHS originally weren't interested in taking it out, but I kicked up a mini fuss and the consultant came and had a look, and agreed to take it out because she was a skier and could see how annoying it would be under a backpack strap.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@flaming, now that is interesting. Maybe I should revisit this and get the plate out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The NIH seems to be still stuck in the medieval time when it comes to treatment of collarbone fracture.
There's a Canadian study of shoulder function of all the "healed" fractures they could find. The plated ones comes out ahead on average. Though more significantly, their conclusion was if there's "shortening" of the collarbone for more than 10% of the collarbone length, shoulder functions are substantially impacted.
These days, risk of infection is very low. But nerve damage is always a concern. So best to stick with surgeons who specialized in shoulder surgery.
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| abc wrote: |
| But nerve damage is always a concern. |
This was the reason given the first time, a lot of nerves running under the collarbone gives a possibility of damage if operated on.......
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| KenX wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
| But nerve damage is always a concern. |
This was the reason given the first time, a lot of nerves running under the collarbone gives a possibility of damage if operated on....... |
All surgeries have risk. For the patients, it's never clear how much of a risk we're face with. And it depends on the skill of the surgeon too. So, risk of a compromised shoulder function, or the risk of not able to use the arm at all! 
Seems the risk of nerve damage is actually quite low. I know of many people who had it plated. Mine had been plated too. But from the surgeon's point of view, why take the risk, however small? Much easier to just tell the patient it'll knit up fine. Only in cases when the bone are likely NOT knit up at all, that they strongly recommend surgery.
However, many of those cases left the patient with limited range of motion or weaken arm strength, or worse, unable to reach overhead...
The Canadian paper had looked closely into the in-between cases where the bone are still likely knit up, but the patient's shoulder function will be significantly affected. It concluded more of those case should have surgery.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Scarlet wrote: |
N broke his collarbone in a cycling accident some years ago. The NHS treatment was to “see how it goes” without operating, with a view to operate later if required. The dislocation left quite a significant lump but the healing is good and doesn't cause too many issues these days (backpacks rubbing is the main one, I think. A bit of padding usually sorts it). The final consultant said they would operate if he really wanted it, but explained the risks re. nerve damage and said he wouldn't recommend it unless there was a problem. He decided not to risk it, figuring nerve damage would be a bigger issue than a lumpy collarbone.
However, having seen the amount of pain he was in, I can only think that anyone thinking about skiing with a broken collarbone must be dosed up on the special drugs, and not able to think straight |
I was on Ibuprofen only. No impairment whatsoever. By the third day I don’t think I was on any meds at all.
It’s an isolated pain so cruising down Dolomite groomers gave it no stress at all.
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I found the figure of 8 bandage given to me in Italy was brilliant- it pulled my shoulder back into position and almost no pain when I was wearing it. Have kept it just in case
When back home I asked nhs if I could cycle a few weeks later- reply was fine to cycle so long as I don’t fall off. Couldn’t ride off road for a while.
Don’t think I’d fancy skiing just because of other people
Hope you mend soon
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| MCL wrote: |
I found the figure of 8 bandage given to me in Italy was brilliant- it pulled my shoulder back into position and almost no pain when I was wearing it. Have kept it just in case
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I also found the figure of 8 bandage very helpful in reducing pain and holding me together; the doctors in VT let me ski after 5 or 6 weeks.
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