Boyfriend + fractured clavicle = Can I make him more comfortable?

February 4, 2007 11:40 AM

My boyfriend broke his clavicle yesterday after falling on his motorcycle. I know there's really nothing to be done, but I'd like advice on making him more comfortable during the next few months.

All the advice I've found on Google is the same: Take painkillers, and lay around for a month in a sling. Ice it.

Right now, he's laying on the couch and can barely move. He may take tomorrow off work, but he won't be able to take much more time than that. Luckily, it's his left clavicle and he's right-handed. He works on computers all day (software engineer).

Does anyone have any anecdotal advice for him? Ways I can make this more comfortable for him, or ways to keep him entertained other than TV? Any helpful home remedies?

If you broke a clavicle, how long did yours take to heal? And if there are any vegans in the house, I'm especially curious about your healing times.

Thanks.

posted by faunafrailty to Health & Fitness (14 answers total)

I broke mine when I was 12 , it took about six weeks to heal.
If the sling goes under his armpits, MAKE SURE he has cotton pads there. The emergency room that treated me didn't do this and when I went to the orthopedist a few days later (I had scoliosis), there was a huge blood blister. Does he like to read? I went back to school, but I was excused from PE for the rest of the semester. :-)
posted by brujita at 12:11 PM on February 4, 2007

Vegetarian but not vegan. It took four weeks. There was no way I could have gone back to work before that, but I'd also cracked three ribs and a vertebra.

I had a figure-eight brace, under the armpits. It was too uncomfortable to read, so I spent a lot of time watching movies while lying on the rug with a a rolled-up hand towel between my shoulder blades to relieve the pressure. After three weeks we could remove the brace for a much needed cleaning, and we found I had infected sores in my pits where it rubbed. I still have the scars. My dad--what a guy--put up with my stench while he worked from home.
posted by hydrophonic at 12:37 PM on February 4, 2007

When I broke mine, it took forever to heal. I would recommend that he does not try to lift his arm above his head even when he thinks it's all better. I lifted mine at about 5 weeks and heard a small crack, then had to wait another 3 or 4 weeks because I moved something I shouldna.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 12:40 PM on February 4, 2007

...ways to keep him entertained other than TV?

Thinking back, an ipod full of podcasts and audiobooks would've been really great.
posted by hydrophonic at 12:44 PM on February 4, 2007

I've broken my right clavicle three times. Healed in 6-8 weeks each time.

Sex will be difficult, unfortunately. Least painful position for him will probably involve him kneeling or standing.
posted by solid-one-love at 12:46 PM on February 4, 2007

...ways to keep him entertained other than TV?
Oh come on... Don't make me say it.

posted by alby at 12:50 PM on February 4, 2007

I'm a vegetarian, and was when I broke my collarbone at 17 years old; it healed really fast. I broke it while Mountain Biking, and while I didn't do anything really strenuous for a while (6-8 weeks, maybe?) I was able to ride my bike back to work after about 3 weeks. So it took a while to get to 100%, but I was back to maybe 60% really fast. I've heard though, that the older you get, the longer this injury takes to heal. So I don't know how close my timescale for mending will be compared to your boyfriend's.

I would strongly advise your bf take this whole week off, if he can. I actually found things pretty bearable after a short time, but for the first week or so, any movement of the upper body has the opportunity to lead to absolute agony. The worst pain I ever felt was from trying to dance the day after I broke my collarbone (long story). I can't stress enough that your boyfriend should take as many days off as he can this week.
posted by HighTechUnderpants at 1:00 PM on February 4, 2007

I've broken my left clavicle once, but it was severe enough to require surgery. The stabilizing pin and removal extended the recovery duration to about three months.

But this doesn't apply in your boyfriend's case. From talking to other people who've broken their collarbone, the full recovery process should be around six weeks. And three of those weeks won't be painful at all; your boyfriend just can't raise his arm very high. And he shouldn't test it until the doctor says everything is solid again.

Probably the most frustrating issue for him will be learning how to do things with one hand. Cutting food, driving, and getting out of bed will be difficult.

And there's no reason to not wash the armpit and surrounding areas, unless everything is painful to the touch.
posted by meowzilla at 1:16 PM on February 4, 2007

I broke mine the same way in 1997. Also cracked my scapula. I've never ridden a motorcycle since.

A few things that haven't already been said, be reassured that it will eventually stick together and heal. Admittedly, I'm pretty neurotic, but one thing that really bugged me for the first week or so was that I just couldn't believe the two broken bone ends would find each other in a joint that couldn't possibly have been kept absolutely still. By some biological miracle, they just do.

I wore a figure eight brace for the first 3 weeks or so. It's sort of like what football shoulder pads would look like if they didn't have the plastic guard part, and it keeps things still enough, at least, to be somewhat less painful. They also provide some of the support offered by a sling, if he's in a job where he can't easily use just one arm.

Mine grew together with the broken ends on top of one other, creating a bump that you can actually see and feel. I'm an avid backpacker now, and this causes some pain and is a bit of an issue. If there's any way this can be avoided, I guess he might want to do so.

I went back to work two days later (I had just started a new job and had no vac or sick time banked). Dropped the narcotics that same day, too, and used ibuprophen the rest of the healing process.

Good on 'im for landing on the left shoulder, by the way, that makes things a hell of a lot easier! Good luck -- he's lucky to have someone to help him out the first few days.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 8:17 PM on February 4, 2007

I've broken both clavicles in separate incidences.

For some weird reason, my right hurt so much more than when I broke my left. I think the amount of pain is proportional to how much the bone gets moved after the break.

Both times the doctor gave me a a brace like the one in this image. The purpose of the brace is to pull the shoulders back so that there is less pressure on the break. (Sounds like what ">hydrophonic wore)

The brace can be uncomfortable at times, and hurts like holy hell when it's first put on, but I swear the support it offers makes the healing process more bearable. If your boyfriend doesn't have one, you should get him one.

To really work, the brace needs to be tight to ensure the shoulders are pulled back. I've seen people wear them loose, which I think defeats the purpose of wearing them.
Of course, wearing it tight is uncomfortable and can be painful at first.

If he wears one on his bare skin, watch for chaffing.
posted by toftflin at 8:30 PM on February 4, 2007

I broke my right collar bone in 6 places in a 4-wheeler accident. It took the same 6 weeks to heel, however, I was able to get around pretty quickly afterwards. I am right handed, and had no trouble attending school, driving and doing my work after 2-3 days, not to say that doing those things wasn't uncomfortable, but I eventually got sort of used to it. The only real help I needed was getting in and out of my brace. I highly, highly recommend buying a bunch of button-down short sleeve shirts. The only ones I could really get on and off without any help. (I also recommend not falling down the stairs, which I did on about week 3, but I suspect that goes without saying - but I do recommend not carrying anything in your "good hand" when going up and down stairs.
posted by ill3 at 8:43 PM on February 4, 2007

I found sleeping a real challenge with a broken collarbone. Every slight movement hurts so get him a beanbag to prop himself up against in bed and on the sofa, getting myself as immobilised as possible seemed to be the way to get to sleep.

Seconding the comfy/short sleeved clothes suggestions, I was a teen when I broke my clavicle, sucks to have to ask your mum to help you dress.
posted by Ness at 3:21 AM on February 5, 2007

Make people feel the point in the break where the bone(s) are fusing back together. Its good creepy fun.
posted by ducktape at 9:02 AM on February 5, 2007

I broke right clavicle and scapula (shoulder blade) the same way - almost had a separated shoulder that would have required surgery and pins but I lucked out.

I had the regular old arm sling that loops over the opposite shoulder and holds your arm across you.

Not a vegetarian but he might increase calcium and other mineral intake with a supplement.

Mine took about 4-6 weeks to heal and I gave it another two before doing much riding again.

Staying comfortable especially while sleeping is hard, extra pillows to prop you to a comfortable position might help and can be found cheaply enough. Darvocet was good for pain and since I hate pills I'd usually only take one before bedtime so i could sleep.

I was back at work (computer network job) Monday after the Saturday accident - but he should listen to what his body tells him and take it easy as needed.

Books are good, music and some movies might be in order - other than that once hes ok to move around it should be business as usual.

Good luck!
posted by clanger at 10:24 AM on February 5, 2007