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[RC] Fractured collarbone - Bruce WearyDear Cindy--I'm very sorry to hear about your injury. And I admire your desire and tenacity to saddle up and ride. All part of being a good "endurer." ;) However, if you knew the complications that occur from improper healing of the clavicle or it's associated joints, the decision to recuperate properly would be an easy one. The clavicle attaches at one end to the sternum, and to the shoulder blade at the other. It is attached by muscles to the neck structures above and to the chest wall below. If you put your fingertips on your good collarbone and raise that arm over your head slowly, you will feel the collarbone rotate like a crankshaft. What this all means is that if the fracture doesn't heal properly, you will very likely end up with poor function of the shoulder girdle, the neck joints and muscles, and in rare cases compression of the brachial plexus, which are the nerves serving the arm and hand. A well known principle of physical rehabilitation is that if a joint (or series of joints) don't function properly, the muscles that move those joints cannot be strengthened fully. This could leave you with some permanent weakness of that arm and shoulder. Not to mention a loss of movement of the lower neck joints, which may become arthritic prematurely. Depending on the forces you absorbed in your injury, after you are healed you may need to see a good chiropractor to have the structures I mentioned loosened to restore proper function. In the meantime, I urge you to become good friends with your orthopedist, who will monitor the healing of your fracture, and hopefully prescribe PT to rehabilitate any other parameters that are part of your injury aside form the actual fracture. Good Luck, Bruce Weary DC =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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