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Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions?
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Hi all,
I tried searching the tri and womens forums, but I did not have luck finding anything. So, I am posting this to ask for suggestions.
I fractured my clavicle and had surgery to plate it 4.5wks ago. I finally started doing some light workouts last week, and one thing that I need to address is the issue of the clavicle-plate and sports bra. My friends who have had their clavicles plated are all guys, and I don't think they've had to deal with this. ;) The plate is relatively noticeable, and where it is most prominent, is where a sports bra crosses my clavicle. The sports bra puts enough pressure on the plate (or maybe compresses the soft tissue above the plate?), that it bothers me. Also, while my running distance is short while I recover, I foresee chafing being an issue. With how prominent the plate is, I doubt Bodyglide or similar product will do much to help.
I found a medical site that has a bra strap pad, but it didn't look like what I'd think would work for running and cycling. Most of the regular bra strap cushions don't look like they'd quite work with their buttons or tiny velcro straps. I'd like something that can be transferred easily from one sports bra to another, is soft (like fleece?) and won't chafe, won't shift or move, and cushions. Is there something out there that might work well for this? What have other people done to address this? I'm going to try some fleece padding from a horse halter, but I'm sure there's something that would work a little better!
Thank you so much for any ideas!
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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Not a woman, but can't you just get two really soft hankies and fold them up so they are the thickness you need and stitch them to the sports bra in the right places so your collarbone is in-between them and so there won't be any pressure on it?

I know you said you want something transferrable, but hankies are cheap enough you could/should be able to do this to every bra you run with for the time being...
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [Marco in BC] [ In reply to ]
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Hi,
Thanks for the suggestion. I'd like wait to modify my sports bras for now if I can find something else (I guess the same thing as poking safety pins in a jersey). Plus, I'm still not sure if some of the pain is still from healing, so maybe eventually I won't need anything in the future (although the surgeon did say that this can be an issue for women).

I was thinking about trying something like this-- http://www.horseloverz.com/...er-Tubes.html?src=ct --and maybe cut down to size, but I'm just wondering if there's something that someone has already tried out that'd be better and still temporary/removable.

Thank you for the idea, though!
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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originally I was thinking about you buying some seatbelt pads and cutting those to size but those horse items seem pretty much the same thing (but much cheaper) so I do think you probably have a good solution there already... good luck!
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [Marco in BC] [ In reply to ]
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I had thought about the seat belt pads, too. :)
I should have the horse fleece soon, and hopefully it will work out ok.
Thanks, again!
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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I've never broken my collarbone so can't help with your question but I thought of exactly what you ordered when I read it. A tube of fleecy fabric.

I have been stuck with an injury right at the bra line on my rib cage so I have an idea of how painful it can be. Horrible.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [JenSw] [ In reply to ]
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Have you tried silicone? The same kind that podiatrists use in little cups over toes to relieve pressure and limit hammer toes rubbing on each other. You can probably buy from a medical supplier, it comes with one silicone soft side a few mm thick,that would stick (but isn't actually 'sticky') on your skin and the other side would be fabric/woven. It should be reusable for a while too.. Otherwise try blister prevention silicone band-aid type products but similar to silicone scar healing pads they might be a bit thin.
Alternatively i assume when you say sports bra you mean a crop-top type thing, rather than an underwired-need-an-engineering-degree-to-ge-in--but-never-the-boobs-shall-bounce of type actual bra? there are some really good sports bras on the market (in Aus at least - my preference is Berlei) that can either be cross over strap or standard bra configuration straps that mean you can alternate where the pressure sits over your collar bone.
Hope you can find a good solution. Sometimes just desensitising the scar will help too, rather than avoiding things on it, just let your body adapt to it.
Good luck :)
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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Try the Castelli Rossa Corsa Light bra, specific for cycling.
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [vimbike] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks all for the continued suggestions!
I tried foam padding, which did not work as well as I hoped. I think removing the pressure is the first thing to do (have some new ides), but I think those silicone second skin band-aids will work well for rubbing during longer runs. Hadn't thought of using that, thanks!
The Castelli bra looks awesome but sounds like it's not enough support for running, and my issue is more with running. But thank you!
Thank you, again!
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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have you thought of using moleskin around the raised site? then the pressure will be on the bandage and not your collarbone while it gains strength. I'm going to try this myself for running because running irritated the fracture site enough (I fractured my distal collarbone and had surgery 6 weeks ago) to make a small blister at the incision. good luck!
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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If you figure it out, please please please report back...I shattered my collarbone in 2003 & while I didn't have surgery, I probably should have. As a result it "healed" a bit wonky & my left side has a really interesting shape - a raised portion kind of like yours. This won't encourage you much, but I still have issues with some sports bras, tank tops & especially seat belts. Sometimes I can get them to sit off the raised portion (mine sinks back in about 1/2 way, viewed from above it looks like a lightning bolt) & that helps, but won't help you.

I haven't had any trouble with chafing at all on my collarbone... I do have trouble with my swimsuit straps on the OTHER side chafing against my neck...but that's my own oddity.

AW
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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My daughter just bought bra's from Moving Comfort, check it out she is very happy with them. Multiple padding, velcro, snaps in back etc all the bells and whistle.
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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I have lived my whole life with a congenitally separate clavicle. Basically, it is broken and the bone sticks out. I have never had surgery nor do I plan on it. Besides triathlon, I also do CrossFit which can aggravate it from the bar landing on it repeatedly. Check out a recent blog post here regarding this topic (and to see my clavicle!) http://runningwithmemphis.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/two-a-days/

With regards to bras, I know exactly what you mean. I would look for two kinds, a thin, Y shaped bra where you can move the strap higher up towards your neck away from your collar bone or a regular bra shaped sports bra where it sits more on your shoulder. Unfortunately, there isn't much else to do except use the padding others have described. Maybe wrapping some tshirt scraps around the strap part will help as well and then adding the body glide to that. Feel free to reach out to me with any other questions you may have since I've dealt with this for my whole life!
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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I am very familiar with this product and it is quite rough. I could not tolerate it against my skin, especially in a sensitive area. They do make natural fleece ones that are much softer but they are more expensive. Here is one example:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/...op45kgzw3t55yztl1j55

________________________________________________

Coach Brain: Accelerate 3 ; Incoherent Ramblings
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [Duckie] [ In reply to ]
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Just posting an update to the clavicle thread... I ended up having the plate removed last week.
I posted more info in this thread: http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...post=4646552#4646552 .
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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I know it probably doesnˇŻt hurt, but it looks like its broken.Good luck...
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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Girl - I hate to say it but there's no solution to this other than having the hardware removed. I had 2 plates, 10 screws and pain every single time I put on a sports bra. I didn't mess around with tissues / foam / etc just because I don't have time to deal with that when I'm running. And, fwiw, the surgery to have the hardware to remove is way easy. I was back training in a week.
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [Morris] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, I agree, the surgery to remove the hardware (now 3.5 wks ago) was not bad. I was actually back running in, um, 20 hours after surgery.... Maybe not recommended but I was given the ok! :) I took no break whatsoever, not even a day (I ran the morning of my surgery day and back out the next morning). The first surgery (the one to plate the fracture) was a whole different story, however!
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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Does insurance cover removing the hardware? Is it a full-on anesthesia procedure? I have a plate, wire and 7 screws.

Such a Bad Runner
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [SBR_bestgoodbad] [ In reply to ]
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The surgeon said that hardware removal is a standard procedure that is typically covered by insurance. And yes, I had general anesthesia. The incision is too close to mid-line to do local nerve blocks (I asked).
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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If anyone has to deal with any of these pressure point type issues, there's a proper way to use moleskin. It works best with the "foam" type moleskin, but also works with the regular thin type.

Cut a patch with at least 1/4 inch margin around the pressure point, then cut a hole in the patch the size of the pressure point. That way the raised moleskin takes the pressure, not the pressure point.

Something I learned hiking....

No coasting in running and no crying in baseball
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [Tri3] [ In reply to ]
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So the problem with the moleskin is that this clavicle pressure point is not an occasional issue, like a pressure point that may develop on a hike, but a daily issue. So having to use moleskin on a daily basis is relatively inconvenient. Plus, for me personally, I ended up needing to using something fairly thick to relieve the pressure of the sports bra on my clavicle -- a thick winter mitten. I am glad that I had the plate removed.
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Re: Collarbone & sports bra - suggestions? [knova] [ In reply to ]
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Dear Knova,
I am a lady who had went through the clavicle surgery 2 months ago.
Until now, i am still unable to wear bra with strap.
Everytime i tried to wear it, i could feel the pain that the metal press on my tissue.
Did you face any problem wearing bra with strap?
If yes, how did you overcome it?
Hope that you can give me some advice.
Thank you.
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