Hi,
I broke my collar bone in June and had a plate inserted. I was planning on having the plate removed next week, but I’m currently training for a November marathon. My question is, how soon after the plate is removed will I be able to run?
My doctor said it would be 1 1/2 months before I could start doing any sports, but I find that hard to believe.
Thanks in advance,
Your doctor is correct; it is going to take a while for the screw holes to fill with bone, and the constant jarring that your body takes from running could affect that (plus it would be easily suceptible to a re-break if you tripped and fell while running). I’m in the same boat with the plate and screws in my collarbone and my doc told me the same thing if I decided to have the hardware removed.
Timely question for me too. I had mine put in last October, and have a consult for having it taken out in the next few weeks. I was hoping not to be out for 1 1/2 months though!
Along the same lines, any ideas on rehab for the way out? I needed quite a bit when they put the plate in last year, and frankly it’s still not 100%.
I good general precaution following hardware removal is to avoid contact activity for 6-8 weeks following the operation. That said, if I had a plate removed, I can certainly tell you I would not avoid running for that period of time. When I felt comfortable ( a couple of days) I would resume running.
There is no evidence that “jarring” prevents healing. In fact, micromotion (1-2 mm) at a fracture site accelerates fracture repair.
Hope this provides some useful guidance.
J
Why have the plate removed at all? I thought they are made to be permanent.
Why have the plate removed at all? I thought they are made to be permanent.
My understanding is that the plate can be left in, but if I were to fall on it again, there is a high likelihood that any break would occur at the edge of the plate. Since the plate is only a little shorter than the entire bone, the break would be close to the end of the bone, where it is tough to fix. Without the plate, the bone might break somewhere closer to the middle (I guess not at the same spot as before), which would heal easier.
Also it hurts when I have a shoulder strap over the plate, which I hope will be eliminated.
Why have the plate removed at all? I thought they are made to be permanent.
The other reason for removal is that all bones, including your collar bone, flex under normal use and a metal plate, which does not have the same physical characteristics as your bone, will not flex correctly and will “rob” your collar bone of the normal loading. It seems all fine and dandy at first, but a decade or two down the road, your body will have re-absorbed a significant amount of bone because it’s relying on the plate. This will loosen around the screws and weaken the bone overall preventing the plate from being any help at all. You see it most often in joint fusion and replacement, but it will happen under a plate, too.
And I never understood the industry aversion to self-absorbing PLA plates and screws. Especially because you can create the PLA to absorb at a specific rate, allowing the bone to grow in as the PLA is absorbed…and there’s no second surgery to remove the plate and screws. Maybe it’s an insurance expense thing…
I think it was about a month after I got my plate out that I started to run. I did start walking within two weeks, but walking is not going to get yourself in shape for a November marathon.
Why not just wait till after your marathon.
Victor
Mine was done last October as well; when I asked about the rehab/recovery for having the plate removed, he said the rehab would be pretty much the same as when it was first inserted - start with basic range of motion exercises and then light strengthening, etc. Swimming turned out to be the best rehab for me last year and I was able to do IMLP this past summer.
I’m keeping mine in for now as it doesn’t bother me; I’d rather not go through the whole process again if I don’t have to. If it does start to bother me (constant discomfort, irritation of the tissue around it etc.) then I’d get it removed.
Why have the plate removed at all? I thought they are made to be permanent.
The other reason for removal is that all bones, including your collar bone, flex under normal use and a metal plate, which does not have the same physical characteristics as your bone, will not flex correctly and will “rob” your collar bone of the normal loading. It seems all fine and dandy at first, but a decade or two down the road, your body will have re-absorbed a significant amount of bone because it’s relying on the plate. This will loosen around the screws and weaken the bone overall preventing the plate from being any help at all. You see it most often in joint fusion and replacement, but it will happen under a plate, too.
And I never understood the industry aversion to self-absorbing PLA plates and screws. Especially because you can create the PLA to absorb at a specific rate, allowing the bone to grow in as the PLA is absorbed…and there’s no second surgery to remove the plate and screws. Maybe it’s an insurance expense thing…
Interesting information. Even more reason to take it out.
I too am surprised that they don’t use self-absorbing plates. I know they are used in other applications.
Thanks for the responses everyone.
I guess I’ll go ahead and get it removed and take it from there. I know when I had the plate inserted I was running and biking as soon as the stitches were removed and swimming 3 weeks after surgery, so hopefully this will be a quick recovery.
The main issue for me is that I currently live in Japan and I am on the Japanese National Healthcare plan. I’m from the US, so if I move back in a few years and the plate gives me problems I am concerned that my new insurance provider will not cover the costs.
I travel frequently for work and when the stitches are in my doctor said I cannot travel overseas. There is a three week block in October that my travel schedule is clear so that is why I want to have it done before the marathon.
Ive got all this mess in my left arm:
I’ve decided that if I hurt/hung up from some other injury (knock on wood) that I’ll get it taken out. Like people have said, it takes time for the screw holes to fill, and until them I’m at high risk of refracture. I’ve had it in for about 4 years now.
I broke my clavicle, three ribs and collapsed a lung in a bad bike crash Oct. 2, 2005. Had surgery on Oct. 14 during which doc inserted titanium plate and nine screws. Had plate removed two months later on Dec. 12 and began swimming two weeks on Dec. 26 later when incision healed (breaststroke). Started running (EZ jog) and rehab at the same time in Jan., 2006. Rehab consisted of breaking up scar tissue through range of motion and resistance exercises. Very unpleasant, but helped relax shoulders for run. Now have 98 percent range of motion. Completed Ironman California 70.3 in March 2006. Don’t want to go through that again. Good luck in your recovery…
I’m jealous!! I asked my doctor for my x-rays and they told me the only thing I could do is take a picture with my cell phone. I was told I get to take the plate once I have it removed.
Muesli,
From the intitial crash to when you had the plate removed were you able to do any training?
That certainly sounds like a bad bike crash. I guess I’m very fortunate. I was able to do the 70.3 in Singapore 3 months after my intitial break.
I had a plate screwed into my collar bone almost three years ago. When I saw the x-ray it look a lot bigger than I expected. It has 8 screws and covers a good portion of the clavical. It is shaped to the bone. I was told by my surgeon he used a piece of aluminum to make a pattern for the steel plate. It doesn’t bother me, but I know it is there. I was told if I had another break it would be at my shoulder. I have broken the clavical twice. What is your experience with the size of the plate? I have always wondered if I should have it removed? Thanks for this thread. Don.
I wish I still had the X-rays of my arm before the bone was set, those were awesome.
You guys are freaking me out. I’ve been sporting my collarbone hardware for just over a year and have no plans to take it out because I’d been told that really wasn’t the best option unless you were having trouble. Has anybody on here had theirs in long enough that they started to experience some of the trouble that’s being discussed?