Any Rugby Players? Broken collar bone + plate = ?!

[DOGFACED]

Hi All.
Any people in here play rugby?

Last game of the season my collarbone snapped (April 19th)

Me being too stubborn I carried on trying to live life as usual, insisted on activites such as snowboarding and consequently falling over occasionally so made the break worse.

Had to have an open reduction internal fixation operation (May 29th) and now have a sexy fat metal plate and screws in my shoulder.

Question is...
Does anyone have such a plate fitted over a break and continue to play contact sports?

So don't want to quit ruggers if I can help it as it is slightly addictive to play.

Had various advice from doctors etc but not all say the same thing so asking for personal experiences from people if they have any..

Know bone is naturally flexible and my only concern is that having a plate bolted onto it will create two potential weak spots. My thinking is that at each end where if I get whacked the plate over that section of bone is rigid and will cause a frech fracture at one/both ends.

Hope that made sense!

Cheers in advance
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[Benson_JV]

...wait until its healed would've been my first thought.
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[chris-red]

Probably should have asked your doctor that question.
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[DOGFACED]

Spoken to 3 docs. All offered varying degress of advice on the subject so trying to see if anyone has got any first hand experience.

Should be healed properly bone to bone in less than a month now.
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A2 License...................Order of Wheels:
Piaggio Ape50 . '04 Derbi GPR50 . '01 TW125 . '97 GSXR400 . Sexy 2001 R6 . '58 MT-03
Current: . Husqvarna TE410 . RGV250. Ducati 600ss.

[Old Git Racing]

Not Rugby but bike racing which is a contact sport when you fall off. After break number 4 mine didn't join up so had the plate, bone graft thing done. Advice to me was stop racing cos if you hit the shoulder in the same place as before and break it again it will be bad.
Guess what, he was right. Snapped it again after losing the front in the wet and I HEARD it go. Snapped across 2 of the screw holes and it hurt like hell, more than any of the others. After having it repaired again the surgeon said I was risking arm paralysis due to damaging the Brachial (?) nerve so stop.
I stopped cos I can't wipe my arse properly with my left hand despite plenty of practise.
It depends how much the rugby means to you. Any sport is potentially dangerous but you weigh up the risks against the pleasure derived. I was prepared to risk it when I was younger but been there done that now and I wasn't making a living from it (opposite!) so I stopped.
Don't know how prevalent collar bone breaks are in rugby, or if it would be on your mind when playing, probably be more dangerous if you held back. Have it done, let it heal and see how you feel. You just know when its time to stop.

OGR
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[fiveus]

Got mine plated,And still do downhill mountain biking no problems.I now just try not to crash as much

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

You'd be an idiot to take part in heavy contact until it's reasonably well healed, around 6-8 weeks depending on your recovery rates should be more than enough.

Speak to your physio about what strengthening exercises you can do. Start off with weights and getting mobility back within the next week or two (2-3 weeks after operation). Up the weights (assuming you do them) then after look to move back to training but with no contact for a few weeks, just doing drills etc. The move on to light contact on pads only then build up the heavyness of pads before getting back to full contact.
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[DOGFACED]

Been 8 weeks since the op.
On week 7 doc said I am about 80% healed judging by xrays.

Will look into strengthening exercises and stuff.

Cheers for the input.

Want to head England Ladies way for rugby (ambitious I know) so a huge pain in the ass having this plate bolted inside of me!!
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A2 License...................Order of Wheels:
Piaggio Ape50 . '04 Derbi GPR50 . '01 TW125 . '97 GSXR400 . Sexy 2001 R6 . '58 MT-03
Current: . Husqvarna TE410 . RGV250. Ducati 600ss.

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

If you wish to do that then you should be implementing a training/recovery program now. You want to be constantly doing weights if you're rugby training. At least 3 times a week around your training if you're taking it seriously.

You should be back working on basic weightlifting movements to strengthen the shoulder area and upper back. No idea how your body has healed so take this as possible exercises depending on your individual needs but:

Shrugs
Shoulder press
Lateral Raise
Frontal Raise
Bent over row
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical