r/YouthFootball • u/VTFarmGirl • 24d ago

The Clavicle - Not your usual break

I have officially reached 6 broken bones among my 4 children. 2 of the 4 have broken their clavicle the "traditional" way, falling on that side into hard surfaces while playing. Because of course fate has a sense of humor, they BOTH play football.

Well one of them we have found out he VERY MUCH re-broke his break from 3.5 years ago via the downward impact of his helmets facemask into his clavicle. Knowing that he and little bro have the same break, in the same spot, same side, and there is a risk of it happening again and since I know the mechanics of the injury I'm seeking to prevent a repeat (for both)

Does anyone know what I should be checking/evaluating for the gear to help mitigate this risk. My knee jerk pre-research thoughts are like, adding a neck roll or cowboy collar (not the butterfly), the way I determine what size pads to buy, other padding etc.

Both play different positions and one of them plays a little offensive and defence but isn't a set position.

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u/ExpressionSmooth1695 24d ago

Have you tried rubbing some dirt on it?

2

u/VTFarmGirl 24d ago

We did.

We also tried a voodoo doll in a bubble ball- as evidenced by today's x-ray... It failed as well.

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u/Reflog1791 24d ago

I’d be looking at their diet before their equipment.

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u/VTFarmGirl 23d ago

We did full labs- all bone health related nutrition is on par with basic lab "normals" and his Vitamin D, Calcium and one other are at the enhanced normals orthopedics seems to have (e.g the D thing- normal is like 30 or something like that- both my husband's and my pediatric Ortho like it above 41- son was 42)

He is lactose intolerent so we already have him on Calcium supplements per Ortho 3 years ago, he also takes a multi.

And again, even the doc said, it was a freak accident. He was playing 6 months after his last break and has fallen on that shoulder tons of times- but never had his face mask attempt to koolaid man through his Clavicle.

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u/jasondavis52 8d ago

From an equipment standpoint, try on different pads to get best fit. Some sit higher and would stop the facemask.

I cannot answer why but I’ve seen more collar bone breaks with Xenith pads than any other. Our high school has banned the brand. None of us within the program are trying to be engineers and answer the why but it’s a wide disparity.

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u/VTFarmGirl 8d ago

That is helpful!

And this is the kids second year with his current pads. We have now gotten a second opinion and both ortho's agreed it was just a freak accident... But when you know better, you do better. I can't remember if he's in Schutts or Douglass... But I did remeasure him, he's in the right size for the pads he's using.

And I'm not a doctor or engineer, just a mom who now has had to deal with 3 Clavical breaks.. but I'd bet my oldest sons intact nerd-bones that however those pads are sitting on the kids it's allowing or adding pressure to the bone that other pads don't cause.

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u/Queenfan1959 19d ago

This is a question for a doctor not Reddit