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I'm writing a story where a character is thrown from a horse. In the fall he breaks his leg and his collar bone.

Normally when someone breaks their leg they walk on crutches, however with a broken collar bone that would be incredibly painful. How traditionally is someone treated (and given mobility) with both a broken collarbone and leg?

JohnP
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    Without going into your collar bone assertion, usually a wheelchair, to be honest. Before wheelchairs, bedrest was common. And now you've got me curious as to what injury mechanism would cause both a broken collar bone and leg, but it's your story! :-) – anongoodnurse May 29 '15 at 14:54
  • if you have him break his ankle, he can use a crutch that straps on to your knee - you kneel on it basically and walk like a peg-leg but with the lower leg sticking out behind you. – Kate Gregory May 29 '15 at 20:22
  • I edited your title and question, as you reference the arm and leg, but state that he breaks his collarbone. If this is incorrect, the edit can be rolled back. – JohnP May 29 '15 at 20:44
  • @anongoodnurse - Depends on what type of fall. I've seen bike falls where the rider got catapulted forward, landed on shoulder (breaking collarbone). continuing the roll and having the feet/heels come down into the side of the road causing tib/fib fractures. Or the horse could just step on him. Foot caught in stirrup. :) – JohnP May 29 '15 at 20:53
  • @JohnP - That must have been a heck of a bike ride! – anongoodnurse May 29 '15 at 21:37
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    @anongoodnurse - That's what happens when you get diagonal train tracks across the road at 53 mph on a road bike. :) I still have several road rash scars left over from that. :| (I was not the broken bone sufferer). – JohnP May 29 '15 at 23:13
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    Having been there, I agree that bedrest, followed by a wheelchair, then a walker, may be the best course of action. A kind caretaker, who you can literally lean on, is invaluable. The way the bones are set-sling, cast, position, etc. are also determining factors when making a treatment plan. – Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL May 30 '15 at 19:21
  • @anongoodnurse In addition to cycling crashes I would add virtually any automobile crash involving ejected patients. They will always present with a myriad of injuries that defy explanation. Any motorcycle accident is also a good candidate, as is falling from heights when the initial impact is absorbed by the leg and subsequent impact by the shoulder. It's not hard to break a collarbone and leg in one afternoon. – Carey Gregory Aug 29 '15 at 04:02
  • @CareyGregory - One rarely sees ejected patients anymore, at least in states where seat belts are mandatory. As an ED doc, I've seen multiple hundreds of vehicular accidents, as well as many falls from heights. If seeing multiple distant fractures was common, I wouldn't have posed a question. There are patterns, e.g. with bilateral calcaneal fractures, one should look for lower thoracic vertebral fractures. But let's not play one-upsmanship. The scenario (the fall) you present is uncommon. – anongoodnurse Aug 29 '15 at 04:14
  • @anongoodnurse Perhaps you have more compliant drivers than we do, but that's beside the point. I didn't say the injuries were common, but merely not hard to imagine and at least in my limited experience not difficult to recall examples. – Carey Gregory Aug 29 '15 at 04:22
  • @CareyGregory - Possible, but not common. I saw a bridge construction worker who fell 30 feet onto a concrete abutment. All his injuries were to the upper part of his torso. People who jump have calcaneal and vertebral fractures. Etc. I've seen tons of trauma. Just doesn't happen that often in my experience. – anongoodnurse Aug 29 '15 at 04:30

3 Answers3

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Bones should be maximally immobilized. It is very painful and dangerous to move otherwise.

It is possible to walk, using only one crutch (I know this by practice).

Probably it is possible to use it on the side opposite to broken collar bone.

Most probably, if we have complex fracture, it will be recommended to use carriage, especially on initial stages of recovery.

Dims
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Walking cast, if the leg break is amenable to same. Lots of examples if you search on that term.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=walking+cast&ia=products

May need a cane to steady himself, so might matter if the breaks are ipsilateral or contralateral.

Iron Pillow
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A knee walker (http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Medical-Aluminum-Steerable-Alternative/dp/B003VMAKVS) would allow him to ambulate without a wheelchair or crutches. But as JohnP points out, the nature of the lower extremity fracture might make this suggestion impractical.

Obfuskater
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    A broken leg and a significant upper extremity injury together is tricky. I don't think anyone I know would put someone with both on that knee walker without two good arms. I certainly wouldn't recommend it. – anongoodnurse May 29 '15 at 23:21