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View Full Version : Stupid, Stupid Football Injury



Todd Burch
08-18-2006, 11:25 AM
I'm ticked. :(

This is my son's left clavical (collar bone). It happened yesterday during the 4th day of practice. The new coach (new to teaching - just out of school himself) was working with the Outside Linebackers (my son's position) and was throwing them passes. The first time through the loop, the pass was bad (low, not catchable) and my son batted at it with his hand. The next time through the loop, the pass was bad again, but this time my son felt obligated to try and catch it, even though a lot of the passes to the other boys had been bad as well.

Working out in only a helmet, t-shirt and shorts, (full pads workout starts today), my son dives for the catch, lands on his left shoulder, and knew something was amiss.

So, we'll all be watching the games from the sideline this year, his sophmore. He was to play J.V.

This sucks for everybody involved, especially my son. I'm planning on meeting with the head coach and said rookie O.L. coach later today, so they can explain to me why this injury occurred.

Grrrrrrr.... :mad: :mad: :mad:

Jeff Sudmeier
08-18-2006, 11:46 AM
As someone who lives to this day with a football injury I can say this was an accident. The coach wasn't throwing bad passes on purpose and your son made the choice to dive for the catch. I have dove for 100's of balls while playing catch with friends and when I played football.

The fact of the matter is that it was bad luck that he landed just right to injure himself. Unless there is more to the story, like the coach yelling at your son for not going after the first ball, I see this as total bad luck

That said, I know where you are coming from because I sat out the only game that we won my senior year, against our rivals!!! It will be hell on you both to sit out and I am sorry that it happens. Encorage your son to attend all the practices and sit on the sidelines, WITH his team for all of the games. Him doing this will mean more to the players and the coaches than he can ever know. He can still run with the team, etc, just no hitting.

Ian Barley
08-18-2006, 12:03 PM
Todd - Bad luck all round by the sound of it.

I had a very similar injury in my early teens during a judo practice. The guy who was supposed to execute the practice throw on me had little confidence and too little aggression so I took a roll to try and help him. All went wrong and the next thing I'm in A&E getting x-rayed. It wasn't the kids fault, it definitely wasn't the instructors fault. It was mine but I got a bad result from trying to do a good thing. It still has a place in my "life lessons" index.

You are right to investigate and discuss this with the coaches concerned. I hope that your investigation helps to put your mind at rest and helps your son to understand a bit better what went wrong. I also hope that it helps the coaches to better consider what can be done to mitigate risks like this in the future. But the truth is that all sport is risky and from my limited knowledge US style football is at the risky end of the sports spectrum.

I hope he heals fast.

Rob Bodenschatz
08-18-2006, 12:04 PM
Sorry to hear that Todd. I broke my clavical playing backyard football when I was 11 or 12. It's a tough injury as it makes just getting out of bed hard. Not mention showering and everything else.

Take it easy on the coaches though. I'm sure the coach was not trying to intentionally injure your son. It sounds like bad luck.

Take a breath before you talk to them. Some coaches (unfairly) hold the actions of their parents against their kids. Hope your son recovers quickly.

Steven Wilson
08-18-2006, 12:06 PM
Ouch ! Collar bone fractures aren't fun, I've had hockey pucks break mine and it's no fun. One good thing though, your son is young and will heal quickly.

Frank Fusco
08-18-2006, 12:07 PM
If there is an upside to this, clavicals heal quickly compared to other parts of the body. Our two year old grandaughter broke her claivcal recently. Her parents, both M.D.s, are not greatly shook up by the incident. She will be just fine. Sorry about the boy, sidelining is the most serious injury.

Bill Grumbine
08-18-2006, 1:23 PM
Hi Todd

I know just how it feels. In August of 1972 I broke my clavicle playing tackle sandlot football. My parents had warned me again and again against doing so, but being that they were stupid old people I did not see the need to listen. It was on one of our YMCA day trips, so I had to ride about 50 miles in the back of a schoolbus (not fun), all the while anticipating facing my mother when I got back to town. Neither of my parents yelled, but I did get a talking to.

I missed playing on the football team that year. It was my 9th grade year, and I had been in the marching band the year before, so I stayed in the band. For the rest of my high school days I stayed in the band for fooball season, even though the coaches tried very hard to get me on the team. Our team did well to win one game every year, while the band got a number of honors. Besides, I could sit with my girlfriend du jour on the band bus - not so on the football bus.

Much worse when the day I broke my fingers in wrestling practice, two days after my best match of the year. But it was my senior year, I had already lettered on the team, and I commenced to get a serious case of senioritis.

He will survive, and it will be a good lesson for him that there are no guarantees in life. Tell him you know an old guy who had the same thing happen and he didn't have AC to take away the August heat and humidity! :eek:

Bill

John Kain
08-18-2006, 1:31 PM
I see nothing wrong with the practice that you explained. Injuries happen in football. No one is to blame here. It's bad luck, nothing more IMO.

Randy Meijer
08-18-2006, 1:33 PM
Another upsdie is your son will never need to consult the weatherman again!!:D I broke mine when I was about the same age as your son and ever since, it has always warned me when bad weather is on the way.

Worst part of it for me was not being able to take a shower for 6 weeks!!

Doug Jones
08-18-2006, 1:41 PM
Todd, sorry for your son's accident. But it is what it is, an accident, leave it at that and move beyond this. Now it gives him more time to concentrate on his studies.
I hope he heals cleanly and quickly,,,

Rob Bodenschatz
08-18-2006, 1:42 PM
Another upsdie is your son will never need to consult the weatherman again!!:D I broke mine when I was about the same age as your son and ever since, it has always warned me when bad weather is on the way.

Worst part of it for me was not being able to take a shower for 6 weeks!!

Mine aches avery once in a while too. Never really tried to correlate it to the weather, though. I'll have to track that more carefully.:)

Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan
08-18-2006, 1:57 PM
Gee Todd, I feel for your son, big time.

Playing football I broke.....

Left leg
right leg
two ribs right-side
3 ribs left-side
all of my fingers
one thumb
nose
right arm

The only one that was serious was the right leg, that I broke just above the ankle, they put me in a coma for 3 days so they would not have to pin it.

that ended my football days, at least it was in the last year of high school.

away from the playing field on off-road bikes I broke....

Left arm, twice
2 more ribs, right side
and my collar bone

Down hill skiing I broke my left leg, twice :D

Knees and elbows are just fine, thank you, but everything else kind of aches from time to time :rolleyes:

BTW, the collar bone was by far the most painful.

Talk to the coaches, but also realize that even a good pass and a stumble could have resulted in the same thing.

At least young guys heal fast.

Best of luck!

Dave Richards
08-18-2006, 2:08 PM
Todd, my wishes to your son for a speedy recovery.

Stu, I'll bet you're known as the "Evel Knievel" of football. :D

Todd Burch
08-18-2006, 2:34 PM
Guys, thanks for all the encouragement and wisdom.

I'm not as mad as I was yesterday, last night and this morning. It was an accident. It was as much my son's fault for diving, sans pads, as it was the coach's for throwing a bad pass. It happened, it happened, it happened.

I will still meet with them, but my tone will be that of "we're in this together, let's get him healed and back on the field".

Thanks Guys! Todd

Jeff Sudmeier
08-18-2006, 2:45 PM
Guys, thanks for all the encouragement and wisdom.

I'm not as mad as I was yesterday, last night and this morning. It was an accident. It was as much my son's fault for diving, sans pads, as it was the coach's for throwing a bad pass. It happened, it happened, it happened.

I will still meet with them, but my tone will be that of "we're in this together, let's get him healed and back on the field".

Thanks Guys! Todd

Todd, great thinking here! A meeting with the coach is needed to assure that it doesn't happen again. The fact that it was an accident, doesn't mean in the future they can't prevent it...

Also, be sure to talk about how your son can stay involved with the team, if he would like to.

Jim Becker
08-18-2006, 2:54 PM
"Ouch".........

Kevin Beck
08-18-2006, 3:01 PM
Todd,

I'm glad you have a better perspective on your son's injury today.

It stinks when our kids get hurt no matter what the cause. My son has been injured more times in our house (broken arm, dislocated knee, etc.) than he has any other place.

This was an accident, and accidents happen pretty much everywhere. It was a rare day of practice when I played football that someone didn't sprain/bruise/break something (no I didn't play with Stu). My only injury ever was off the field doing some crazy drill our head coach dreamed up to help with our agility (think world wrestling federation with big old farm boys not faking it).

I broke my friend's arm in practice in the 10th grade during a tackling drill. One of my other friends broke his arm (two different times) slipping while kicking field goals.

Your kids playing sports will definitely lead to more gray hairs but what they learn from team sports is definitely worth it in my opinion.

Kevin

Chris Padilla
08-18-2006, 3:34 PM
I played football as a youngster and did pretty well until everyone else grew up around me and I was back on the baseball diamond! ;)

Feces happens. I'm proud to say (knock on quartersawn bubinga), that I have never broken a bone in my life. However, I'm now biking/commuting to work 120 miles/week so I pray my streak continues....

Jim Hinze
08-18-2006, 4:06 PM
Todd,

As someone who played at every level of the game except for pro, I can tell you this is purely accidental and while it seems like a "stupid" injury that should not have occured, quite honestly should have been expected.

Football is a contact sport requiring skill, strength, and coordination weather in pads or not. (This sentense probably come off harsher than it is ment to be, pls. keep that in mind).

Due to my football days while in high-school (Junior and Sr. year) I had 2 knee operations, one major, one minor on the same knee. In college I herniated a disc from a downfield block executed poorly by myself, requiring the most painfull surgery and recovery I've ever experienced. Throughout the years I broke various bones... fingers, wrists, toes, ribs, etc...

The bottom line is it's part of the game... Let the coaches coach and the players play.. and try to keep your son involved with the team during down time... Just my humble opinion.

Bob Childress
08-18-2006, 4:20 PM
Todd,

I'm glad you've come around a little. I broke my wrist playing sandlot tackle football and I've broken fingers playing baseball.

But . . . I do feel your pain. After all, it's not just high school football--
It's TEXAS high school football:eek:

When I lived in Hondo (population 1,500 at that time) we regularly put 3000 fans in the high school stadium.:D

Scott Coffelt
08-18-2006, 4:23 PM
Stinks for sure, I know my senior year it was really freaking cold and I went out for a pass and just didn't get the hands completely open and the ball hit right dead on the tip of my pointer finger. I had a 90 degree bend right in the middle of the tip. Funny thing is I went to the doctor cause I badly hurt my ankle the same day on a hole in the field. Ankle was just a sprain, finger broken in two on the first digit. I had to have a pin stuck through my finger for 8 weeks, since 1/4" was still sticking out the end there was no way I was going to catch a pass or the thing might have drove through the other end. Came back with two games left, never played as i was not in game shape any more. It happens, and it sucks.

Guys gave me so much crap for being a pansy, until I unwrapped the finger and the Center fainted seeing a stainless steel nail sticking out the end. Then again, he was the one who crapped himself during a game with the flu. Glad I wasn't the QB on that one. Man dude, what did you eat and sit in. Nobody said a word about my finger after that. To this day it still hurts when it is cold.

Chris Padilla
08-18-2006, 4:34 PM
Todd,

I'm glad you've come around a little. I broke my wrist playing sandlot tackle football and I've broken fingers playing baseball.

But . . . I do feel your pain. After all, it's not just high school football--
It's TEXAS high school football:eek:

When I lived in Hondo (population 1,500 at that time) we regularly put 3000 fans in the high school stadium.:D


That's right, that's right...heard that on the radio once about people in Texas eating, drinking, and sleeping high school football.

Andy Fox
08-18-2006, 4:58 PM
Todd, just a brainstorm (or brainfart maybe :confused: ).....

I'm not a physician or dietician or anything, but I've never broken a bone, and I know I came really close to it many times. I attribute part of this good fortune to the fact that I almost always drank milk instead of nasty-tasting city water while growing up. We're talking like 3/4 gallon of milk per day in the summer. :eek: (Probably saved me from the effects of lead piping in our apartment too.)

Teenagers often don't eat a balanced diet. I think we all know from personal experience. :rolleyes: Check up on your son's diet and make sure he's getting plenty of the necessary stuff for the bones like calcium, magnesium, vitamins A & D, etc.

Brett Baldwin
08-18-2006, 4:59 PM
Stu's post makes me wonder if the game he was playing was how many different ways can I break a bone. I'm glad I played soccer. I only sprained both ankles several times and took full force kicks in the face (the ball, not a foot) and other sensitive regions. Except for knees that sounds like a breakfast cereal, I'm fairly unscathed.

Jim Benante
08-18-2006, 5:02 PM
Sorry to hear of the injury.

Have your boy concentrate on the legs while hurt. Strong legs are what football is all about. He'll be ready to shine in his Junior and Senoir year.

Robert Mickley
08-18-2006, 5:46 PM
He will get better Todd, youngsters heal up a lot better than old farts :D

Could be like my sisters boy, years and years of socker and never an injury. Now he's 29 or 30 (i can't keep track to many of them) Last fall he was on a company trip, some seminar. They had a pickup game of flag football, one of the players got a little rough and he ended up getting tackeld and breaking his collar bone. Funny part is it was one of the girls that got him. :D:D

I never palyed sports in school, we used to play Barn Ball. one basket ball hoop, one basket ball about 15 teenagers with no sense :rolleyes:. The playing area was on top of the grainery in the barn. The object of the game was to do in the guy with the basket ball that was trying to score. More than one of us took the 8 foot fall to the barn floor. It's a miracle that no one ever split a skull, but there was a few broken bones.

John Kain
08-18-2006, 5:53 PM
Sorry to hear of the injury.

Have your boy concentrate on the legs while hurt. Strong legs are what football is all about. He'll be ready to shine in his Junior and Senoir year.
Problem is, it's hard to work on legs with a clavicle injury. You can't squat or do leg presses. You can do isolation quad machines, but those aren't very good for increasing strength alone. That's why a clavicle injury is so tough to have......it not only sacrifices the shoulder, but many of the leg and body strengthening exercises as well. It's a tough injury to have. Good thing they heal quick........

Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan
08-18-2006, 11:55 PM
Stu's post makes me wonder if the game he was playing was how many different ways can I break a bone...............

One of the reasons I got hurt so often was I played Ironball, that is where you do not have enough big guys on your team, so I played offence and defensive line, as well as line on the punts and field-goals, and up front on the kick off and receiving, nary a break from playing :)

BTW, where I come from soccer is what the girls play... :D :rolleyes:;) :D (just funning ya)

I would not trade all my time and injuries playing football for nothing, loved it, and made a ton of friends, learned a lot too.

Cheers!

Martin Shupe
08-19-2006, 1:04 AM
Todd,

So sorry to hear of your son's injury. I'm praying he heals quickly and successfully.

Missing football will hurt, but his health is more important right now. It will be hard for him to understand that, I am sure.

I finally learned how to properly sharpen and tune a hand plane. Thanks again for the time you spent showing me hand plane techniques.

Christopher Pine
08-19-2006, 3:38 AM
So sorry for your son! YOu sure it will be a season ender? I see that it is a severe brake! I had a friend in highschool on my our team broke his in a game and was playing I would guess (As I can't remember ) in about 4 weeks. He still had some swelling but was able to runa dn play fine. Just wondering?

Chris

Todd Burch
08-19-2006, 8:58 AM
Due to the nature of the break, it doesn't warrant surgery, and the bone doc guy didn't see the need for any casting or other significant bracing. He's got a sling, and then a wrap to hold the sling to his chest, and the doc said tough it out, basically. 8-10 weeks. I asked "well, what about the fact that the bone is not collinear, and his reply was it would heal just fine. With surgery, they could put a plate on with screws, but he said it would merely be only for cosmetic reasons, and the risks associated with surgery were greater than the inconsequential cosmetic alternative.

News to me. But I ain't no orthopedic doctor either.

So, Tylenol #3 and 600mg ibuprofin are the order of the day for a while.

Thanks again. Todd

Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan
08-19-2006, 9:21 AM
Yep Todd, that is basically that they told me when I broke mine, and they gave me this brace kind of thing, it was like a curved piece of rigid plastic that went between my shoulder blades, with a harness that went around each shoulder and arm, then it was laced in front over my chest. Yes my buddies soon called it my "Bra" :rolleyes: Made me walk around with my shoulder back and my chest puffed out...... :D But is sure helped hold things in place.

Worst thing was when someone would walk up and put their hand on my shoulder and say "hows it going" and I'd jump back saying "YEEEE...OUCH!!!"


I had a sling for about 4 weeks, and it was summer, it was hot, and I hated both of those things in about a week, gave me really strange tan lines too :o :p
Go as easy on the pain meds as you can, they make your bowels do weird things (I know, too much info, sorry).

Here is hoping he heals fast.

Cheers!

Charlie Velasquez
08-19-2006, 9:28 AM
I will still meet with them, but my tone will be that of "we're in this together, let's get him healed and back on the field".

Todd,
Sorry to hear about your son's accident.

This was an accident, pure and simple. Whether the coach threw the balls intentionally off target or not is immaterial. I have been coaching several sports for 30 years and I often,.. no,.. not often, ALWAYS, try to find the limits of an athlete's ability. In baseball I would hit ground balls right at an infielder, then start working farther and farther left and right. Invariably, my better athletes would dive for the balls. Do the same in volleyball. Especially in volleyball. In volleyball I spend time practicing how to sprawl and dive, but the situation would be totally different in football. Not much finesse to those situations.

I will disagree with many of the fellow creekers and suggest you do NOT meet with the coaches.
Even after cooling off you will have some residual feelings of blame. Those will come through and you will find yourself slowly reverting to those during your discussion. I see nothing good.

I have had these meetings (memorable one was when a girl broke her arm in practice returning a serve from an above average server ). Parent started softly, but slowly worked herself into a fever pitch of blame. The mother in said example asked me to not allow this girl to serve to her daughter again...think about that.. The only way I could guarantee her daughter not hurt herself was to not allow her to play.
The coaches can NOT insure this will not happen again.

Your son is a sophomore. Have HIM go to the coaches. Have HIM ask what he can do to still be a part of the team. Have HIM go to the practices, run the camera, keep the stats, run on the track. The coaches will be impressed and your son will continue to travel along the road of independence and maturation.

My .02 worth...

Todd Burch
08-19-2006, 10:06 AM
Yes Charlie, I agree with you, and I already did that. Last night was the Annual all-sports kick off pep rally for the parents and all the athletes. Afterwards, I went up to the coaches, shook their hands, and told them I don't need to meet with them. I thanked them for all their hard work and time (well, let me spell that T I M E) and that Kevin was looking forward to participating any way he could after this unfortunate accidient. That was it. And I think that was best.

Todd

Michael Fross
08-19-2006, 10:17 AM
Not sure it will make you feel any better, but had a very similary injury in high school. It was very painful, but healed quickly. It also didn't stop me from playing Big 10 football, so I'm sure everything will be just fine.

However, having reconstructive knee surgery due to college football is another story..... ;-)

Best of luck.

Michael

Rob Bodenschatz
08-19-2006, 10:19 AM
Yes Charlie, I agree with you, and I already did that. Last night was the Annual all-sports kick off pep rally for the parents and all the athletes. Afterwards, I went up to the coaches, shook their hands, and told them I don't need to meet with them. I thanked them for all their hard work and time (well, let me spell that T I M E) and that Kevin was looking forward to participating any way he could after this unfortunate accidient. That was it. And I think that was best.

Todd

Well done Todd.

Jim King
08-19-2006, 10:55 AM
Tod:

You are probably just jealous that you cant get going fast enough anymore to break anything. I know the only way I could break a bone is if a car hit me.

jackson stieb
08-20-2006, 3:32 AM
Accidents happen all the tiime this time it was with football.... Ask for them to explain it but then move on... your kid is watching your everystep and it parents that put fear in their kids so be positive and get him back practicing when he can even if it is in shorts and a shrit when ever he can to keep his hopes high and his attitude to play later this year and for sure next stay positve.... find the positive in all bad situationsss ... rock on football players!!!

Jim Hinze
08-20-2006, 7:34 AM
Yes Charlie, I agree with you, and I already did that. Last night was the Annual all-sports kick off pep rally for the parents and all the athletes. Afterwards, I went up to the coaches, shook their hands, and told them I don't need to meet with them. I thanked them for all their hard work and time (well, let me spell that T I M E) and that Kevin was looking forward to participating any way he could after this unfortunate accidient. That was it. And I think that was best.

Todd

Well done sir.

Keith Starosta
08-20-2006, 7:38 AM
Yes Charlie, I agree with you, and I already did that. Last night was the Annual all-sports kick off pep rally for the parents and all the athletes. Afterwards, I went up to the coaches, shook their hands, and told them I don't need to meet with them. I thanked them for all their hard work and time (well, let me spell that T I M E) and that Kevin was looking forward to participating any way he could after this unfortunate accidient. That was it. And I think that was best.

Todd

Excellent. Well played.

I hope your boy heals up quickly!!

- Keith