15 Dec 95 01:48, Michael Yeager wrote to Jay Hanig:
 JH>> Injury to the articulating joints is more threatening to long term
 JH>> health than a midshaft fracture.  As long as the blood supply to the
 JH>> bone hasn't been interrupted (as with a crushing injury to the femoral
 JH>> head, for example), the risk is minimal.
 MY>      This is what I was hoping to hear. It is a midshaft fracture
 MY> (three places) and is healing well. I have no mobility loss in the
 MY> shoulder.
Ouch!
 JH>> With an interruption to the distal bone, you become
 MY>      What is the 'distal' bone???
Bones have two ends in relation to the centerline of your body: proximal 
(closest) and distal (farthest).  What I was trying to illustrate was that 
the biggest danger from diving results from diving after an injury that 
disrupts the blood supply to the "head" of the bone, ie, not the midshaft.  
You would put yourself at risk for aseptic (without infection) bone necrosis 
(bone death).
It's very much like having very bad arthritis.....the articulating surface of 
the joint can't repair itself because of the poor circulation, so it just 
wears out.  Not much danger of that in your collarbone.....
 JH>> I'd suspect your collarbone will let you know when you can safely
 JH>> dive again.....when you can stand the weight of the gear on your
 JH>> shoulders again on dry land, most likely.
 MY>      I'll let the doctor tell me when it is healed enough to support the
 MY> weight, and then try it out. Not willing to take the risk of trying it
 MY> out early!
Well, if you feel your tank slip down accompanied by a crunching sound, 
you'll know you were too early.  
Jay, RN
PADI M-9033
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