I fell going down the stairs at church and dislocated my collarbone. It’s not healing and I’m in constant pain. Should I have surgery to reconstruct the bone and joint? The doctor doesn’t seem convinced it will help.

Chronic pain from a traumatic sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) dislocation can present a real problem. Besides pain the patients have limited use of the arm. They can’t push up with that arm to get out of bed. They can’t push the grocery store door or other heavy door open. Sleeping on that side is difficult if not impossible.

Yet reports so far don’t show the best results with surgery to repair or reconstruct the joint. A recent study from Children’s Hospital in Boston gives us a little better long-term view. They followed 24 patients ages 12 to 23 for up to four years after SJ dislocation and surgical repair.

Most of the patients reported being pain free after the operation. Over 85 percent had to restrict their sports activities. Baseball pitching or other overhead throwing activities, water skiing, and lifting weren’t ever the same. Most patients said they just couldn’t do these activities. Sleeping was still a problem. They couldn’t lie on that side for any length of time.

Based on the results of this study, it’s fair to say that if pain relief is what you’re after then surgery may be just what you need. If you’re expecting to get back to all your former activities, you may be disappointed.