Sternoclavicular Joint Repair

I had surgery on 3/14/07- sternoclavicular joint repair. When I was 14, my sc joint dislocated out of no where. I went to the doc and he said it should heal in a year and didn't recommend surgery. I went back when I was 16- doc thought it was odd that it didn't heal... though again, didn't recommend surgery since it was so intricate. Went back again when I was 18, making sure I would be alright if I joined the Army, he said yes.

When I got out of Basic Training and AIT (Army job training) I started to get a lot of pain in my neck/shoulder/back region.  I went to an orthopeadic surgeon who said the pain is prob cause from my collarbone dislocating so much- it was irritating my nerves and muscles....and he recommended me to a heart surgeon who did my surgery. The xray didn't show a dislocation (since it only happens with certain arm movements) and only showed a lil inflammation in a MRI.

Surgery:  The doc took a neck muscle (Name? It's the muscle that sticks out in the front of the neck when you turn your head to the side)... drilled a hole in my collarbone... wrapped that muscle around my collarbone and rib to make it a stable joint. The doc said when he first cut me open, the muscle that is suppose to hold my joint together, was just floating around...

It IS a stable joint... but I am still having neck and shoulder pains.... sometimes even worse than before since sometimes the front of my neck hurts- down to my joint near the surgery cut.

Now I am getting clicking, coming from my SC joint. My phys therapist said it may be my bones rubbing together- that the disk may have worn out from either 4 years of dislocation or the doc cutting my collarbone too sharp.

My question is
1) What could be the reason that I am still having the same pain?
2)What could the clicking mean? If the disk did deteriorate, does that mean another surgery?
3)Will that thin neck muscle ever heal to the point where I can do pushups? (Still feels very sore and weak... I have to do pushups for the Army... I haven't done 1 since my surgery since it hurts too much)

I am now 20.

Thank you so very much! I really appreciate it!

[DeanG]

My 14 year old son suffered this in a wrestling tournament about 1 month ago and I do not know if he can compete again. He has been told by one specialist that he can come back in 3 months and by another specialist that he needs to retire to avoid risk of another similar injury.

Shannon, until now I have not found another person with this Strenoclavicual joint dislocation. It sounds like you may have had this rare injury. How did it happen to you? Did you participate in contact sports after your injury. It sounded like you have reinjured in several times...How are you feeling now?

Dean