After a Broken Collarbone, Teen Gets Back on Track for Collegiate Soccer

Jake DiOrio, 18, has loved playing soccer for as long as he can remember. After not making the varsity team as a sophomore at Belmont High School, he dedicated himself to improving his game. His hard work eventually earned him a spot on the varsity team, where he thrived as a goal-scoring forward. His senior year, he accepted an offer to play soccer at Clark University.

Several weeks later, however, Jake suffered a fractured right clavicle (collarbone) while playing with the New England Futbol Club (NEFC). He suddenly found himself sidelined from the game he cherished so much.

“Soccer is very, very important to me,” he said. “I don’t know where I’d be without it.”

Fortunately, the NEFC’s official healthcare provider is Mass General Brigham for Children. Through this collaboration, NEFC families receive streamlined access to pediatric orthopedic and sports medicine services.

As a result, Jake was evaluated quickly and seen the next business day after his injury. He then underwent surgery the following day, led by a care team in the Pediatric Orthopedics Program, allowing him to begin his recovery without delay.

A devastating injury

The memories of the injury remain vivid for Jake. As he pursued the ball down the right side of the field, a defender grabbed his shirt. The two players’ legs got entangled, sending Jake tumbling to the ground. His right shoulder took the brunt of the fall. For good measure, the opposing player then landed on it.

Jake immediately knew something was wrong—even though the adrenaline coursing through his veins prevented him from feeling any pain.

“Once the adrenaline wore off, it hurt pretty bad,” he said. “But in the moment, I was more emotional about not being able to play anymore. I could see in the reactions of my parents, teammates, and spectators that it was serious.”

Later that afternoon, X-rays at Newton-Wellesley Hospital showed that Jake’s right collarbone was broken in two places. He went home with his arm in a sling. Sitting in the back seat of his parents’ car, every turn and bump in the road sparked a new wave of agony. Things didn’t get any better back home.

“I couldn’t even stand up to get off the couch without some help,” he said.

Benefiting from expedited care

Following an uncomfortable and mostly sleepless night, Jake was still in extreme discomfort. His mother contacted Mass General Brigham for Children via a dedicated phone line for NEFC families. She was able to schedule a visit with chief of pediatric orthopedic surgery Nikolaos Paschos, MD, PhD, who is also NEFC club medical director, for the next day.

At the appointment, Dr. Paschos reviewed Jake’s X-rays with the family and explained that the middle section of his broken collarbone was pointing upward and pressing against the skin.

“Given the position of the fracture and the pressure it was placing on the skin, surgery was the best treatment option,” Dr. Paschos said.

“Dr. Paschos told us that having surgery could allow me to recover faster, which is what I wanted to hear,” Jake recalled. “His confidence and demeanor calmed and reassured us. My parents and I could tell he cared a lot.”

With everyone in agreement about the treatment plan, Dr. Paschos scheduled Jake’s surgery for the next afternoon at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Clavicle fracture open reduction and internal fixation

The procedure that Dr. Paschos performed on Jake is called clavicle fracture open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). After making a cut in the skin, Dr. Paschos moved the three pieces of the collarbone back into their correct position. He then laid a plate along the top, anchoring it with screws to hold the bones in place.

Dr. Paschos selects from a variety of plates in different sizes and shapes to best fit each patient’s anatomy. He also uses the fewest number of short, thin screws needed to secure the bones. These techniques are designed to restore alignment, support healing, and help patients safely regain range of motion as they recover.

Dr. Paschos and his surgical colleagues at Mass General Brigham for Children have extensive experience in performing this procedure.

“A lot of orthopedic surgeons can perform this operation,” he said. “But the devil is in the details. Careful attention to plate placement and screw selection can help reduce discomfort and support a successful recovery.”

Jake woke up from the roughly 75-minute procedure early in the evening. A couple hours later, he was discharged and his parents drove him home.

On a path to full recovery

In the two months since the operation, Dr. Paschos has seen Jake three times to monitor his progress. Jake has been doing physical therapy for about five weeks, focusing first on basic movements and now on strengthening his shoulder muscles.

Today, Jake is slowly easing back into soccer activities. He isn’t running yet but can dribble and pass the ball. As long as his recovery stays on track, Dr. Paschos expects to clear him to return to full-contact practices before he begins his first collegiate soccer season.

“I still feel a little bit fragile, so I don’t want to rush into things and risk getting hurt again,” Jake said. “But I don’t have any pain, and I’m feeling pretty optimistic. Being able to get out there, kick the ball, and work on my skills definitely helps.”

Dr. Paschos is elated to have played a role in Jake’s recovery.

“His story nicely illustrates what we had hoped to achieve by forming a partnership with the NEFC,” Dr. Paschos said. “Our goal is to evaluate injured athletes quickly so we can begin the appropriate treatment plan as soon as possible. That’s our commitment to NEFC families, and I’m very proud of what we’ve built here.”

Now, Jake is looking forward to beginning his collegiate soccer career—and is grateful to the care team that helped him get here.

“They did such a good job. I’d never had surgery before, so having people who were so professional and relaxed was great for me,” he said. “I’ve exceeded my expectations for where I thought I’d be at this point, and I’m just very, very thankful.”