All You Need To Know About Clavicle Fractures
Your clavicle, or “collarbone”, plays an important role in the positioning and function of your arm. It is the main connection of your shoulder girdle to the rest of your body. Because of the collarbone’s length and vulnerable location lying just under the skin of the shoulder, it is often at risk for injury. Clavicle fractures are some of the most common fractures treated by orthopaedic doctors. Of note, the clavicle is the last bone in the body to stop growing – often at up to 25 years of age. As a result of this prolonged growth, the clavicle has excellent healing potential, and most clavicle fractures can be treated non-operatively by simply allowing the bones to mend. However, there are some types of clavicle fractures that are best treated surgically. The clavicle is critical in providing length and contour to the shoulder which allows muscles around the shoulder girdle to function effectively. Fractures that cause significant shortening or mal-alignment of the clavicle can cause weakness in the shoulder or risk of “nonunion” or incomplete healing of the fracture leading to chronic pain.
Risk Factors for Clavicle Fractures
- Falls – either directly on the shoulder or onto an outstretched hand attempting to “break the fall.”
- Direct blow – any forceful blow to the clavicle (i.e. – falling object, lacrosse stick) can cause a fracture due to the little muscle or soft tissue protection to the bone.
- Osteoporosis, or low bone quality
Symptoms of Clavicle Fractures
- Difficulty moving one or both arms. It may be impossible to raise the arm at all and attempts may cause a grinding or crackling noise.
- There may be some pain emanating from the site of the break, even without moving.
- A swollen bump above the site of the break. May be visible beneath skin.
- Swelling and bruising of the clavicle.
- A sagging or hanging shoulder.
Treatment of Clavicle Fractures
- A clavicle fracture is treated differently dependent upon how severe the break is and where it is broken. The clavicle most often breaks cleanly in the middle. This type of fracture usually heals within 6-8 weeks and is treated by:
- Sling to immobilize and support the arm during healing.
- Pain medication to reduce any pain the person is experiencing.
- Ice to limit swelling and help with the pain.
- Physical therapy after healing or towards the end of healing to help regain full motion and strengthen surrounding muscles.
- Surgery is reserved for patients with significant separation of the bone ends, shortening of the bone due to overlap of the fracture ends, and fractures creating multiple pieces. These types of injuries are at risk to heal in positions that limit full shoulder function, or are at risk of not healing which causes significant pain with attempts at using the arm.
- If you have sustained a clavicle injury, it is best to seek consultation with a orthopaedic specialist to review the nature of the injury and determine the best course of treatment in order to maximize your outcome from this very common injury.
I have been checking out some of your articles and i must say clever stuff. I will surely bookmark your site.
I was just looking for this information for some time. After six hours of continuous Googleing, finally I got it in your site. I wonder what is the lack of Google strategy that do not rank this type of informative sites in top of the list. Normally the top web sites are full of garbage.
Hi, Neat post. There is an issue along with your web site in web explorer, could test this… IE nonetheless is the marketplace leader and a huge section of other folks will omit your fantastic writing because of this problem.
Together with ploosis every thing which seems to be building within this specific subject matter, your perspectives are rather stimulating. Even so, I am sorry, because I can not subscribe to your entire suggestion, all be it refreshing none the less. It would seem to us that your comments are generally not entirely validated and in fact you are your self not even wholly confident of the assertion. In any event I did enjoy looking at it.
I could not refrain from commenting. Well written!
Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and web stuff and this is actually frustrating. A good site with interesting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?
Hi there. I found your blog via Google even as looking for a similar subject, your web site got here up. It seems great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.
Good – I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your website. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related information ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, site theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Excellent task.
I love reading an article that can make men and women think. Also, thank you for allowing for me to comment!
Saved as a favorite, I love your website!
Fantastic kiollsos goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too magnificent. I really like what you’ve acquired here, certainly like what you are saying and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still care for to keep it sensible. I can not wait to read far more from you. This is really a wonderful web site.
This website certainly has all of the information and facts I needed about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
I dugg some of you post as I cogitated they were extremely helpful extremely helpful
F*ckin’ remarkable things here. I am very glad to see your post. Thank you so much and i’m taking a look ahead to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
Great blog here! Also your website loads up very fast! What host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
I’m really impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to see a great blog like this one today..
Hello there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it’s really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I’ll appreciate if you continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
I’m impressed, I need to say. Really rarely do I encounter a blog that’s both educational and entertaining, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head.