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 don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I do not know who you are but definitely you’re going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!
You really make it seem so easy along with your presentation but I to find this topic to be really one thing which I believe I might by no means understand. It sort of feels too complicated and very vast for me. I am taking a look forward in your subsequent submit, I will attempt to get the grasp of it!
I think this is one of the most important information for me. And i am glad reading your article. But should remark on few general things, The website style is ideal, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers
I actually wanted to write down a small note to thank you for these remarkable guidelines you are writing at this site. My particularly long internet look up has at the end been compensated with awesome facts to share with my close friends. I would repeat that we site visitors actually are unquestionably lucky to be in a wonderful site with very many lovely professionals with valuable basics. I feel extremely grateful to have come across your entire web pages and look forward to so many more cool times reading here. Thanks once more for all the details.
I will immediately snatch your rss as I can not find your email subscription hyperlink or newsletter service. Do you have any? Please permit me realize so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
I have recently started a website, the info you offer on this site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
Hello my friend! I want to say that this article is amazing, great written and come with approximately all significant infos. I¡¦d like to look more posts like this .
Hello.This post was really remarkable, particularly because I was browsing for thoughts on this subject last Thursday.
Great tremendous issues here. I¡¦m very happy to peer your post. Thank you so much and i’m taking a look ahead to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
I simply could not go away your site prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard info a person supply in your guests? Is going to be back frequently to investigate cross-check new posts
Wow! Thank you! I always wanted to write on my site something like that. Can I take a part of your post to my website?
Well I truly enjoyed studying it. This post provided by you is very helpful for accurate planning.
This is really interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your great post. Also, I have shared your web site in my social networks!
excellent post, very informative. I’m wondering why the opposite experts of this sector do not understand this. You must continue your writing. I’m confident, you have a great readers’ base already!
whoah this blog is excellent i love studying your posts. Keep up the good paintings! You understand, a lot of people are looking around for this information, you could help them greatly.
Love this place. I’ve been here at least 1/2 a dozen times with friends from work. This time I brought my 7 year old son. He loves it.
I’ve been surfing online more than 3 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all web owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the web will be much more useful than ever before.
Thank you for your whole labor on this site. Kim enjoys participating in internet research and it is easy to see why. We all notice all concerning the lively form you give very helpful guides via the blog and in addition encourage contribution from others on this topic and my princess is certainly starting to learn a great deal. Take pleasure in the rest of the new year. You are always doing a really good job.
I in addition to my pals ended up looking through the great tricks on your web blog then suddenly developed a horrible suspicion I never thanked the site owner for those secrets. All of the boys were definitely consequently warmed to learn them and have in effect in actuality been enjoying them. We appreciate you being so considerate and also for making a decision on this kind of high-quality guides most people are really eager to discover. My very own honest regret for not saying thanks to earlier.
I¡¦ve been exploring for a little for any high quality articles or blog posts in this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this website. Reading this info So i am glad to exhibit that I have an incredibly good uncanny feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I most certainly will make sure to don¡¦t overlook this site and provides it a glance regularly.