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.
Wow, this article is good, my younger sister is analyzing such things, so I am going to inform her.|
Thanks for every other informative blog. Where else may just I get that type of information written in such a perfect method? I have a undertaking that I’m just now running on, and I have been at the look out for such information.
Awesome write-up. I’m a normal visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I will be a frequent visitor for a really long time.
Howdy very nice blog!! Man .. Beautiful .. Superb .. I will bookmark your web site and take the feeds additionally? I am happy to seek out a lot of helpful information right here within the publish, we’d like work out extra strategies in this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .|
What’s up everyone, it’s my first pay a visit at this web page, and article is genuinely fruitful in favor of me, keep up posting such content.|
I was more than happy to find this page. I need to to thank you for your time for this particularly fantastic read!! I definitely really liked every little bit of it and I have you book marked to check out new information in your blog.|
I’m curious to find out what blog system you are working with? I’m having some minor security issues with my latest website and I’d like to find something more safe. Do you have any recommendations?|
Thanks for a marvelous posting! I definitely enjoyed reading it, you might be a great author. I will ensure that I bookmark your blog and definitely will come back sometime soon. I want to encourage yourself to continue your great job, have a nice holiday weekend!|
This info is invaluable. Where can I find out more?|
Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really irritating. A good website with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this web site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?
Today, I went to the beachfront with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell someone!|
Nice post. I learn something totally new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon every day. It will always be exciting to read content from other authors and practice something from their websites. |
I am sure this post has touched all the internet users, its really really fastidious paragraph on building up new web site.|
After I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments ginerdisu are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the same comment. Is there any approach you possibly can remove me from that service? Thanks!
Great write-up, I’m normal visitor of one’s web site, maintain up the excellent operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a long time.
I like the valuable info you provide in your articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I am quite certain I’ll learn plenty of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!
Hello all, here every one is sharing these experience, thus it’s nice to read this weblog, and I used to pay a visit this website every day.|
If some one wishes to be updated with newest technologies then he must be visit this website and be up to date all the time.|
Awesome post. I am a normal visitor of your site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I’ll be a regular visitor for a really long time.
hey there and thank you for your info – I have definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise some technical points using this web site, since I experienced to reload the site lots of times previous to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your web host is OK? Not that I am complaining, but slow loading instances times will sometimes affect your placement in google and can damage your high quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Well I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for much more of your respective exciting content. Ensure that you update this again soon..