Collar bone fracture

A clavicle fracture is a break in the collarbone. You have two clavicles, each connecting a shoulder to the upper chest. Broken collarbones are common, often happening from a fall, sports injury or car accident. Although a broken clavicle is painful, most people don’t need surgery. Physical therapy can help reduce stiffness and rebuild strength. Overview What is a clavicle fracture? A clavicle fracture is a break in the collarbone. You have two clavicles — long, slender, S-shaped bones connecting the shoulders to the upper chest. Broken collarbones are common, making up about 5% of all adult Are there different kinds of clavicle fractures? A collarbone can crack in one place or break into several pieces (comminuted fracture). The broken pieces may still line up or may end up out of place (displaced fracture). Symptoms and Causes How do people break their collarbones? A clavicle breaks when force or pressure causes it to snap. Common causes are: • Collisions (trauma) when an arm is outstretched, like during skiing, hockey, football and other sports. • Direct hits to the clavicle, such as in a car accident. • Falls onto the clavicle or an extended arm. • Passing through the birth canal for a baby. What are the symptoms of a broken collarbone? If you break your collarbone, you may experience: • Snapping or grinding noise when the bone breaks. • Sharp pain, which gets worse when you move that area. • Shoulder slumping down or forward because the bone no longer supports it. • D...

How Broken Bones Heal video A clavicle fracture is a break in the collarbone, one of the main bones in the shoulder. This type of fracture is fairly common, accounting for about 5% of all adult fractures. Most clavicle fractures occur when a fall onto the shoulder or an outstretched arm puts enough pressure on the bone that it snaps or breaks. A broken collarbone can be very painful and can make it hard to move your arm. Many clavicle fractures can be treated by wearing a sling to keep the arm and shoulder from moving while the bone heals. With some clavicle fractures, however, the pieces of bone move far out of place when the injury occurs. For these more complicated fractures, surgery may be needed to realign the collarbone. Anatomy Clavicle fractures are fairly common and occur in people of all ages. Most fractures occur in the middle portion, or shaft, of the bone. Occasionally, the bone will break where it attaches at the ribcage or shoulder blade. Clavicle fractures vary. The bone can crack just slightly or break into many pieces (comminuted fracture). The broken pieces of bone may line up straight or may be far out of place (displaced fracture). Clavicle fractures are most often caused by a direct blow to the shoulder. This can happen during a fall onto the shoulder or an accident, like a car collision. A fall onto an outstretched arm can also cause a clavicle fracture. In a baby, a clavicle fracture can occur during the passage through the birth canal. Symptoms A c...

Collarbone surgery involves repairing a broken clavicle bone. Surgeons will try to realign the displaced bone and fix it in place to help it heal. People can usually return to their usual activities within 3 months. The clavicle, or collarbone, sits on top of the rib cage in front of the chest. It provides support for shoulder movement. A collarbone fracture often occurs due to a fall onto the shoulder or an outstretched arm. This type of fracture is common. About After a collarbone fracture, doctors may recommend surgery. This article explores collarbone surgery, including what happens during the procedure, risks, and recovery. Share on Pinterest Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images Doctors may treat a collarbone The break can occur in the following places: • In the middle of the collarbone, where the bone attaches to the shoulder blade or ribcage. This is the most common type of clavicle fracture. • Near the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, where the clavicle meets the shoulder. This is the second most common type of fracture. • Close to the sternum (breastbone). This is the least common type of break. The need for collarbone surgery depends on the severity of the fracture. Sometimes, the bone may only crack. However, more serious fractures can result in the collarbone breaking into several pieces. Collarbone surgery involves putting the bone back into the correct alignment, which promotes proper healing. Doctors may recommend collarbone surgery in...

• The clavicle (collarbone) is one of the most fractured bones in the body. • Symptoms of a broken collarbone include severe pain and swelling at the site of the fracture and with visible deformity in some cases. • A clavicle fracture is diagnosed through a physical examination and • Clavicle fractures are classified into three types based on the location of the fracture: 1) near the sternum (least common), 2) near the AC joint (second most common), or 3) in the middle of the bone between the sternum and AC joint (most common). • Immobilization using a sling is often used to treat a clavicle fracture along with cold therapy and medication for pain relief. • In most cases of a fractured collarbone, there are no limitations once the fracture heals. Where is the clavicle? The clavicle is the bone that connects the breastplate (sternum) to the shoulder. It is a very solid bone that has a slight S-shape and can be easily seen in many people. It connects to the sternum at a joint with cartilage called the sternoclavicular joint. At the other end, the bone meets the shoulder area at a part of the shoulder blade (scapula) called the acromion. The joint at that end of the bone containing cartilage is called the acromioclavicular joint. The collarbone acts as a strut to connect the sternum to the shoulder blade. Because of the critical location of the clavicle, any severe force on the shoulder, such as falling directly onto the shoulder or falling on an outstretched arm, transfers f...

What Is It? When a bone breaks or cracks, the injury is called a fracture. In the collarbone (clavicle), fractures can happen in three separate areas: • The outer third of the collarbone is near the tip of the shoulder. Fractures here usually are caused by an accidental fall or some other type of direct impact (football tackle, hockey check, car collision) that transmits force to the side or top of the shoulder. Fractures in this area account for about 15% of all collarbone fractures. • About 80% of all collarbone fractures occur in the middle third of the bone. A fracture here usually is related to a fall on an outstretched arm. This area also can be fractured by a direct impact to the middle of the collarbone, especially during stick sports, such as hockey or lacrosse. • The third nearest the breastbone rarely fractures. Fractures in this part of the collarbone almost always are caused by a direct blow to the front of the chest, often from a steering wheel impact during a car crash. The collarbone is one of the most common fractures. In most collarbone fractures, the ends of the fractured bone do not move apart widely, and the area of tissue damage involves only the collarbone. In rare cases, a sharp portion of the fractured bone either will pierce the surface skin (an open fracture), or cut into one of the large nerves or blood vessels that travel through the shoulder. In severe impact injuries, it is also possible for a portion of the fractured collarbone to penetrate ...

When you break your collarbone, you’re likely to be in a lot of pain and have trouble moving your arm without causing more pain. You may also have: • swelling • stiffness • inability to move your shoulder • tenderness • bruising • a bump or raised area over the break • grinding or crackling noise when you move your arm • forward sagging of your shoulder The Sports injuries are a common cause of broken collarbones, especially in younger people. The clavicle doesn’t fully harden Contact sports like football and hockey can lead to shoulder injuries, as can other sports where a fall usually happens at high speeds or on a downward trajectory, such as skiing or skateboarding. Infants Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and how the injury occurred. They’ll also examine your shoulder, and likely ask you to try to move your arm, hand, and fingers. Sometimes the location of the break will be evident, because your bone will be pushing up under your skin. Depending on the type of break, the doctor may want to check to see if nerves or blood vessels were also damaged. The doctor will order shoulder X-rays to show the exact location of the break, how much the bone ends have moved, and whether other bones are broken. Sometimes they’ll also order a Treatment for a broken collarbone depends on the type and severity of your fracture. There are risks and benefits to both nonsurgical and surgical treatments. It’s best to fully discuss your treatment options with your doctor. In the p...

What Is a Broken Collarbone? A broken collarbone, or clavicle There are three types of collarbone (clavicle) fractures: • Middle of the collarbone between the breastbone and the shoulder joint (the most common type of broken collarbone) • Near the shoulder joint • Near the breastbone (the least common type of broken collarbone) Broken Collarbone Symptoms A broken collarbone is usually pretty obvious. You might feel it break or hear a crack when it happens. Afterward, you’ll probably have: • Pain and swelling • Trouble moving your arm and shoulder • A grinding feeling when you try to raise your arm • Sagging in your shoulder • A bump around the area of the break Broken Collarbone Causes Usually, broken collarbones happen from an accident. Common causes of a broken collarbone include: • Getting hit or falling on your shoulder • Falling hard on your hand or arm. This transfers the force of the impact to your collarbone, which snaps • Falling off a bicycle Broken Collarbone Diagnosis Go to your doctor or an emergency room right away if you think you’ve broken your collarbone, especially if there’s tingling, numbness, or weakness in your hand or arm. If your injury is near the sternum (the breastbone) and you have trouble breathing or swallowing, it could be something more serious. Try not to move your arm. Either hold it close to your body with your other arm or with a sling with the hand raised higher than the elbow. To diagnose a broken collarbone, the doctor will give you a...

Treatment For healing, any broken bone must be kept still. People who have a broken collarbone usually need to wear a sling. Bone healing usually takes 3 to 6 weeks for children and 6 to 12 weeks for adults. A newborn's collarbone that breaks during delivery typically heals in about two weeks with only pain control and careful handling of the baby. Medicines A pain medicine that you can buy without a prescription might be all that's needed to ease pain. Some people might need a prescription medicine with a narcotic for a few days. Because narcotics can be habit-forming, it's important to use them for only a short time and only as directed by a health care provider. Therapy Exercises to restore movement begin soon after treatment starts. It's usually important to begin moving to lessen stiffness. Later, other exercises or physical therapy can help the joint move better and build muscle strength. Surgery Surgery might be needed if the collarbone has broken through the skin, is out of place or is in several pieces. Broken collarbone surgery usually includes using plates, screws or rods to hold the bone in place while it heals. Surgical complications are rare but can include infection. Children and teenagers younger than 16 rarely need surgery because they heal more quickly than adults do. Lifestyle and home remedies Applying ice to the area for 20 to 30 minutes every few hours during the first 2 to 3 days after a collarbone break can help control pain and swelling. Preparing ...

X-ray of a broken collarbone (clavicle) • The clavicle (commonly referred to as the collarbone) is a bone found on both sides of the chest that connects the sternum or breastbone to both shoulders. A fractured clavicle is the medical term used when the collarbone is broken. • A broken collarbone can be caused by • Symptoms of a fractured collarbone include a popping or clicking sound and a sensationwhen the collarbone breaks, followed by sharp pain. The area will hurt when the arm is moved. The skin over the break may bulge outward, and there may be bruising. • A broken collarbone requires medical care and an X-ray of the clavicle is usually needed. You may be referred to an orthopedic specialist for treatment. • Treatment for a broken collarbone usually requires a sling or figure-eight splint to keep the area immobile for several weeks. In some cases, surgery may be required. • Most clavicle fractures heal within 4-8 weeks. Physical therapy may help with rehabilitation. What Causes a Broken Collarbone? Some people can break their clavicle without any trauma. These people usually have weak bone structure either because they were born with it (genetic cause) or from an acquired cause (such as Newborns Occasionally during the delivery of an otherwise healthy baby, the forces involved in trying to deliver the baby from the mother can break the collarbone. This is the most common bone broken in Even more rarely, a physician may have to break the infant's collarbone in order to...