What Causes a Clavicle Fracture?

Many clavicle fractures happen from a direct force to the shoulder or an outstretched arm. Common causes and risk factors include:

• Fall Onto the Shoulder: A direct blow from landing on the shoulder, a common cause
• Fall Onto an Outstretched Arm: Force that travels up the arm to the collarbone
• Sports: Contact sports and activities with a risk of falling, such as cycling, skiing and snowboarding
• Osteoporosis: Weakened bone that makes a break more likely from a minor fall

Because weaker bone raises the risk, a collarbone fracture from a minor fall in an older adult can be worth discussing with a physician, since it may point to osteoporosis.

Clavicle Fracture Symptoms

The symptoms of a clavicle fracture usually appear right away after the injury. Common signs include:

• Pain With Movement: Pain that increases with shoulder or arm movement
• Swelling and Tenderness: Swelling, tenderness or bruising along the collarbone
• Visible Bump: A bump or deformity where the bone has broken
• Limited Arm Motion: Difficulty lifting or moving the arm
• Grinding Sensation: A grinding or cracking feeling when trying to move the shoulder
• Drooping Shoulder: A slumping of the shoulder on the injured side

Please Note: Numbness, tingling or coldness in the arm or hand after a collarbone injury needs prompt medical attention, since it can mean nearby nerves or blood vessels are affected. If you notice these signs, seek care right away rather than waiting.

How a Clavicle Fracture Is Diagnosed

Your physician will examine the shoulder, look and feel for a bump or tenderness along the collarbone and ask how the injury happened. An X-ray is the main tool for diagnosing a clavicle fracture and shows where the bone broke, how many pieces are involved and whether the ends have shifted out of place. For a more complicated break, your physician may order a CT scan to see the fracture in greater detail. This information guides whether the fracture can heal in a sling or may need surgery.

Clavicle Fracture Treatment

Most clavicle fractures are treated without surgery, especially when the broken ends have not shifted far out of place. Your physician will recommend the approach most likely to heal the bone well and protect shoulder function.

Nonsurgical Treatment

When the bone is in a reasonable position, a clavicle fracture often heals with simple, supportive care:

• Arm Sling: Support for the arm that limits shoulder movement while the bone heals
• Pain Relief: Acetaminophen or anti-inflammatory medication
• Ice: Cold packs to help with pain and swelling early on
• Follow-Up X-Rays: Imaging to confirm the bone is healing in good position

As healing progresses and pain eases, your physician may start gentle motion and, later, physical therapy to rebuild the strength and movement lost while the shoulder was resting in the sling.

Surgical Treatment

Surgery may be recommended when the broken ends are significantly out of place, the bone is shortened or broken into several pieces or the skin is at risk from a sharp fragment. A common procedure, called open reduction and internal fixation, realigns the bone and holds it in place with a metal plate and screws, and in some cases a pin or rod inside the bone. Surgery can restore the normal shape and length of the collarbone, which helps protect shoulder strength and function. Your Resurgens surgeon will explain whether surgery is the right choice for your fracture and what recovery involves.

Recovery After a Clavicle Fracture

Recovery depends on the severity of the break and whether it was treated with a sling or surgery. The bone needs time to heal, and your physician will track its progress with follow-up visits and let you know when to ease back into motion. As the bone heals, physical therapy helps you rebuild shoulder strength, motion and the muscle lost during immobilization, usually starting with gentle range of motion work and progressing to strengthening exercises. It can take several months for the collarbone to heal, and most people return to their regular activities within three months. Your physician will guide your return to work, sports and daily activities.

Schedule an Appointment for Shoulder and Collarbone Care

If you have shoulder pain or a bump along the collarbone after a fall or injury, do not wait to have it evaluated. Book an appointment online today with Resurgens Orthopaedics or call us at (404) 847-9999.