Collarbone injuries are common in athletes, especially in contact sports. Fractures in the middle third of the bone are the most common, followed by injuries in the lateral and proximal thirds. Dislocated collarbones, known as AC joint injuries, are also common and can lead to secondary injuries or chronic problems.
Collarbone injuries are common among athletes, both competitive and recreational. Contact sports notably produce a higher rate of these injuries, most of which are fractures or dislocations. Because of the location of the clavicles, which run between each shoulder and the breastbone, and the stresses they experience when someone falls onto an outstretched hand, clavicle injuries are also common outside of athletic activities.
The most common of all collarbone injuries is a fracture, or break, of the bone in the middle third of the bone. This type of fracture can occur from a fall or direct trauma, such as a hard blow. Football and rugby players suffer this type of injury quite frequently. Others who engage in active activities, such as cycling, climbing and horse riding often experience this type of injury, which is becoming more common due to falls sustained during winter sports activities. As many as 80% of all clavicle fractures are of this type.
Clavicle fractures in the lateral third, which is the extremity near the shoulder, are the second most common type of clavicle injury. Breaks in the proximal third of the bone, closest to the center of the body, are the next most common clavicle injury. These types of breaks, while much less common than a fracture of the middle third of the bone, are still more common than other non-fractured clavicle injuries.
A dislocated collarbone is called an acromioclavicular joint (AC joint) injury. This joint is located where the collarbone joins a bony structure called the acromion process near the top of the shoulder. This type of injury, in which the collarbone partially or completely separates from the acromion process, is also common in active or athletic people, but can easily result from a fall in other circumstances. Damage to the ligaments and tendons that connect the clavicle to the acromion process, the cartilage that cushions the clavicle, or the acromion process itself can result from this type of injury.
In rare cases, collarbone injuries can lead to secondary injuries or other chronic problems. An important nerve runs behind the collarbone and can be damaged by a fracture. AC joint injuries, especially those that result in cartilage damage or damage to the acromion process, can result in osteoarthritis.
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