A clavicle fracture is a common shoulder injury caused by falls, accidents, or sports. Symptoms include pain, swelling, and difficulty moving the arm. Treatment may include rest, ice, pain relievers, and surgery for severe cases.
A clavicle fracture is a broken clavicle, which is medically identified as a clavicle. It is one of the most common types of shoulder injuries, especially among young people. There are many ways a person can break their collarbone. Often, the injury results from a fall. In an average case, conservative treatments work to heal this type of fracture, however, surgery may be needed to restore normal function in a severe fracture.
The clavicle, or clavicle, extends from the shoulder blade to the breastbone. In general, the ways a collarbone can break can vary. Sometimes, the birthing process will result in a collarbone fracture in babies. Also, children and adolescents commonly experience this injury because the collarbone does not fully mature until the late teens.
A hard fall directly onto the shoulder is a common cause of a collarbone fracture in anyone. This can be done by a simple casual fall or while participating in an activity such as a sport. Athletes, especially soccer, football, and basketball players and wrestlers, commonly suffer from collarbone fractures. A bone fracture of this type can also be due to an accident. For example, individuals involved in automobile accidents in which the shoulder is injured can also have this type of fracture.
Typically, a person with a collarbone fracture will have severe pain as their primary symptom. He may also have trouble moving his shoulder and arm. Sometimes there will be a visible swelling or displacement in the collarbone, and if the fracture causes a bone to pierce through the skin, this will obviously also be evident. Often, the fracture will cause a significant amount of tenderness and bruising to the area. In many cases, a person may have all of these symptoms, while the symptoms of a less severe fracture may not be as profound.
A plain x-ray may be all the tests needed to diagnose a collarbone fracture. If more tests are needed to find particular information about the grade of the fracture, a computed tomography (CT) scan may be needed. Once the diagnosis is made, treatment can be administered in a variety of ways.
Collarbone fracture treatment may include conservative measures such as applying ice packs to reduce collarbone swelling. A pain reliever can also be used regularly to relieve discomfort and inflammation in the area. Shoulder and arm rest are commonly required, and some doctors may recommend wearing a sling to immobilize the injured area. In some cases, severe collarbone fractures can be treated with surgery, and sometimes rods and screws will be used to fix the broken bone.
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