| The clavicle or "collar bone" connects the scapula | | | | heals, usually in 3 to 4 weeks. Most adult fractures |
| bone in the shoulder to the sternum in your chest. It | | | | are treated with a figure-8 splint or strap and will |
| functions to hold the shoulder upward and backward. | | | | have to sleep in a chair or in bed with extra pillows |
| Clavicle fractures are common bone injuries. A break | | | | because the fracture takes a week or two to set |
| in the clavicle bone is usually a closed fracture that | | | | and it is vital to prevent rolling onto the bone during |
| normally takes approximately 6 weeks to heal in an | | | | sleep. Usually patients will be able to start exercising |
| adult, 4 weeks in a child. The injury rarely requires | | | | their shoulders after three weeks of immobilization. |
| surgery. | | | | Healing is considered complete when there is no |
| There are some common causes of a fractured | | | | motion at the fracture site and x-rays reveal |
| clavicle. It may be due to a birth injury, as the clavicle | | | | complete bone union. |
| may fracture during passage through the birth canal. | | | | A less common injury is separation of the |
| The fracture is frequently not noticed until the healing | | | | acromoclavicular, or AC joint, where the clavicle |
| bone callus is noticed as a hard lump. It usually needs | | | | meets the acromion process of the scapular. It is a |
| no treatment and the lump will disappear as the baby | | | | bony protuberance on the top of the shoulder. The |
| grows. | | | | ligaments of this joint can be injured by falling onto |
| In older children and adults, accidents such as falls | | | | the shoulder, elbow or an outstretched arm. |
| against the shoulder or on an outstretched hand are | | | | Symptoms can range in severity from slight pain to a |
| a common cause of fractures of the clavicle. These | | | | complete rupture of the joint resulting in a lump |
| fractures are also sometimes a result of a blow from | | | | where the collar bone sticks up out of the neck. |
| a blunt object or a collision of some sort. | | | | Symptoms include pain and tenderness the end of |
| The symptoms of a fractured clavicle are pain, | | | | the collar bone, as well as pain upon moving the |
| swelling, tenderness, bruising, and a deformity or | | | | shoulder joint, especially when raising the arm above |
| bump at the fracture site. Patients with a broken | | | | the shoulders. |
| clavicle cannot lift their arms without extreme pain. | | | | If the injury is a minor partial separation, it can be |
| When a patient presents with a fractured clavicle, | | | | treated with ice compresses and rest. However, |
| the attending physician will examine the fracture site | | | | more serious separations may need to be taped |
| for neurovascular damage and take x-rays of the | | | | down in order to heal. A complete separation will |
| injured area, including the joints above and below the | | | | require orthopedic surgery. AC joint injuries should be |
| primary injury site. | | | | evaluated by a physician, as if this injury is neglected |
| A patient with a broken clavicle will have to wear a | | | | and allowed to heal out of place it will increase the |
| simple arm sling for about 6 weeks. Children with | | | | wear and tear on the joint causing future shoulder |
| broken clavicles are often fitted with a figure-8 | | | | problems. |
| clavicle strap to keep their clavicle immobilized until it | | | | |