What is a clavicle fracture?
A clavicle fracture is also known as a broken collarbone. A fairly common injury, most fractures occur when a fall onto the shoulder or an outstretched arm puts enough pressure on the bone that it snaps or breaks. This can happen in sports like football, lacrosse, hockey, biking, skateboarding, and skiing. It is also a very common bike injury. A broken collarbone can be very painful and can make it hard to move your arm. Dr. Austin Chen, shoulder specialist serving greater Boulder, Colorado, is available to both diagnose and treat clavicle fractures.
What are the symptoms of a clavicle fracture?
Pain is the first indicator along with trouble moving your am.
Other common symptoms may include:
- Grinding sensation with movement
- Deformity or “bump”
- Inability to move or lift the arm due to pain
- Sagging or slumping of the shoulder
- Inflammation, swelling, or bruising of the collarbone
What is the treatment for a clavicle fracture?
Most clavicle fractures can be treated by wearing a sling to keep the arm and shoulder from moving while the bone heals. In some cases though where the bone moves too far out of place, Dr. Austin Chen may suggest clavicle fracture fixation surgery to realign the collarbone.
