Broken collarbone – what can help

Think you may have fractured your collarbone? Get the lowdown on what to do next.

What are the symptoms?

What causes it?

When to see a doctor 

Getting diagnosed

What are the treatments?

Self-care tips to help

A broken collarbone can be very painful and requires medical attention. Most collarbone fractures can be managed with simple treatments that keep the area still during the healing process, but occasionally the pieces of bone move out of place and need surgery. Find out more.

A broken collarbone is a break in the collarbone (the long thin bone connecting your shoulder blade to your breastbone). 

Also known as the clavicle, the collarbone can break if you experience injury to your shoulder. Usually, it’s the middle section of the collarbone that breaks, but sometimes the fracture may occur where it attaches to the ribcage or shoulder blade. 

Broken collarbones are common, accounting for 5-10% of all fractures. 


## What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of a broken collarbone include:
- shoulder pain, which may get worse when you move your shoulder 
- swelling of the tissues around the fracture
- stiffness in your shoulder and arm, which can make movement difficult
- a grinding or crackling noise when you try to move your shoulder
- bruising of the skin 
- has bone sticking out of the skin
- skin tenting, which is when the broken pieces of bone push the skin out (this can look like a tent or a bump)
- a change in the shape of your shoulder. 


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## What causes it?
A broken collarbone is usually caused by some kind of injury to the shoulder area, such as:
- a fall directly onto your shoulder
- a fall onto an outstretched hand, or onto the collarbone itself
- a shoulder collision – for example, during sport
- being involved in a traffic accident – especially if you’re on a bike. 


## When to see a doctor 
You should get medical help right away if you think you’ve broken your collarbone. 

Most clavicle fractures heal without any problems. But occasionally, they may lead to long-term complications, such as a lasting bone deformity, if the pieces of bone heal in the wrong position or affect the cartilage in your shoulder joint.  

You need emergency medical help if: 
- your shoulder has become swollen very quickly or changed shape
- you can see a bone sticking out from the skin
- you have heavy bleeding
- you’re finding it hard to breathe
- you’re getting chest pains
- you’re coughing up blood
- you have coldness or numbness in your arm or hand.


## Getting diagnosed
To diagnose a broken collarbone, your healthcare professional will:

- ask you about what happened
- carry out a physical examination of the area
- order X-rays to confirm the fracture, the location, and the type of break, along with checking to see whether any other bones are broken.

They may also order a CT scan, if you have other injuries or the break is more complex.

## What are the treatments?
Most broken collarbones heal well without surgery within around 6-8 weeks. During this time, your healthcare professional will monitor you  and offer treatments to support recovery and manage pain, including: 

- a sling or shoulder immobilizer to keep the pieces of bone in place while the fracture heals
- medication – a broken collarbone can be very painful, and your healthcare professional may prescribe pain relief. They may then advise you to switch to over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (paracetamol) and ibuprofen, if you need them
- physical therapy – your healthcare professional may suggest exercises to keep the soft tissues around the area flexible. It’s important to do these exercises as directed in order to prevent pain and stiffness in your shoulder joint. Later, once the bone has healed, you can do other exercises to improve movement and strengthen the muscles. 

Surgery for a fractured collarbone involves putting the broken pieces together in the correct position, with pins or plates and screws to hold them in place. It’s usually only needed if:
- the pieces of bone have moved far out of position
- you have injuries to surrounding tissues, such as a tendon or nerve
- the pieces of bone don’t heal properly causing ongoing pain and mobility issues.

## Self-care tips to help
Take these steps to help recovery at home: 
- in the first 2-3 days after a fracture, it may be helpful to apply ice to the area for 20-30 minutes a few times a day to ease pain and swelling
- follow your healthcare professional’s advice about shoulder and arm exercises
- take painkillers if and when you need them
- carry on with light daily activities as much as possible, without using your shoulder
- avoid playing sport or doing any heavy lifting while you’re recovering. If you try to do these sorts of activities too soon, the broken pieces of bone might shift out of place. Your healthcare professional can advise you about when you can go back to sport and other activities. 

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References

Charlotte Haigh

Jo Wheatley

Dr Maria Reza

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