What do collar bones do

As the pain in the clavicle area improves you should be able to begin moving the shoulder joint a little to prevent the joint from tightening up too much. If the shoulder joint gets stiff, it is a condition known as a frozen shoulder. Usually as the pain in the fracture begins to subside, it is acceptable to begin moving the shoulder. Your physician may show you the motions or send you to a physical therapist for instructions.

Generally motion of the shoulder does not prevent clavicle fractures from healing once the fracture has begun to heal. Once the fracture has healed, motion is generally not restricted. It may take months before the fracture has healed enough to withstand contact such as in sports.

Strengthening of the shoulder and arm should wait until the fracture has healed. Exercises should not be done until directed by your physician. Also, individuals who want to stay aerobically fit can usually begin light exercise such as walking or exercise biking after a few weeks, with the permission of their physician.

Usually there are no limitations once the fracture heals. Most patients have full range of motion and can return to activities with no limitations. Some fractures can take six to nine months to heal. If the fracture does not heal, surgery may be necessary.

Some fractures of the clavicle that do not heal completely are not painful and may not need surgery. Many factors determine whether a clavicle fracture will need surgery, and they should be discussed with your doctor. Generally, if surgery is necessary it is done with an incision followed by implanting a plate and screws.

Sometimes a bone graft may be needed to help stimulate healing. Treatment after surgery depends upon many factors, such as how fast the fracture heals. Fortunately surgery is needed in few cases and is successful in cases where it is needed.

Surgery can reduce a visible deformity of the fracture but results in a scar. In the past, nonsurgical treatment for a break in the middle part of the clavicle was thought to be best. But in the last several years, a study reported, surgical treatment became predominant. A meta-analysis of surgical and nonsurgical treatment noted that complication rates were 25 percent, no matter which treatment was chosen. Both studies called for more research to determine what kinds of breaks benefit most from surgery.

One complication of conservative treatment is that the bone may slip out of alignment. This is called malunion. You may need further treatment, depending on how malunion affects your arm function. In some cases, you may have a bump on your skin above the break. The bump usually gets smaller in time.

If your broken collarbone is fragmented, fractured in more than one place, or badly aligned, surgery may be recommended. Typically, treating complex breaks involve:. Pins and screws are removed once the bone has healed. Metal plates are typically not removed unless there is irritation of the overlying skin. There may be surgical complications, such as problems with the bone healing, irritation from the inserted hardware, infection, or injury to your lung.

Doctors are currently researching minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery for broken collarbones. Broken collarbones in children usually heal without surgery.

There are few reports of complications in medical literature. Broken collarbones usually take six to eight weeks to heal for adults and three to six weeks in young children.

Healing times vary depending on the individual fracture. Once the bone has healed, physical therapy to get your arm and shoulder back to normal function will likely take another few weeks. In general, people can get back to regular activities in three months. Use the sling or shoulder immobilizer as directed by your health care provider. You'll wear it for about a month, but can remove it during bathing and sleeping.

Follow your health care provider's instructions for using medicine for pain. For about the first 4—6 weeks: Avoid raising your arms above shoulder level.

Avoid lifting anything that weighs more than 5 pounds 2. This is about the weight of a ounce bottle of liquid laundry detergent. Stay out of all sports and physical education. Do all exercises to prevent elbow and shoulder stiffness and to help with muscle strength. Go to physical therapy, if needed. Go to all follow-up appointments.

Call your health care provider if your pain or swelling gets worse. Will the Collarbone Heal Straight? This is usually when: There's no pain when the health care provider presses on the collarbone. Your shoulder strength is normal. Common causes of a broken collarbone include falls, sports injuries and trauma from traffic accidents. Infants can sometimes break their collarbones during the birth process.

Seek prompt medical attention for a broken collarbone. Most heal well with ice, pain relievers, a sling, physical therapy and time. But a complicated break might require surgery to realign the broken bone and to implant plates, screws or rods into the bone to hold the bone in place during healing.

If you notice signs or symptoms of a broken collarbone in you or your child, or if there's enough pain to prevent normal use, see a doctor right away. Delays in diagnosis and treatment can lead to poor healing.

Your collarbone doesn't harden completely until about age