Broken Collarbone & Clavicle Fracture Treatment

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What is a Broken or Fractured Clavicle? The clavicle, otherwise known as collarbone, is the bone that is attached to your shoulder blade and your breastbone (or rib cage). It is part of the shoulder joint that helps provide stability during arm movement. A broken clavicle is a fairly common injury seen among young children and adults. This is because these bones do not become hardened until adulthood. A clavicle injury can be caused because of a direct blow to the shoulder or upper chest by trauma such as car crashes, severe falls or various sports injuries. Normally the clavicle will break in the middle, but it is also possible for the collarbone to break at the ribcage or shoulder attachment. A brace for the upper chest will protect the clavicle and help the management of the clavicle joint pain. Protection is vital because normally collarbone fractures are non-surgical and need to heal on their own. The only way for collarbone pain to disappear is to let the bone heal in the correct position that braces, slings, and splints offer. Read more about clavicle and collarbone injuries here . Clavicle Injury Symptoms Diagnosing a broken clavicle is fairly self-explanatory, as there will be a large bulge next to your shoulder with bruising and/or massive joint pain. If you injure your collarbone you will likely experience these symptoms: Extreme pain or grinding feeling when moving your shoulder or arm Unable to move or lift arms Bruising, swelling, or tenderness of the collarbone A deformity or bump if the bone has moved out of position The shoulder may look slumped forward and downward Types of Clavicle Injuries Group 1 Clavicle Fractures These fractures consist of being in the middle of the clavicle. This is the most common type of collarbone injury, accounting for about 80% of all clavicle fractures, and can be treated without surgery. A figure 8 clavicle brace would be the best option to heal this type of collarbone injury, which can be found here . The clavicle is