Asked by: Quim Steckelbruck
medical health bone and joint conditions

Where is the clavicle most likely to fracture?

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Clavicle fractures are fairly common and occur in people of all ages. Most fractures occur in the middle portion, or shaft, of the bone. Occasionally, the bone will break where it attaches at the ribcage or shoulder blade.


Consequently, why is the clavicle one of the most commonly fractured bones?

Because of the critical location of the clavicle, any severe force on the shoulder, such as falling directly onto the shoulder or falling on an outstretched arm, transfers force to the clavicle. As a result, the collarbone is one of the most commonly broken bones in the body.

Furthermore, where is a distal clavicle fracture? Clinical Evaluation. Most distal clavicle fractures are the result of a fall onto the distal clavicle or a direct blow to it. Direct impact occurs at the acromion, usually with the arm in an adducted position, and force is transmitted through the AC joint to the CC ligaments and the distal clavicle.

One may also ask, how common is a clavicle fracture?

Clavicle fractures are most common in children and young adults, typically occurring in persons younger than 25 years. Most clavicle fractures occur in the midshaft and can be treated nonoperatively. A prominent callus is common in children, and parents may require reassurance.

What is the fastest way to heal a fractured clavicle?

To help speed the healing, you might need:

  1. A splint or brace to keep your shoulder from moving.
  2. A sling for your arm, which you might use for a few days.
  3. Anti-inflammatory painkillers, like ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin which will help with pain and swelling.
  4. Range-of-motion and strengthening exercises.

Related Question Answers

Nathaly Jelen

Professional

What is the most painful bone to break?

A fracture that occurs lower down the femur is classed as a broken leg rather than hip and is one of the most painful breaks to experience.

Neomi Heinks

Professional

How do you sleep with a broken clavicle?

use extra pillows at night to keep yourself more upright if you find sleeping uncomfortable. use ice packs and painkillers if pain and swelling continues while your arm is in a sling. move your elbow, hand and fingers regularly as soon as it's comfortable to do so.

Bernardo Batzold

Professional

Can you drive with broken collarbone?

Clavicle fractures should heal completely within 12-16 weeks, but the pain usually subsides within a few weeks. If not wearing a sling causes pain, wear a sling. If driving hurts the fracture site, don't drive.

Cheikhouna Ketteringham

Explainer

What's worse a fracture or a break?

There's no difference. A fracture is any loss of continuity of the bone. Anytime the bone loses integrity—whether it's a hairline crack barely recognizable on an x-ray or the shattering of bone into a dozen pieces—it's considered a fracture. A broken bone is a fractured bone and vice versa.

Angustias Prigozhin

Explainer

Can you live without a collarbone?

Clavicles (collarbones) can be partly missing leaving only the medial part of the bone. In 10% of cases, they are completely missing.

Gilma Zube-Aguirre

Explainer

Can you move your arm with a broken collarbone?

A broken collarbone can be very painful and can make it hard to move your arm. Most clavicle fractures can be treated by wearing a sling to keep the arm and shoulder from moving while the bone heals. With some clavicle fractures, however, the pieces of bone move far out of place when the injury occurs.

Molly Iñigo

Pundit

What happens if clavicle healed wrong?

The patient will need to see your doctor until the fracture heals. The fracture can move out of place before it heals. If the bone heals in the wrong position, called a “malunion”, it can affect the patient's shoulder function..

Mandeep Griessenberger

Pundit

Emerenciano Wunderele

Pundit

How do they fix a broken clavicle?

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.

Amelie Mongay

Pundit

Why is my collar bone hurting?

The collarbone is a fairly solid, slightly S-shaped bone. Collarbone pain can be caused by a fracture, arthritis, a bone infection, or another condition related to the position of your clavicle. If you have sudden collarbone pain as the result of an accident, sports injury, or other trauma, get to an emergency room.

Burt Egelhof

Pundit

Why is my collarbone protruding?

Lymph nodes can become swollen if you have an injury or are fighting an infection or other illness. This is because your body carries more white blood cells to this area to combat the problem. This can result in swelling and a lump near your collarbone.

Rhys Badda

Teacher

Does a displaced clavicle fracture need surgery?

In surgery the clavicle fragments are put back together like a puzzle and the bone fragments are held in this position with hardware designed to fit the normal curvature of the clavicle. If the fracture is minimally displaced then no surgery is required and the fracture should heal in a sling.

Dorethea Bustio

Teacher

How is a collarbone fracture diagnosed?

Diagnosis. During the physical exam, your doctor will inspect the affected area for tenderness, swelling, deformity or an open wound. X-rays determine the extent of a broken collarbone, pinpoint its location and determine if there's injury to the joints.

Cilinia Har

Teacher

Fengmei Aja

Teacher

How do you prevent a broken clavicle?

For about the first 4–6 weeks:
  1. Avoid raising your arms above shoulder level.
  2. Avoid lifting anything that weighs more than 5 pounds (2.3 kg).
  3. Stay out of all sports and physical education.
  4. Do all exercises to prevent elbow and shoulder stiffness and to help with muscle strength.
  5. Go to physical therapy, if needed.

Marilia Gaudencio

Reviewer

How long do you have to wear a sling for a broken collarbone?

A broken collarbone may take 6 weeks or longer to heal. You will need to wear an arm sling to keep the broken bone from moving while it heals. At first, it may hurt to move your arm.

Qiaoyan Gudarenko

Reviewer

What are the two ends of the clavicle called?

The orientation of the clavicle can be distinguished by its ends: a broad, flat acromial end (referred to as the lateral third); and a round pyramidal-like sternal end (referred to as the medial two-thirds). Each end has unique bony landmarks, depending whether the superior or inferior surface of the bone is viewed.

Norine Xabregas

Reviewer

What is distal clavicle fracture?

distal clavicle fractures are traumatic injuries usually caused by direct trauma to the shoulder form a fall in adults. treatment is immobilization or surgery depending on the stability and displacement of the fracture.

Policarpio Sivera

Reviewer

What is a displaced fracture?

A fracture is the medical term for a broken bone. Displaced and non-displaced fractures refer to the alignment of the fractured bone. In a displaced fracture, the bone snaps into two or more parts and moves so that the two ends are not lined up straight.