Medication
The time for a broken collarbone to fully heal depends on the severity of the injury. In children, complete healing may take as little as three to six weeks. In adults, six to 16 weeks or more are often necessary for a collarbone to heal solidly.
Procedures
With nonsurgical treatment, here’s what you can expect:
- Arm support. Your injured arm will be immobilized in a sling or wrap to keep the bone in place. ...
- Pain medication. A doctor may prescribe over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
- Ice. A doctor may recommend ice packs to help with pain for the first few days.
- Physical therapy. ...
Therapy
- Your doctor will take an x-ray of your shoulder to help diagnose the injury. ...
- Most often the break is diagnosed as a stress or hairline fracture, which is a small surface crack not serious enough to misalign bone or break the skin's surface.
- Small hairline fractures of the clavicle don't often show up on an x-ray right away. ...
Self-care
Treatment for a broken collarbone usually requires a sling or figure-of-eight splint to keep the area immobile for several weeks. In some cases, surgery may be required. Most clavicle fractures heal within 4 to 8 weeks. Physical therapy may help with rehabilitation.
Nutrition
What is the healing time for a broken collar bone?
How do you treat a broken collar bone?
How do you repair a broken collar bone?
Does a broken collarbone need surgery?
See more
How long does it take to fix a broken collarbone?
In adults, it usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks for a broken collarbone to heal, although it can take longer. In children, it usually takes about 3 to 6 weeks to heal. However, it will take at least the same period again to restore full strength to your shoulder.
What is the fastest way to heal a broken collarbone?
To help speed the healing, you might get:A splint or brace to keep your shoulder from moving.A sling for your arm, which you might use for a few days.Anti-inflammatory painkillers, like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen, which will help with pain and swelling. ... Range-of-motion and strengthening exercises.More items...•
Does broken clavicle require surgery?
Most collarbone fractures heal in six to eight weeks, without surgery or complications. Most people are able to start getting back to normal activities by three months or so, but full recovery may take up to six to 12 months.
How do you know if a broken collarbone needs surgery?
Specifically, surgery should be strongly considered if the fracture is shortened by 2 centimeters or more, displaced more than 100% (the fractured ends aren't touching at all), when there are specific fracture patterns (such as Z-type fractures), or when the fractures are highly comminuted (shattered).
Is a broken collarbone serious?
In general, a broken collarbone or clavicle generally heals completely within a few months and usually doesn't cause any serious complications. Even when a broken collarbone is not perfectly aligned, it generally heals well without causing any significant deformity.
What are the long term effects of a broken collarbone?
A Collarbone Fracture is not life threatening but can impact a patient's quality of life and function. Short Term - to pain, sleep disturbance and disability. Long Term - to malunion or non-union, that can result in ongoing pain and loss of function .
How painful is clavicle surgery recovery?
You will have some pain during recovery. In most cases, an over-the-counter pain reliever can control the pain. An ice pack may also help reduce pain and swelling. You will start physical therapy during the first three weeks, while you are still using the sling.
How painful is a broken clavicle?
A broken collarbone can be very painful and can make it hard to move your arm. Many 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.
Does a broken collarbone heal completely?
However, fractures in adults or teenagers who have stopped growing take 10 to 12 weeks to heal and may take longer. Most clavicle fractures will heal completely by four months in an adult.
Can a broken collarbone heal in 3 weeks?
The typical heal time for a broken collarbone can vary based on the severity and type of fracture. Smaller collarbone fractures that do not need surgery can often heal in as little as four to six weeks. Larger fractures broken into many pieces requires stabilization with a plate and screws.
How long should I wear a sling for broken collarbone?
Your treatment plan You will be given a sling to support your arm; this should be used for 2 to 6 weeks whilst the injury heals. Wear the sling during the day but remove it for exercises and personal hygiene. You can wear it at night time if you find it more comfortable but you don't have to.
How long should I wear a sling for broken collarbone?
Your treatment plan You will be given a sling to support your arm; this should be used for 2 to 6 weeks whilst the injury heals. Wear the sling during the day but remove it for exercises and personal hygiene. You can wear it at night time if you find it more comfortable but you don't have to.
Do Broken collar bones heal stronger?
Despite one misconception, there is no evidence that a bone that breaks will heal to be stronger than it was before. When a bone fractures, it begins the healing process by forming a callus at the fracture site, where calcium is deposited to aid rebuilding, said Dr. Terry D.
Can you lay down with a broken collarbone?
Using extra pillows to prop yourself up when sleeping with a broken clavicle can help relieve pain. Sleeping in a more upright position may be more comfortable and allow for a better rest. You may also find it more comfortable to use pillows to prop up the arm on the side of your body with the fracture.
How painful is a broken collarbone?
A broken collarbone can be very painful and can make it hard to move your arm. Many 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.
How to treat a collarbone fracture?
The vast majority of collarbone fractures can be treated with a simple sling. Sometimes a swath is wrapped around the sling to hold it to the body. Occasionally a figure-of-eight splint is used. This wraps around both shoulders and the neck to hold the shoulders back and up.
How to tell if your collarbone is broken?
Symptoms of a fractured collarbone include a pop or click sound and feeling when the collarbone breaks, followed by sharp pain. The area will hurt when the arm is moved. The skin over the break may bulge outward, and there may be bruising. A broken collarbone requires medical care and an X-ray of the clavicle is usually needed.
How long does it take for a broken collarbone to heal?
In some cases, surgery may be required. Most clavicle fractures heal within 4 to 8 weeks. Physical therapy may help with rehabilitation.
How long does it take for a clavicle fracture to heal?
These people are often referred to an orthopedic surgeon within 2 to 3 days after breaking their collarbone. Some may require surgery.
What is the X-ray of a broken collarbone?
X-ray of a broken collarbone (clavicle) The clavicle (commonly referred to as the collarbone) is a bone found on both sides of the chest that connects the sternum or breastbone to both shoulders. A fractured clavicle is the medical term used when the collarbone is broken. A broken collarbone can be caused by trauma (sports injuries, car accidents, ...
What does it mean when your clavicle breaks?
If the clavicle is gently touched along its length, pain is usually greatest at one point, locating the break. Often a crunching feeling is noted over the break, known as crepitus. The skin over the break often bulges outward and can be discolored a reddish-purple, indicating an early bruise.
What are the conditions that require surgical repair of the clavicle?
One or more of the following conditions may require surgical repair of the clavicle: Multiple fractures in one clavicle. Clavicle shortening due to bone loss (for example, bone is shattered) Open fracture of the clavicle (clavicle breaks through the skin) Clavicle break that involves vascular or nerve structures.
What is the treatment for a broken collarbone?
After your collarbone and shoulder area heals, the associated joints may be stiff or slightly malpositioned. A chiropractor or osteopath can use manual joint manipulation, also called an adjustment, to reposition joints that are misaligned due to the trauma that broke your collarbone.
How to help a collarbone injury?
1. Rest your injured collarbone and apply ice. Once you're discharged from the hospital or clinic, you'll be told to rest your arm and apply ice to the injury while the arm sling or splint is on in order to help decrease the swelling and numb the pain.
What is the best way to support a collarbone?
Instead, a simple arm sling or "figure-of-eight" wrap or splint is usually used for support and comfort immediately after a collarbone break. A figure-of-eight splint wraps around both shoulders and the base of the neck to help support the injured side and keep it positioned up and back.
Why is my collarbone broken?
A broken (fractured) collarbone is a relatively common injury, particularly in children and young adults, because the bone doesn't completely harden until adulthood (about the age of 20). Common causes of collarbone fractures include falls, sports injuries and trauma from motor vehicle accidents. [2]
What is the most common broken bone in a sling?
Slings come in all sizes, including ones appropriate for small children, as the collarbone is the most commonly broken bone in kids — usually the result of falling onto an outstretched arm. ...
How to know if you have a broken collarbone?
A broken collarbone causes intense pain near the shoulder and top part of the chest, and disables most upper arm movements, especially those involving arm raising and reaching. Other signs and symptoms include bruising, swelling, and/or bulging over the fracture site, a grinding noise and pain with arm movements and sometimes numbness and/or tingling in the hand.
How long does it take for a broken collar bone to heal?
To heal from a broken collar bone, it's important to keep your arm supported in a sling for 4-8 weeks. Ice your collar bone several times per day for the first 2-4 days to control any pain and swelling you're experiencing.
