Recognize the symptoms, causes and treatment of a collarbone fracture

One of the fractures or fractures that often occur, both in adults and children, is a fracture of the clavicle (clavicula). A clavicle fracture is a condition in which the collarbone or bone in the shoulder area breaks. So, what are the symptoms, causes, and how to treat this fracture or fracture of the collarbone? Here's the complete information for you.

What is a collarbone fracture or clavicle fracture?

Clavicle fracture (clavicula) or collarbone fracture is a condition when the collarbone fractures or breaks. The collarbone in the bony structure is the long, thin bone that is located on the shoulder or between the upper ribs (sternum) and the scapula (scapula).

This bone connects the arm, either on the right or left, with the body. One of the functions of the collarbone in the human movement system is to help keep the shoulders in line. Generally, you can feel this area of ​​bone on the top of your chest, just below your neck.

A broken collarbone generally occurs in the middle or shaft of the bone. But sometimes, a fracture can also occur where the collarbone attaches to the ribs or shoulder blades.

The types of fractures that occur can also vary. Sometimes the bone can crack or break into several pieces (comminuted fracture). The pieces of bone may also be straight parallel or they may shift out of place (displaced fracture).

Clavicle fracture is a common injury, both in infants, children, adolescents, and adults. Reporting from OrthoInfo, the number of cases of clavicle fractures accounts for about 5 percent of all fracture cases in adults. Other types of fractures that are also common include wrist fractures and leg fractures.

What are the signs and symptoms of a collarbone fracture?

Common signs and symptoms of a collarbone fracture in both adults and children include:

• Pain in and around the shoulder, which generally gets worse when the shoulder is moved.
• Swelling, bruising, and tenderness along the collarbone.
• Cracking sound when trying to move the shoulder or arm.
• The shoulder feels stiff or unable to move the shoulder or arm.
• A bulge above or around the shoulder, or a change in the shape of the shoulder due to a protruding fracture.

In severe cases, a clavicle fracture can cause bleeding because the broken bone damages the surrounding tissue and skin. In addition, numbness or tingling around the shoulder can occur if the nerves in the arm are injured. However, this symptom of a shoulder fracture is very rare.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

What are the causes & risk factors for clavicle fracture?

A common cause of clavicle fracture or collarbone fracture is a forceful pressure or impact to the shoulder. This pressure can occur due to several things, such as:

• A fall, such as a fall hitting the shoulder or falling when the arm is outstretched. In children, this generally occurs due to falling from a playground or bed.
• Suffering from a sports injury, such as a direct hit (fist) to the shoulder in a sports arena.
• Vehicle trauma, such as a car, motorcycle, or bicycle accident.
• Injury at birth. In newborns, this condition can occur when the baby is born through a narrow birth canal, which puts pressure on the collarbone.

Apart from the causes above, there are several factors that increase the risk of fractures in the shoulder. These risk factors, namely:

• Age

Clavicle fractures are more common in children and adolescents or those under 20 years of age. The reason is, at that age, the collarbone has not fully hardened, so it is more susceptible to fracture. The risk of fractures in the shoulder increases in the elderly because of decreased bone strength and density.

• Athlete

Athletes who engage in contact sports, such as football, wrestling, hockey, rugby and others, are at increased risk of breaking their collarbone from a direct hit or impact to the shoulder or a fall.

• Babies are born big

Babies who are overweight are at risk of fracture of the clavicle at birth.

How do doctors diagnose clavicle fractures?

To diagnose a collarbone fracture, your doctor will ask about the injury you've experienced and your symptoms. Then, the doctor will perform a physical examination to see any signs or symptoms, such as changes in the shape of the shoulder, a bulge around the shoulder, or any swelling that might occur.

If a collarbone fracture is suspected, the doctor will recommend X-rays of the shoulder to confirm it. X-rays can show pictures of your collarbone and determine the location and severity of the fracture you have had.

If another bone is broken or your doctor needs a more detailed examination, you may ask you to do other imaging tests, such as computerized tomography (CT) scan.

What are the treatments for collarbone fractures?

Treatment for collarbone fractures varies from patient to patient. This will depend on the specific location of the fracture, the type of fracture, the severity, and the age and overall condition of the patient. Here are some types of treatment that are generally given to help heal clavicle fractures:

• Arm support

In a mild clavicle fracture or in the position of the fracture that is still parallel, treatment generally only involves inserting a sling or arm sling. This arm support or sling serves to keep the fracture in the right position and limit the movement of the broken bone during the healing process.

This is the most commonly administered form of treatment for non-surgical shoulder fractures. These devices are generally given as soon as a bone has fractured until the bone has healed or fused back together on its own.

• Drugs

The pain in sufferers of a fracture in the shoulder is often unbearable. Therefore, doctors will generally provide pain relievers, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, or naproxen, to deal with the pain and inflammation that occurs.

You can also prescribe stronger medications for shoulder fractures, such as opioids, to treat more pain and inflammation.

• Therapy

Even if you feel pain, the shoulders and arms need to be moved to reduce and prevent stiffness in the shoulder. To overcome this, physical therapy or rehabilitation is needed.

This therapy is generally started as soon as an injury occurs or once you start treatment. During this time, the therapist will begin practicing light, gentle movements in the elbow area to reduce the stiffness that is common after an injury.

After the bone has healed and the pain has subsided, your doctor may recommend rehabilitation exercises or additional physical therapy to restore muscle strength, joint motion, and flexibility.

• Operation

Surgery may be needed if a broken collarbone has penetrated the skin, has shifted away, or is broken into several pieces. This fracture surgery procedure is performed to return the fracture to its normal position and keep the bone from moving and remaining in the right position.

To keep the bone in position, the doctor will place a fixation device, in the form of a plate, screw, pin, or other, on the part of the broken bone. When using plates and screws on the surface of the bone, it is generally not necessary to remove or remove the fixator once your bone heals, unless you experience irritation.

However, when using pins or screws, the fixator usually has to be removed once your bone heals. The reason is, the installation of these tools is more likely to cause irritation.

How long does a fracture in the shoulder or clavicle (clavicula) heal?

Whatever type of treatment is given, either surgery or without surgery, the length of healing time for people with shoulder fractures can vary. This depends on the severity, location of the fracture, and the patient's age.

In children or under 8 years of age, the healing time for clavicle fractures is generally up to 4-5 weeks, while in adolescents it is 6-8 weeks. Meanwhile, in adolescents who have stopped growing or have entered young adulthood, it takes 10-12 weeks to recover or longer.

As for older people, the healing period for a collarbone fracture can be up to four months.

During the healing period, a lump will usually appear around your collarbone. But don't worry, this is normal and the bumps will tend to get smaller and disappear within a year.

Sometimes, the bump doesn't go away completely, but it's not painful and causes other problems with your arm or shoulder. Consult your doctor if you have any concerns for more information.

Then, you need to remember, even though you have recovered in the timeframe above, your shoulder strength has not fully recovered to be able to do activities as usual. It generally takes the same period of time for your bone strength to return and to be able to carry out normal activities.

Don't rush into various daily activities if you still have pain when moving your arms and shoulders. This indicates that your bones have not fully healed.

If you force yourself to do normal activities or do any kind of strenuous activity without the doctor's knowledge, your fractures may shift or the fixation device inside may break. This condition requires you to start treatment from scratch.

Things to pay attention to during the healing of a collarbone fracture

During the healing period of the clavicle fracture, you can take several steps to help manage the symptoms you are experiencing and speed up recovery. Here are tips that you can practice during the healing period for a collarbone fracture:

• To sleep more comfortably during the healing period for your collarbone fracture, you can use an extra pillow with your head higher than the rest of your body.
• Apply an ice pack for 20-30 minutes every few hours on the broken bone to help reduce pain and swelling.
• Move your elbows, hands, and fingers slowly and regularly once you feel able to do so.
• Don't do any vigorous exercise for at least 10-12 weeks after the injury, before your doctor allows it.
• Do not lift anything that weighs more than 2 kg.
• Do not smoke and consume alcohol as this can slow down the recovery process.
• Eat foods for fractures that can help speed up the healing process.

In addition, you should consult your doctor immediately if you experience certain symptoms during the healing process, such as:

• Your arm is numb or tingling.
• Feeling pain that doesn't go away even though you have taken pain relievers.
• Your fingers look pale, blue, black, or white.
• Difficulty moving the fingers on the side of the shoulder and arm that is broken.
• There is an abnormally deformed change in the shoulder or collarbone protruding from the skin.