A broken collarbone can put the brakes on many activities. Whether you’re a professional athlete that took a hard hit, a cyclist that went on an unexpected trip over the handlebars or a pedestrian that slipped on an icy sidewalk, the process and timeline for recovery is unique for everyone.
The good news is that treating a broken collarbone usually doesn’t require surgery. With a bit of time and some rest, you can be back to doing the activities you love. We’ll do a quick recap of what happens to a broken collarbone, how our specialists can treat it and what to expect as you recover.
What is a broken collarbone?
Your collarbone, also known as your clavicle, is the big bone that sits right at the base of your neck. It provides key stability and structure to your shoulders while also protecting the nerves and blood vessels that run through your neck. Your clavicle also separates your shoulder blades and arms from your chest. This allows your arms to move freely and independently from the rest of your body.
How collarbones get fractured
Your collarbone also protects you by acting as a shock absorber. When you get a hit to the shoulder or your outstretched arm gets jolted, the force generated travels to the clavicle instead of your chest or spine. Usually, the collarbone can take those shocks pretty well.
But if you get a particularly bad hit on the gridiron, wrestling mat or hockey rink, your clavicle can fracture. In fact, any time where you break a fall with your arms, the impact can travel from the ground straight to your collarbone. That’s why bicyclists and motorcycle riders may experience broken clavicles after crashes. Pedestrians can also get a collarbone injury after a slip and fall – especially during the icy conditions of winter.
If you take a bad hit and feel immediate pain around your collar or shoulder, or if you’re unable to raise your arm or have a grinding feeling when you do, you should head to urgent care as soon as possible.
Treating a broken clavicle
The good news is that the majority of collarbone fractures can be treated without surgery. Most clavicle breaks aren’t displaced, meaning the broken ends of the bones aren’t separated from each other. And since the broken ends aren’t shortened or shattered, they just need to stay together for the fracture to heal over time.
However, some collarbones are broken in a way that does require surgery. In that case, all that’s needed is an incision to insert a plate and screws to hold the bones in the right position so they can heal.
What is the typical recovery time for a broken collarbone?
After your doctor assesses your broken clavicle and charts the course for recovery, the key element for healing your collarbone is time. However, the amount of time necessary before you and your clavicle are 100% depends on a few things:
Types of collarbone fractures and recovery time
If you have a clean fracture where the bone ends are held in place and still fit together like two puzzle pieces, you can expect a faster recovery – sometimes as little as 4-6 weeks. Breaks that have several ends or have bone that’s crushed or shattered can take a while longer. These fractures are the kind that require surgery for stabilization with a plate and screws. As a result, these kinds of fractures can take more time to heal, usually around three months or more.
How clavicle fracture severity affects recovery time
In short, the more severe a collarbone fracture is, the longer it will take to heal. An isolated single fracture will usually take less time for recovery than a collarbone that is broken in several places or has had serious trauma. Clean breaks that don’t require surgery usually take between 1-2 months to heal fully, while clavicles with several fractures that require stabilization need more time – around three or more months.
Each collarbone fracture is unique
Each collarbone injury is different from person to person. There are many factors that shorten or lengthen the time you need to heal, including how much you rest and rehab your injury. After taking a close look at the condition of your collarbone, your doctor will determine your own unique recovery timeline.
What does rehab for a broken collarbone look like?
Whether you’re a professional athlete, a weekend amateur or a proud sideline sitter, rehabilitating a broken collarbone usually follows a main principle: immobilization and rest.
All fractures need time to heal and generally be left alone. To help, your doctor will probably have you use a sling for 3-4 weeks. This will help keep both your arm and shoulder in place so your collarbone can have the stability it needs to heal.
Working with a physical therapist
To help make recovery from a clavicle fracture easier, your doctor will also likely recommend that you see a physical therapist. Together, you can create a rehab plan created specifically for your needs and goals.
For example, the rehab process for a football quarterback requires restoring the ability to throw with power and accuracy. Once the collarbone has healed enough for physical activity, a physical therapist will start working on the quarterback’s range of motion. With a week or two of mild stretching, flexibility to the athlete’s full range of motion usually returns.
After flexibility is restored, the physical therapist will work with the quarterback to regain strength in the affected shoulder. Once the athlete’s shoulder is healthy enough to start throwing, the therapist will work with the quarterback for several weeks to practice and condition the arm with throwing drills until they’re ready to return.
What happens after recovering from a broken clavicle?
Usually, once a fractured collarbone has healed, nothing more really needs to be done. However, it’s completely normal to have mild pain or swelling around the fracture site in the months after recovery. In that case, Tylenol (acetaminophen), Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen) can help with symptoms. Of course, contact your doctor if your pain and swelling get worse.
What not to do with a broken collarbone
It’s definitely okay to follow the instructions of your doctor and physical therapist – they’ll probably clear you to do some simple exercises right away and have you move up to strengthening exercises once you can move without pain.
However, getting back to a normal routine too soon is not a good idea. Exercising or playing sports before you’ve recovered can cause your injury to not heal well. While you may feel ready to get back to normal, make sure that your doctor and physical therapist are on board to prevent pain and injury later.
How TRIA can help you recover from a broken collarbone
If you have pain that feels like a broken collarbone, TRIA has multiple ways to get you the help you need. Our urgent care locations can help you with immediate diagnosis and treatment, setting you on the road to recovery.
Our sports medicine specialists also know how to treat collarbone injuries and create treatment plans built especially for professional and amateur athletes. TRIA physical therapists are ready to build a rehab roadmap to get you back in action quickly and safely.