CLAVICLE FRACTURE
If your child needs surgery or casting, our Fracture Care Clinic opens every day and you do not need an appointment. Surgery rooms get scheduled every morning, so your child receives the care and attention they need right away.
Clavicle Fracture
Injuries like a Clavicle Fracture, which is also known as a broken collarbone, occur frequently, especially among kids and young people. The collarbone links the upper part of the breastbone to the shoulder blade. Falls, sports injuries, and trauma from car accidents are some of the common causes of fractured collarbones. When a baby is born, its collarbones can occasionally shatter. Get medical help right away if your child has a fractured collarbone. Ice, painkillers, a sling, physical therapy, and patience help most injuries heal quickly. However, a complex break can need surgery to realign the shattered bone, and surgeons like the ones in our practice insert plates, screws, or rods to keep the bone in place while it heals.
Symptoms
A fractured collarbone exhibits the following symptoms:
- During shoulder movement, the pain gets worse
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Bruising
- a growth on or next to the shoulder
- When your child attempts to move his or her shoulder, you hear a grinding or crackling noise
- Your child’s shoulder appears stiff or immobilized.
- A newborn infant who sustains a collarbone fracture during delivery frequently won’t move their arm for a few days.
Causes of a Clavicle Fracture
Common reasons for a broken collarbone include:
- Falls, such as ones that cause your child to land on a hand or shoulder.
- Sports injuries include direct hits to the shoulder on the court, ice, or playing field.
- Accident-related damage to a vehicle, motorcycle, or bicycle.
- Birth harmed during the delivery process.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What causes a broken clavicle in children?
A broken clavicle in children often occurs due to a fall onto an outstretched hand or direct trauma to the shoulder or collarbone area. Children become especially prone to this injury because their bones are still growing and more flexible, making them more susceptible to fractures from relatively minor accidents.
How does a doctor treat a broken clavicle in a child?
The treatment for a broken clavicle in a child depends on the severity of the fracture. In many cases, a simple fracture will not need surgery. The child’s arm gets placed in a sling or figure-of-eight brace to immobilize the shoulder and allow the bone to heal naturally over a period of several weeks. The doctor will manage any pain and schedule physical therapy if needed. In more severe cases where the bones become displaced significantly, the doctor will recommend surgical intervention to realign the bones and secure them with pins, plates, or screws.
How long does it take a child to recover from a clavicle fracture?
The recovery time for a child with a broken clavicle can vary depending on the severity of the fracture and the treatment approach. In general, mild to moderate fractures may take around 6-8 weeks to heal with conservative treatment (sling or brace). However, it may take several months for the child to regain full strength and range of motion in the shoulder. For more severe fractures that require surgery, the recovery process can get longer, often extending to several months before the child can return to normal activities. It’s crucial to follow the healthcare provider’s guidance and attend follow-up appointments to monitor the healing progress and adjust the treatment plan as needed.
The doctors at the Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists Practice only treat children. As such, our doctors have become experts with children and adolescents and treat their broken bones. We urge parents to bring their children to us to ensure proper broken bone treatment.
Difficulties:
The majority of fractured collarbones mend easily. When complications do arise, they may consist of:
Harm to a nerve or blood vessel
A shattered collarbone may harm adjacent nerves and blood vessels due to its sharp tips. If your child experiences numbness or freezing in his or her arm or hand, get emergency medical care right away.
Inadequate or slow healing
A badly fractured collarbone can heal slowly or not at all. Shortening of the bone can occur when the bones do not mend properly.
Growth on the bone
A bony lump forms where the bones fuse together during the healing process. Due to its proximity to the skin, this bump is clearly visible. The majority of lumps go away with time, but some remain.
Osteoarthritis
The chance of subsequently developing arthritis in a joint may rise if your child sustains a fracture involving the joints that attach the collarbone to the shoulder blade or breastbone.
Up until the age of 20, the collarbone doesn’t totally stiffen. Children and teens are more likely to break their collarbones as a result. After age 20, the risk goes down, but as people age and their bone strength declines, the risk goes up again. Consult a doctor as soon as possible if you or your kid exhibit any of the warning signs or symptoms of a fractured collarbone or if pain limits daily activities. Poor healing might result from delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Non-Surgical Treatment for a Clavicle Fracture
Your child might not require surgery if the shattered ends of the bones have not moved out of position. Without surgery, many fractured collarbones can recover.
Arm support
Doctors recommend a simple arm sling immediately after a break to provide comfort and to keep the arm and shoulder in place until the injury heals.
Medication
As the fracture heals, over-the-counter painkillers can assist with pain and discomfort.
Physical therapy
Even though the child has some discomfort, it’s crucial to keep your child’s arms moving to avoid shoulder and elbow stiffness. Patients frequently start performing elbow mobility exercises right away after suffering an injury. Children lose some shoulder and arm strength after a clavicle fracture. Your child’s pain will subside as the bone starts to mend, and your doctor could suggest starting light shoulder workouts. These exercises will aid in avoiding weakness and stiffness. Once the fracture has fully healed, your child can gradually begin doing more demanding workouts.
Follow-up Care for a Clavicle Fracture
Up until the fracture heals, your child will need to regularly visit the doctor. The doctor will have X-rays taken during these appointments to check if the bone is mending properly. Your child will gradually resume his or her usual activities after the bone has healed. A clavicle fracture may occasionally shift before it heals. To ensure that the bone stays in place and heals properly, parents should take their children for periodic checkups with their doctor. Nonunion is the medical term for a fracture that does not heal properly.
- When nonunion takes place, doctors may recommend surgery, even if the patient has minimal discomfort and an excellent range of motion.
- Other times, nonunion can cause pain and doctors will definitely recommend surgery.
A malunion occurs when the bones mend in the wrong position after the fractured pieces shift out of position. Depending on how much the bones are misaligned and how that impacts your child’s arm’s range of motion, the doctor will determine if surgery should take place. The fracture may mend with a noticeable lump over the location. Over time, this often gets smaller, although a little bump frequently lasts forever.
Surgical Treatment
Open reduction and internal fixation
Doctors will recommend surgery if the broken ends of the clavicle are pressing on the skin if they greatly overlap, or if they are extensively dislocated. The pieces are repositioned during surgery, and the plate and screws hold them in place. Most patients can go home the same day after this treatment, which typically takes an hour and a half to complete at the Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists. The neurosurgeons of Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists are adept at figuring out the best course of action for every patient and circumstance. Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment and skilled physicians, we are experts in treating clavicle fractures. Intrinsic fixation frequently takes the following forms:
- Screws and plates. The bone pieces are maintained in place after being realigned into their usual positions using specialized screws and metal plates fastened to the outside of the bone. A surgeon can remove them once the fracture has healed, pins or screws sometimes irritate the area where they have been put.
- The patient can detect a little area of numb skin behind the incision after surgery. With time, the patient will sense this numbness less and less. The plate can sometimes be felt through the skin.
- After the bone has healed, plates and screws are not often removed unless they are uncomfortable. While hardware issues are uncommon, some patients report that the collarbone region might get irritated by seatbelts and backpacks. In this case, when the fracture has healed, the hardware may be taken out.
Clavicle Fracture Pain Management
There is discomfort following surgery. This is a typical stage of the recovery process. For a lot of people, using ice and over-the-counter painkillers are sufficient pain reliever. If the pain is severe, your doctor might prescribe a strong pain medication for a few days.
Clavicle Fracture Rehabilitation
You can strengthen your child’s shoulder and regain mobility by your child participating in certain exercises. Your doctor could recommend working with a physical therapist or your doctor can provide you with a plan for home treatment. Exercises with mild motion are a popular starting point for therapy regimens. As your child’s fracture heals, your doctor will gradually incorporate strengthening activities into the regimen. Following the physical therapy plan is crucial for helping your child go back to being normal, even if it is a gradual process. Every surgical procedure carries some risk. These consist of:
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Difficulties with wound healing
- Pain
- Blood clots
- Harm to blood vessels or nerves
- Reaction to anesthesia
The following risks are particular to clavicle fracture surgery:
- Bone healing
- Lung injury
- Numbness below the clavicle
- Hardware irritation
Patients with a higher risk for problems during and after surgery include those who smoke or use tobacco products, have diabetes or are old. Additionally, they are more susceptible to issues with bone and wound healing.
Clavicle Fracture Outcomes
The recovery process for a clavicle can take several months, whether or not surgery is part of the treatment. Within three months of their accident, the majority of patients resumed their usual activities. When your child’s injuries are stable enough to do so, your doctor will let you know. If your child resumes his or her usual activities or raises something with their arm before your doctor suggests it, the fracture fragments or the hardware might migrate causing problems that might require therapy to start over. Children can resume participating in sporting activities once their fracture has fully healed.
Our Practice, Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists, Treats Kids with Clavicle Fractures
Some general reasons why a parent might consider taking their child with a broken clavicle to a specialized orthopedic center like Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists:
- Expertise in Pediatric Orthopedics: Specialized centers often have a team of pediatric orthopedic specialists who have extensive experience in treating children’s musculoskeletal issues. These experts are well-versed in the unique challenges of treating pediatric fractures, including those involving the clavicle.
- Child-Centric Care: Pediatric orthopedic centers are typically designed with children and families in mind.
- Advanced Diagnostic and Treatment Options: Centers like Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists are often equipped with state-of-the-art technology and access to the latest advancements in pediatric orthopedic care, ensuring that children receive the most appropriate and effective treatments for their specific injuries.
- Comprehensive Care: These specialized centers usually offer comprehensive care, including evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation services, all under one roof.
- Pediatric Rehabilitation Services: Rehabilitation is a crucial aspect of recovering from a broken clavicle. Pediatric orthopedic centers may have dedicated rehabilitation specialists who can work with children to regain strength and mobility in a safe and child-friendly manner.
For specific information about the services and expertise offered at Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists, with offices in Arlington, Dallas, Frisco, and McKinney, Texas, doctors Shyam Kishan, Richard Hostin, and Kathryn Wiesman have spent years studying children’s health and have devoted their lives to treating them. We welcome new patients and invite you to call us for an appointment for your child.
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Footnote:
Call 214-556-0590 to make an appointment.