Shoulder Fracture Treatment

These are fractures of the shoulder blade (the “scapula”). The socket of the shoulder is called the “glenoid”. This is also a part of the shoulder blade. It can also be involved in a fracture.

Causes: 

These fractures are fortunately not very common. They occur in younger patients after severe injury – for example, road traffic accidents.

Symptoms: 

1. There will be severe pain around the shoulder immediately after the injury. Any movement of the arm will cause the pain to worsen.
2. The shape of the shoulder may look different, especially when you compare it with the normal side. There may be swelling around the shoulder. 
3. There may be extensive bruising and discolouration of the arm and around the elbow.
4. In severe injury, there may be injury to the nerves and blood vessels 

Diagnosis:

Your doctor will start off with a thorough clinical examination to look for any other injuries, and to ensure that there is no damage to any of the nerves and blood vessels around your shoulder.

Investigations: 

An X-ray is necessary to confirm the fracture, and to check the pattern of the fracture. It will also help assess other injuries like dislocation of the joints and fractures of other bones (e.g. the collar bone).

Your Orthopaedic surgeon might also recommend a CT scan to get a detailed image of the fracture.  

Treatment:

We strongly advise you to seek immediate medical attention if you suspect a fracture of your shoulder. The goal of treatment is to restore normal function of the shoulder joint – which means painless movement of the shoulder once the fracture heals. This usually takes 2-3 months. Generally speaking, these fractures can be treated in one of the two following methods:

1. Conservative treatment: The majority of scapula fractures can be treated this way. It involves a brief period of rest, followed by closely supervised physiotherapy. 
2. Operative treatment: Surgery is needed if the scapula or the glenoid fracture is not in good position. Surgery is followed by physiotherapy and rehabilitation to improve movement and regain strength. 

Please speak to a shoulder specialist to know which type of treatment will be best for you. There are pros and cons to both conservative and operative treatment, and the ideal Shoulder Fracture Treatment is individualised as per the patient. 

Looking to learn more about Sports Injury, Shoulder Arthritis, Shoulder Dislocations, Frozen Shoulder, Subacromial Impingement, Rotator Cuff Tears . Take a look at our Patient education guide