How are clavicle fractures treated?
The first thing the physician will do is take an X-ray to determine if the clavicle is broken, where the fracture is located, and how many pieces it is broken into. Clavicle fractures are basically divided into three types based upon location. Fractures near the sternum are the least common (less than five percent of all clavicle fractures). Fractures near the AC joint are the second most common and can come in many different patterns. The most common fractures of the clavicle are in the middle of the shaft of the bone, approximately halfway between the sternum and the AC joint. The most common way to treat the fractures in the middle is with immobilization with either a sling or a special bandage called a “figure-of-8 splint.” Studies have shown that these fractures heal just as quickly and as well with a sling as with the figure-of-8 splint, so we recommend a sling in a majority of cases. The figure-of-8 splint generally is uncomfortable, difficult to wear non-stop for six or eight w
