The Houston Texan have faced another blow at the quarterback position.  Matt Leinart injured his left collarbone on Sunday and is out for the season. 

ANATOMY

The shoulder is made up of three bones: the humerus (arm bone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the clavicle (collar bone).   The clavicle is a long, skinny bone, which is shaped as an “s”, as it travels from the sternum (breast bone) to the shoulder. 

CAUSES

Clavicle fractures are common, occurring usually in children and athletes.  The clavicle can break with a direct blow to the bone. This can occur from a blow to the front or outer part of the clavicle.

SYMPTOMS

Individuals with a broken collarbone will have immediate pain swelling and perhaps a black and blue mark.  The shoulder and arm will be difficult to move.  There may be an abnormal bump in the location where the bone is broken.   An x-ray is usually needed to get a better idea of the location and “shift” (displacement) of the break.  A good physical exam will be needed to ensure that the blood vessels and nerves that travel near the clavicle are not damaged. 

TREATMENTS

Depending on the location of the break, the clavicle can be treated with or without surgery.  In the non surgical option, the arm is kept in a sling, in order to rest the shoulder. The patient is allowed to come out of the sling every few hours to do some basic range of motion exercises and keep the shoulder from stiffening.  The bone will take 8 to 10 weeks to heal.  Surgery is selected if: the bone is pushing up too much on the skin, the broken area of bone is very tender, or in the case of an athlete.  There are a variety of ways to treat clavicle fractures with surgery, including the application of a plate and screws or a screw or device that goes in the center of the bone and stabilizes the break. The advantage of surgery is that physical therapy and exercises can begin more quickly. 

WHEN TO SEEK MEDICAL CARE

If you suspect that you have sustained a clavicle fracture or break of your collarbone, you should seek medical attention within a few hours to days.

RETURN TO ACTIVITIES/OUTCOMES

Most throwing athletes treated without surgery will be out of throwing activities for 8 to 10 weeks.  With surgery, this can be shortened to 6 to 8 weeks.

VIDEO/ANIMATION

All material published through this blog/website is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information contained herein with other sources. Patients and consumers should review the information carefully with their professional health care provider. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by physicians. Dr. Parekh and Duke University will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary, or other damages arising from the discussions in this blog.   For more information on the North Carolina Orthopaedic Clinic, go to: http://www.ncorthoclinic.com/  For more information on Duke Orthopaedics, go to: http://www.dukehealth.org/orthopaedics

Sunday, during the win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Houston Texan quarterback, Matt Schaub, injured his foot.  Today it was discovered that he sustained a Lisfranc injury.  What is the Lisfranc injury and why will Schaub be out for the entire remaining season?