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

Oakland Raiders quarterback, Jason Campbell broke his right collarbone on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.  What does this mean for his 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. 

CAUSE

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.  For a quarterback the concern is whether the bone has healed enough to endure the force of throwing and tackles.  Campbell is likely out for the rest of the season.

VIDEO/ANIMATION

Dr. P

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

Saints receiver, Marques Colston, has reportedly broken his right collarbone in the NFL game opener on Sunday night.  It is unclear about the severity of the injury, but will he return this season?  If so, when?

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. 

CAUSE

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.  For a receiver the concern is whether the bone has healed enough to endure the force of tackles.  IT is likely that he will be out for at least 6-8 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

The world’s highest ranked men’s tennis player, Novak Djokovic was forced to retire in Sunday’s match against Andy Murray. He was suffering from right should pain.  What can cause this kind of pain?

ANATOMY

The shoulder is a complex joint.  The bone anatomy is made up of three bones: the humerus (arm bone), scapula (shoulder blade), and clavicle (collar bone). 

Furthermore, there is a complicated set of muscles and tendons that run into and attach in the shoulder, giving it the stability, strength, and range of motion needed to perform overhead activites.  The most noteworthy of these groups is the rotator cuff muscles.  The rotator cuff is made up of: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor muscles.  These msucles are extremely important in overhead activities, such as throwing or serving in tennis.

CAUSES

The rotator cuff muscles can be irritated (tendonitis) or torn due to issues with the tendon itself or a bone spur rubbing on the tissues (impingement syndrome).  This can be seen in older individuals, people who suffer a trauma to the shoulder joint, or athletes who participate in overhead activities, like throwing or serving. 

SYMPTOMS

Individuals usually experience a gradual increase in pain in the shoulder.  Usually the pain is worse at night, but can be there throughout the day.  Over head activities become painful, raising the arm to comb the hair or place a wallet in the back pocket of pants can become painful as well.  The patient may notice weakness in the shoulder, pain, or popping as well.

WHEN TO SEEK MEDICAL CARE

If you suspect that you  have a rotator cuff problem, you should seek medical attention to be evaluated.  A physical exam and x-rays are usually performed, however often times an MRI may be needed to evaluate the shoulder.

TREATMENT

Treatment for rotator cuff tendonitis and small tears is often initially managed with non-surgical options.  These include the use of anti-inflammatories (pills or topical creams), physical therapy to stretch and strengthen the rotator cuff, and at times an injection of steroids with numbing medication. 

If nonsurgical treatments fail or there is a large tear , surgical options are explored.  These include arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, mini-open repairs with small incisions, or open repairs.  In all of these cases, the rotator cuff tendon is reattached to the bone where it was originally attached.  A lot of physical therapy is required to regain the strength and motion of the shoulder.

OUTCOMES

Most patients  with  rotator cuff tendonitis and tears do well with conservative care.  If surgery is required, 6-9 months are needed to regain the skills to get back to the playing field.

RETURN TO ACTIVITIES

It is unclear how long Djokovic will have difficulties with his shoulder.  It is likely that he will need some tests, such as an MRI to evaluate the shoulder better.

VIDEO/ANIMATIONS

 Animated videos can be seen below:

Dr. P

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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