Broken collarbone

A broken collarbone is usually caused by an injury to your shoulder. Get medical advice as soon as possible if you think you have a broken collarbone.

Check if you have a broken collarbone

You may have broken your collarbone if you've been injured and your shoulder:

• is very painful
• is swollen or bruised
• has changed shape
• has bone sticking out of the skin

Sometimes a broken collarbone can lead to complications that cause other symptoms such as:

• chest pain
• difficulty breathing
• coughing up blood

But this is rare.

While you're waiting to see a doctor

If you think you've broken your collarbone, there are some things you can do while you're waiting to see a doctor.

You should:

• use a towel or bandage to put the affected arm in a sling
• stop any bleeding by putting pressure on the wound with a clean towel or dressing, if possible
• avoid using the affected shoulder or arm
• avoid touching the bone if it's sticking out from your skin

Treatment for a broken collarbone

You'll need to have X-rays to check if you've broken your collarbone. A broken collarbone needs to be treated in hospital.

Your arm will usually be put in a sling to help your collarbone heal. You'll also be given painkillers to help with pain.

If the break is very bad you may need surgery to repair it, but this is rare.

You'll usually be shown some shoulder and arm exercises to do at home to help you recover quicker.

After you've left the hospital, you'll need to go for follow-up appointments to check how your collarbone is healing.

Recovering from a broken collarbone

Most people recover from a broken collarbone in 6 to 8 weeks. Children often recover quicker, usually in 3 to 4 weeks.

You may need to wear a sling for 2 to 3 weeks. You'll then need to rest your shoulder for a few more weeks and keep doing the exercises you've been given, until it's fully recovered

There are some things you can do to help your recovery.