Three bones - the humerus, scapula, and clavicle - make up the shoulder joint. When one of these bones breaks, it's called a shoulder fracture or a broken shoulder. The most common cause of a shoulder fracture is a traumatic injury that puts a lot of force on your shoulder, such as in a fall or car accident.
Shoulder fractures are not as common as other shoulder injuries.
Symptoms
- Shoulder pain
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Not being able to move your shoulder
- A bump at your shoulder that's not usually there
Treatment
Risk Factors
You're more likely to get a humerus fracture if you're over 65 years old and have bone density issues. Clavicle fractures are most common in teenagers.
Other risk factors of a shoulder fracture include:
- Playing contact sports
- Having osteoperosis