Shoulder Care
The orthopedic surgeons at Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports
Medicine, P. C. can evaluate your shoulder condition and provide the customized treatment plan to get you back to enjoying life!!
Fracture of the Shoulder Blade
Shoulder Specialists In The Greater St. John, Crown Point and Lowell, Areas
The orthopedic surgeons at Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, P. C. treat shoulder conditions and injuries at their 3 convenient offices in
St. John, Crown Point and Lowell, Indiana. Our orthopedic physicians are specially-trained in treating shoulder conditions and injuries. As leaders in orthopedic care, we provide minimally invasive and innovative treatment options, as well as utilizing state-of-the art technologies, to create unique and individualized care plan designed to get you back on your road to recovery and regaining an active lifestyle!!
FAQs on Fracture of the Shoulder Blade
Fracture of the Shoulder Blade
The shoulder blade (scapula) is a triangular-shaped bone that is protected by a complex system of surrounding muscles. Scapula fractures represent less than 1% of all broken bones and many of them can be treated without surgery.
Cause & Symptoms
Cause
High-energy, blunt trauma injuries, such as those experienced in a motorcycle or motor vehicle collision or falling from a significant height, can cause a scapula fracture. Other major injuries often accompany scapular fractures, such as fractures in the shoulder, collarbone and ribs, or damage to the head, lungs, or spinal cord.
One or more parts of the scapula may be fractured.
- Scapular body (50% to 60% of patients)
- Scapular neck (25% of patients)
- Glenoid
- Acromion
- Coracoid
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of a scapula fracture include:
- Extreme pain when you move the arm
- Swelling around the back of the shoulder
- Scrapes around the affected area
Diagnosis
To determine appropriate treatment, your doctor will evaluate the position and posture of your shoulder. Because other injuries are often present with scapula fractures, your doctor will look for additional injuries. He or she will also treat any soft-tissue damage (abrasions, open wounds, and muscular trauma). A detailed physical examination may not be possible if you have other severe injuries.
Your Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports Medicine orthopedic surgeon may also order imaging tests of your shoulder and chest to determine the extent of injury to the scapula. X-rays provide clear images of dense structures like bone. Your doctor may also order a computed tomography (CT) scan to provide a more detailed image.
Treatment Options
Nonsurgical Treatment
Nonsurgical treatment with a simple sling works for most fractures of the scapula. The sling holds your shoulder in place while the bone heals. Your doctor may want you to start moving your shoulder within the first week after the injury to minimize the risk of shoulder and elbow stiffness. The sling is discontinued as your pain improves. Passive stretching exercises should be continued until complete shoulder motion returns. This may take 6 months to 1 year.
Surgical Treatment
Certain types of scapular fractures may need surgery:
- Fractures of the glenoid articular surface in which bone has moved out of place (displaced)
- Fractures of the neck of the scapula with a lot of angulation
- Fractures of the acromion process that cause the arm bone to hit against it (impingement syndrome)
During this operation, the bone fragments are first repositioned (reduced) in their normal alignment, and then held together by attaching metal plates with special screws to the outer surface of the bone.
