Prognosis
Healing time varies based on age, health, complexity and location of the break as well as the bone displacement. For adults, a minimum of 2–6 weeks of sling immobilization is normally employed to allow initial bone and soft tissue healing, teenagers require slightly less, children can often achieve the same level in two weeks. During this period, patients may remove the sling to practice passive pendulum Range of Motion (ROM) exercises to reduce atrophy in the elbow and shoulder, but they are minimized to 15-20 degrees off vertical. Depending on the severity of fracture a person can begin to use the arm if comfortable with movement and no pain results. The final result is to be able to have full range of motion with no pain, therefore, if any pain exists it is best to allow for more recovery time. Depending on severity of the fracture, athletes involved in contact sports may need a longer period of rest to heal to avoid re-fracturing bone. A person should be able to return unrestricted to any sports or work by 3 months after the injury.
Read more about this topic: Clavicle Fracture