A broken collarbone causes immediate, sharp pain near the shoulder, visible swelling, and difficulty moving the arm on the affected side. It’s one of the most common fractures in the body, and most heal without surgery in 6 to 12 weeks. But the experience of breaking one, getting it diagnosed, and recovering involves more than most people expect.
What It Looks and Feels Like
The collarbone (clavicle) sits just under the skin, so a fracture is often visible from the outside. You may notice a bump on or near your shoulder where the broken ends of bone have shifted. If you gently pinch the skin over the break, it can look like a tent being pulled upward by the displaced bone underneath. Swelling, bruising, and tenderness develop quickly around the area.
Moving the shoulder on the injured side hurts, and you’ll likely hold your arm close to your body instinctively. Some people hear or feel a grinding or crackling sensation when they try to move the shoulder. Stiffness sets in fast, making it difficult to lift the arm at all. The pain tends to radiate along the shoulder and sometimes down into the upper arm.
Where the Bone Typically Breaks
The collarbone connects your breastbone to your shoulder blade, and it doesn’t break evenly along its length. About 69 to 82% of collarbone fractures happen in the middle third of the bone, which is the thinnest section and takes the most force during a fall or impact. Roughly 12% occur near the outer end (closer to the shoulder), and about 6% break near the inner end (closer to the chest). Where the break happens affects how it’s treated and how long recovery takes.
How It’s Diagnosed
A standard X-ray is usually enough to confirm a broken collarbone. The image needs to capture the full bone from the breastbone to the shoulder joint, and most fractures show up clearly on this single view. Sometimes a second X-ray taken at an upward angle helps reveal how far apart the broken pieces have shifted.
CT scans come into play in specific situations. Fractures near the inner end of the collarbone can be tricky because other bones overlap in that area, making X-rays harder to read. A CT scan can also reveal whether a displaced fracture is pressing on nearby blood vessels or nerves, which changes the treatment plan significantly.
When Surgery Is Needed
Most collarbone fractures heal on their own with rest and a sling. Surgery becomes necessary when the bone has broken through the skin (an open fracture), when blood vessels or nerves are damaged, when the skin is being pushed outward (“tented”) by a sharp bone fragment, or when the shoulder girdle has lost its structural stability.
Displacement matters a lot in the decision. When the broken ends of bone have separated completely, nonsurgical treatment produces unsatisfactory results in over 30% of patients. A 2019 analysis of 14 randomized trials involving over 1,500 patients with displaced midshaft fractures found that 16.5% of those treated without surgery developed a nonunion, meaning the bone never fully reconnected. In the surgical group, that number dropped to 1.4%. Fractures that are shattered into multiple fragments carry an even higher risk of not healing properly.
For fractures that aren’t significantly displaced, conservative treatment works well. You’ll wear a sling, manage pain, and gradually start moving the shoulder as the bone heals.
What Daily Life Looks Like During Recovery
The first few weeks are the most restrictive. You’ll wear a sling day and night, removing it only to bathe. Sleeping is one of the biggest challenges. Lying flat puts pressure on the fracture site, so propping pillows under your injured arm or sleeping in a semi-upright position helps. Many people find a recliner more comfortable than a bed for the first couple of weeks.
Getting dressed becomes a one-handed task. Button-up shirts and zip-front tops are far easier than pullovers. Driving is off the table while you’re in the sling, and everyday activities like cooking, carrying bags, or reaching overhead will need to wait.
Rehabilitation Timeline
Recovery follows a predictable pattern with gradually increasing demands on the shoulder.
Weeks 2 Through 6
During this early phase, you’ll start gentle exercises while keeping weight in your hand to no more than a pound or two. The goal is preventing stiffness without stressing the healing bone. Pendulum exercises are the starting point: you bend forward at the waist, let your injured arm hang, and rock your body so the arm swings in small circles. This moves the shoulder joint without using the muscles around the fracture. You’ll also practice lifting both arms overhead with your hands clasped together, letting the healthy arm do the work. These are typically done three times a day, ten repetitions per session.
Weeks 6 Through 12
Once early healing is confirmed, you can begin lifting up to 10 pounds and start using the injured arm more actively. Wall crawl exercises, where you walk your fingers up a wall to raise your arm, help rebuild range of motion. Isometric strengthening begins here too. You’ll push your hand or arm against a wall in various positions, holding for five seconds at a time, to activate muscles without moving the joint through a full range. These exercises target rotation, extension, and the muscles that pull your arm toward your body. Active overhead lifts, side raises, and progressive strengthening fill out this phase.
Possible Complications
Most collarbone fractures heal without lasting problems, but complications do happen. Nonunion, where the bone fails to reconnect, is the most common concern. For nondisplaced fractures treated conservatively, the risk is relatively low. But for completely displaced fractures managed without surgery, nonunion rates range from 7 to 15%, which is higher than doctors once assumed.
Malunion is another possibility. The bone heals, but in a shortened or angled position. This can leave a visible bump that’s permanent and, in some cases, cause ongoing shoulder mechanics issues like reduced strength or a feeling of fatigue in the arm during overhead activity. Fractures that shatter into several pieces carry the highest risk for both nonunion and long-term functional problems.
Nerve or blood vessel injury is rare but more likely with high-energy trauma like car accidents or cycling crashes. Numbness or tingling running down the arm, or unusual coldness in the hand, warrants immediate medical attention.
How Long Full Recovery Takes
Bone healing typically takes 6 to 12 weeks, but returning to full activity takes longer. Most people regain functional use of the arm by 3 months, though athletes and those in physically demanding jobs may need 4 to 6 months before they’re back to full capacity. Strength and endurance in the shoulder continue improving for several months after the bone itself has healed, especially if formal physical therapy is part of the recovery plan. Younger patients and those with nondisplaced fractures tend to recover fastest.