Exercises to Recover From a Clavicle Fracture
Dr. Brian Hill, outlines a structured physical therapy progression for recovering from a collarbone (clavicle) fracture.
Key Rehabilitation Phases
1. Early-Stage Rehab (Passive Range of Motion)
- Goal: Protect the healing bone while preventing shoulder stiffness.
- Pendulum Swings: Lean forward, supporting your weight with the unaffected arm on a table. Let the injured arm hang vertically and gently sway it in small circles using gravity rather than muscle power.
- Grip & Forearm Work: While immobilized in a sling, squeeze a stress ball or soft putty to promote circulation and prevent wrist and finger stiffness.
2. Mid-Stage Rehab (Active-Assisted Movements)
- Goal: Begin active mobility once early bone callus formation is visible on X-rays.
- Wand / Stick Exercises: Hold a lightweight stick or cane with both hands. Use the healthy arm to push the injured arm into forward elevation or rotation.
- Wall Crawls: Stand facing a wall and slowly "walk" your fingers upward as far as comfortable to track range of motion progress week by week.
3. Strengthening & Stability Phase
- Goal: Rebuild support muscles around the shoulder blade (scapula) and joint.
- Scapular Squeezes: Sit or stand upright and squeeze the shoulder blades back together to build scapular stability.
- Isometric Rotations: Press the hand gently against a wall without moving the shoulder joint, building strength without straining the fracture.
- Resistance Bands: Transition to elastic band rotations for controlled internal and external shoulder strengthening.
