Additional Information

Home Treatments:

Initial treatment of a scapula fracture involves immobilization by reducing shoulder movement. Ice should be applied on the area by using the unaffected limb or having someone else apply it for you. Ice packs should be administered no more than 20 minutes at a time. A professional consultation is needed to identify the type and severity of fracture and the appropriate treatment.

Professional Medical Treatments:

Once a proper diagnosis has been made, a sling or swath immobilization may be used for several weeks. If the fracture is a glenoid fracture involving cartilage damage, it will likely need surgical repair. If a glenoid fracture is not surgical repaired it may continually affect shoulder motion.

Physical Therapy and Exercises:

Scapula stabilizing exercises will be required to recover complete range of motion of the shoulder when recovering from a scapular fracture. These include shoulder rolls, scapular squeezes, and shoulder shrugs done with dumbbells. Rotator cuff exercises such as front raises, lateral raises, internal and external rotations with dumbbells may also be done to aid in scapula and shoulder recovery.

Exercise Techniques to Prevent Injury:

Because a scapula fracture usually occurs from a direct blunt trauma impact that requires a large amount of force, there are no precise exercise techniques to prevent the injury. The aforementioned scapula and rotator cuff exercises will help keep the area well strengthened. We recommend engaging a conversation with partners, but you can also just sit back and enjoy the show!