Shoulder Fracture Overview

The Anatomy of a Shoulder Fracture

Fractures of the shoulder are not uncommon, in fact shoulder joint fracture accounts for 4-5% of all fractures. A majority of these shoulder fractures occur in older people with osteoporosis (form of arthritis where joint cartilage begins to wear away due to accident or natural aging process). >Shoulder fractures are often treated initially with a sling and specialized exercises. However, if pain relief is not achieved from these treatment options, shoulder replacement surgery may be recommended.

Shoulder Joint Anatomy

The shoulder itself is made up of three main bones: the scapula (shoulder blade), the humerus (upper arm bone) and the clavicle (collarbone). Fractures of the proximal humerus, or upper part of the humerus bone, are generally diagnosed using a four-part classification system.

Two-part and most three-part fractures often times do not require surgery. Some three-part and nearly all four-part fractures exhibit a need for a shoulder fracture surgery, also called hemiarthroplasty.

The four sections to be classified include the lesser and greater tuberosities, the head and the shaft. In a four-part fracture, the greater tuberosity (bony location where muscles attach to the top of the arm bone) is displaced towards the top, back surface by the pull of the attached tendons. Simultaneously, the lesser tuberosity is retracted to the middle by the pull of the shoulder muscle towards the back. The neck of the humerus is displaced towards the middle by the pull of the upper chest muscle.

Causes of Shoulder Fracture

The most common cause of a shoulder fracture is a fall. The fall may only be moderate, however when osteoporosis is already present, a fracture of the humerus is more likely to occur. Additional causes of shoulder fractures may be excessive revolving of the arm or a direct blow to the arm, but these are not as common.

Your doctor will make the determination of what type of fracture you have through diagnosing your symptoms and viewing your x-rays.