How effective is physiotherapy for clavicle fracture?

A broken collarbone may make lifting, reaching, dressing and sleeping uncomfortable. Early treatment usually protects the injury while the bone heals; exercises are added at a pace based on pain, movement and clinical assessment. A physiotherapist may begin with gentle shoulder, elbow and hand movements, then progress to range-of-motion work, posture practice and strengthening of the shoulder-blade and arm muscles. The aim is useful movement without placing unapproved stress on the healing bone. Progress can be uneven, especially after a displaced fracture or an operation.

Attend an assessment before starting resistance exercises, and follow the fracture clinician's limits on lifting and arm use. Practise the agreed home movements regularly, keeping the motion controlled rather than forcing a stretch. Tell the therapist if pain lingers after an exercise, your shoulder feels unstable, or numbness appears in the arm or hand. As healing allows, therapy can include reaching tasks, work or sport preparation, and a gradual return to activities.

Contact your fracture team promptly for increasing swelling, new deformity, worsening pain, fever, drainage from an incision, or new weakness or numbness. Seek urgent help for breathing difficulty, chest pain, a cold or pale arm, or sudden loss of arm function.

Ask when shoulder exercises may begin, which movements and loads are currently restricted, how healing will be checked, and what signs suggest that therapy should pause.