ANY consideration of injury to the clavicle must take into account certain fundamentals. In the first place, absence of the clavicle is not incompatible with normal function of the shoulder girdle.

Until about 15 years ago, most clavicle fractures were allowed to heal with minimal medical intervention. That changed after a 2007 study reported better shoulder function after plate-fixation surgery ...

Medically reviewed by Oluseun Olufade, MD Key Takeaways Most clavicle fractures heal well without surgery using a sling or ...