
What is a broken shoulder?
A broken shoulder is a break near the top of your upper arm bone, close to your shoulder joint. This bone is called the humerus. All broken bones are considered fractures. For more information, see Overview of Broken Bones.
What causes the shoulder to break?
What are the symptoms of a broken shoulder?
How can doctors tell if my shoulder is broken?
How do doctors treat a broken shoulder?
Doctors treat a broken shoulder with:
If you need surgery, the surgeon may use metal plates, screws, or wires to hold your bones in place while they heal. Sometimes, the surgeon will put in an artificial shoulder joint (joint replacement).
After the broken bone heals, your shoulder will be stiff. You'll need to do rehab exercises to loosen it up and get your strength back.