Physical Education

Fracture of the Collarbone
The collarbone is also known as the clavicle. When standing, the injured shoulder is lower, and the casualty is unable to raise the arm above the shoulder. The casualty attempts to support the shoulder by holding the elbow. This is the typical stance taken by a casualty with a broken collarbone. Since the collarbone lies near the surface of the skin, you may be able to see the point of fracture by the deformity and tenderness.
In addition to the general procedures above, gently bend the casualty's arm and place the forearm across the chest. The palm of the hand should be turned in, with the thumb pointing up. Support the arm in this position (Fig. 6-7) with a wide sling. The hand should be raised about 4 inches above the level of the elbow. A wide roller bandage (or any wide strip of cloth) may be used to secure the casualty's arm to the body.

Figure 6-7 - Sling for Imobilizing Fractured Clavicle