About this topic
Three bones make up your shoulder joint. These are the upper arm bone, the shoulder blade, and the collarbone. If the top of the shoulder blade bone break, you have a floating shoulder. When this happens, the shoulder gets pulled out of its normal position. This makes the shoulder look like it is floating. There are many blood vessels and nerves that are around this area. Damage can happen to those parts as well. Surgery may be needed based on how bad the damage is. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Rest your shoulder. Do not do painful motions that bother the shoulder. You may use a sling to rest the joint. Wear your sling at all times for the first few weeks. You can remove it when bathing, grooming, or doing your exercise program.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- Prop your arm on pillows to help with swelling.
- Wear your sling or shoulder immobilizer as ordered. You may need to wear it for 6 to 8 weeks. Your shoulder may feel stiff when the sling is removed. Follow your doctors orders to help with stiffness.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- Stretching and strengthening exercises may be needed until shoulder motion fully returns.
- Your doctor may send you to physical therapy or an occupational therapist to help you heal faster.
- Your doctor may send you to a specialist called an orthopedic surgeon if there is a lot of damage.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
- Prevent infection
What problems could happen?
- Nerve or blood vessel damage
- Slow bone healing
- Frozen shoulder
- Osteoarthritis
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher; chills; red, warm, or painful skin.
- Numbing in the hands
- Hand feels cold
- Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if my hand feels numb or cold.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00394 ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚