Collarbone Fracture (Clavicle Fracture): Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

• General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight,height; furthermore:
  • Inspection (viewing).
    • Skin (normal: intact; abrasions/wounds, redness, hematomas (bruises), scars) and mucous membranes.
    • Gait (fluid, limping).
    • Body or joint posture (upright, bent, gentle posture).
    • Malpositions (deformities, contractures, shortenings) [medial elevation of the clavicle due to the pull of the sternocleidomastoid muscle].
    • Joint(abrasions/wounds, swelling (tumor), redness (rubor), hyperthermia (calor); injury indications such as hematoma formation).
  • Palpation(palpation) of prominent bone points, tendons, ligaments; musculature; joint (joint effusion?); soft tissue swelling; pressure painfulness (localization!) [step formation on palpation, possibly crepitation / audible and palpable crackling noise on friction of fragments].
  • Assessment of blood flow, motor function and sensitivity:
    • Circulation (palpation of pulses).
    • Motor function: testing of gross strength in lateral comparison.
    • Sensibility (neurological examination) [concomitant injuries to brachial plexus nerves].

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.