The Humerus is the long bone of the upper arm. A fracture is a broken bone. When these two come together, big problems can arise, usually needing surgery to fix properly. Here is an analysis of the Humerus fracture by Toby Ortho.
The Anatomy
The humerus connects the shoulder to the elbow. The proximal humerus connects the to the shoulder by the rotator cuff muscles where the distal humerus which connects to the forearm. The shaft is the length of humerus.
Depending on where a fracture is caused, whether it be on the shaft, or closer to the proximal or distal humerus, surgery may or may not be necessary for proper healing.
Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis
Most humerus fractures are caused by trauma, meaning direct impact to the area. Events like sports, car accidents, and falls can attribute to these fractures.
The symptoms of upper arm fractures can be varied, depending on if nerves are damage. Pain is obviously the most common symptom, weakness, tenderness, and odd sensations in the lower arm/ hand.
X-Rays are the most common way doctors diagnose humerus fractures. However, CT scans are also used in some cases as well.
Treatment
There are various ways to treat a humerus fracture. Keeping the arm in a sling to relieve pressure on the fracture is one way.
In more extreme fracture cases, surgery may be needed along with bone screws that will compress the two pieces together,
View our post on the different types of bone screws:
Treatment will always require rehabilitation in order to gain bone strength and muscle strength necessary to for full movement. In most cases the treatment will weaken the muscles around the fracture and will not have any effect on the strength of the healed bone.
Humerus fractures can be difficult to handle without the proper tools. Take a look Toby Ortho’s Proximal Humerus Treatment device, PANTERA! Complete with a step by step on how to use it and results to back it up!