Shoulder fracture - How to return to sports after 6 months.
- Mar 29
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
One fall and suddenly everything is different!
This article explains why a fracture of the humeral head is one of the most common fractures in Germany, which treatments deliver the best results after a shoulder fracture, and how you can return to sports after 6 months.
In this article you will learn:
How a shoulder fracture occurs.
Why the bone breaks easily at the humeral head.
Is osteoporosis to blame for the humeral head fracture?
How long does it take to heal after a shoulder fracture?
When is surgery after a shoulder fracture advisable?
How to return to exercise 6 months after a shoulder fracture.
This is how a shoulder fracture occurs.
When we lose our balance and fall to the ground, we reflexively spread our arms forward. Wouldn't you believe it? But it's true; this reaction is one of our innate reflexes.
Most shoulder fractures occur when we try to catch ourselves with our arm at the moment of a fall.
The humeral head is forced into the shoulder socket and can fracture at the glenoid cavity. Furthermore, the shoulder socket or humeral head can fracture if the body falls onto the side of the body.
Depending on the position of the arm at the moment of the fall, different injuries can occur and certain parts of the shoulder can break.
For example, if the arm is in a bent, externally rotated position at the time of the accident, the shoulder can dislocate and the edge of the shoulder socket can break off.
Most often, however, the shoulder breaks at the humeral head, particularly easily directly below the ball.
This is why the bone breaks easily at the humeral head.
In the most common shoulder fracture at the humeral head, a distinction is made between the "anatomical neck" at the transition from the ball to the bone shaft, and the "surgical neck" directly below the ball, the very place where the bone often breaks and therefore "meets the surgeon".
In this region, the outer layer of bone is thin and prone to fractures. The bony glenoid cavity is much more stable and therefore fractures less frequently.
In many fractures of the humerus, the connection between the rotator cuff , which attaches to the head, and the long tubular bone of the arm is interrupted, resulting in a movement disorder of the shoulder.
In some cases, this makes it impossible to actively raise the arm. Movement between the fragments causes them to rub against each other, causing pain.
Fractures of the humeral head are differentiated according to how many pieces it is broken into, because different tendons of the rotator cuff attach to the individual bone parts.
Another evaluation criterion is the extent of bone displacement. Fractures that are far apart require more time to heal and carry a risk of not healing properly.
Is osteoporosis to blame for the humeral head fracture?
The average age for fractures of the humeral head is 67 years and two-thirds of all cases affect women.
Shoulder fractures occur at any age. However, fractures of the humeral head are a
typical injury of the elderly.
The average age for fractures of the humeral head is 67 years, and two-thirds of all cases occur in women. It is therefore likely that reduced bone density is a predisposing factor for bone fractures.
Osteoporosis is often only diagnosed after a bone fracture, when appropriate testing is initiated. However , the earlier treatment is initiated, the more successful the treatment can be. For this reason, people at particular risk for osteoporosis should be alert to early symptoms. You can find out more about osteoporosis here.
However, since humeral head fractures also occur in young patients with very good bone quality, osteoporosis is not the only cause of humeral fractures.
Rather, it is the unfortunate moment of a fall in which different bones of the person can break depending on the force applied.
How long does it take to heal after a shoulder fracture?
Most bones require 6-8 weeks to heal after a fracture. However, it often takes 3-6 months for them to become stable enough to withstand stress. The healing time depends, among other things, on the following parameters.
Bone quality at the time of the fracture (age, osteoporosis)
Fracture type and displacement of the fragments (smooth fracture vs. comminuted fracture, instability)
Location of the fracture (middle of the bone vs. bone ends)
Therapy methods (conservative treatment vs. surgical stabilization)
Additional illnesses, medications and behavior (e.g. cortisone, smoking, etc.)
When is surgery after a shoulder fracture advisable?
If conservative therapy is not promising due to the type of fracture, the individual bone quality or the bone displacement, repairing the bone fracture may be advisable.
During osteosynthesis, the fractured parts are reassembled and stabilized with an implant.
Modern titanium plates and nails are used for this purpose, allowing the individual fragments to be screwed together, depending on the type of fracture. Additionally, smaller fragments and parts connected by tendons can be held together with strong suture cables.
However, the key to a good outcome is less the implant used than the precise fit of the fragments, which ideally corresponds to the original anatomy. This requires considerable experience, as each fracture type presents its own challenges for the surgeon.
Through anatomical fracture reconstruction and stable osteosynthesis, the arm can be moved early and used again for everyday life.
Returning to sport 6 months after a shoulder fracture.
Sports activity after a shoulder fracture should depend on the symptoms.
Initially, the most severe discomfort is pain at the broken bone ends and the bruising within them. Depending on the treatment method, the bone ends will heal within six weeks of the fracture; the sooner this occurs, the faster the pain will subside.
One of the problems after a shoulder fracture is that the shoulder tends to become stiff or Frozen shoulder Therefore, it is important that the shoulder is exercised by a physiotherapist as soon as the bone ends are stably connected, which is usually the case somewhat sooner after surgical stabilization.
Sports are not recommended within the first 12 weeks. It usually takes about 8-12 weeks before the arm can be moved horizontally again without pain. You should wait until then before engaging in physical activity, as a free range of motion is also important for balance, such as jogging, to prevent further falls. Running and cycling are therefore often possible again after 3 months.
Self-exercises for quickly regaining shoulder mobility.
End-stage mobility restrictions often prevent participation in more ambitious sports, especially overhead sports.
Therefore, in addition to the accompanying treatment from a physiotherapist, it can be helpful to perform your own shoulder exercises several times a day. One option is the 5 shoulder exercises shown here .
Many overhead sports require unrestricted shoulder movement. In some cases, more intensive follow-up treatment with physiotherapy, manual therapy, self-exercises (>6 months), and sometimes even rehabilitation is necessary to achieve this.
Therefore, it can take 6-9 months for a successful tennis match. Cycling and jogging can usually be started earlier. It's important to stick with the shoulder and perform the exercises regularly.
Conclusion:
In a shoulder fracture, the humeral head is most commonly affected.
Fractures of the humeral head are classified according to the number of fractures, as the rotator cuff tendons attach to each individual fracture. Another assessment criterion is the extent of bone displacement.
Sports activity after a shoulder fracture should depend on the symptoms.
Depending on the type of fracture, type of therapy, age and range of motion, sports can be resumed 3 months after a shoulder fracture.
Through injury-specific therapy, regular physiotherapy and self-exercises, you can often return to sport after 6 months.
Do you have any questions?
Then make an appointment with our shoulder specialist :
Specialist in orthopedics
and trauma surgery,
Sports medicine
