My wife, age 68, recently went down a pool slide with one of our grandchildren, hitting the edge with her collarbone. The doctor said it was bruised and would be fine with rest. But the pain gets worse, even if she doesn’t put any weight on her arm. The pain continues to her fingertips and chest and she now also has pain in her other arm. What could this be?
male (70)
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
A blow to the collarbone can also damage the shoulder and sternum. There, ligaments can be stretched, which can hurt but also cause abnormal mobility in the joint. As a result, your wife will probably spare the shoulder. This causes even more muscles to cramp, which causes even more pain. Eventually, nerves can even become pinched, which explains the pain in the fingertips. If it gets worse, she’s wise to a physiotherapist to visit. It then loosens the shoulder.
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