If you are feeling sudden pain right at the back of your shoulder, most probably you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. A scapula fracture is a type of injury that is inflicted at the shoulder blade bone from an impact which commonly results to the chipping or breaking of the bone. Although this type of injury is not as common as the others, there is a chance every athlete will experience one especially those who are in contact sports. Another major contributor of the injury is car accidents due to the high velocity and the impact that can break nearly all of the bones in your body.
If you are into mixed martial arts, an accidental, strong knee to the back of your shoulder can cause fractures to your scapula. However, this is quite rare as blows to the back are illegal in almost all types of contact sports. In case you are struck with this type of injury, the best thing to do is to rest and avoid any movement to control the damage done to the bone.
In case you have a scapula fracture, most likely you will experience sudden pain in the back area of the shoulder. It would be quite impossible to move the shoulder without feeling pain and discomfort. Do not attempt to move your arms up above the head as this can add more damages to the scapula. Immobilizing for a while is better as it helps the affected part of the body to rest and keep the damage at bay. Normally, you need to call for medical help in order to save yourself from acquiring additional injuries. Immediate action should be done in order to keep the swelling and pain under control. Pain reliever and anti-inflammatory medication is usually administered by the doctor or any medical professional in order to help you cope up with the situation.
Modern treatments are very effective when it comes to treating bone fractures. Your sports therapist or doctor can help you with various methods that are effective in bringing you back into action within a period of time. What's important is that you do not rush with the recovery, instead make sure that the injury will properly heal and will recover in time. In most cases, the fracture will heal by itself which means that surgery would not be required. Rest and immobilization would be enough to help the body trigger its healing ability by itself. A sling should be placed on the affected arm to reduce stress from the weight it carries as this can add more problems to the shoulder blade in the long run. By the time your scapula is free from the pain and discomfort, make sure to inform your doctor which will then advise you to accomplish stretching and strengthening programs which will help you strengthen the muscle tissues that have weaken due to the long hibernation due to the immobilization process done to protect your body. Finish up all of the advised programs in order to fully recover from the injury.