Why is it that when someone breaks their collarbone the doctor puts their arm in a sling?

Why is it that when someone breaks their collarbone the doctor puts their arm in a sling?

 

Put one hand on your collarbone and then raise your other arm over your head. You’ll feel why.

Mine was not put in a sling when I had a broken collarbone. Just a brace that went over my shoulders and tightened in the back. But that was in the 70's :lol2:

Why is it that when someone breaks their collarbone the doctor puts their arm in a sling?

 

A sling keeps the arm immobile while supporting it allowing the bone to stay in place while healing.

Here's a normal clavicle.

 

Here's a broken clavicle.

 

When the clavicle is broken, the bone is no longer aiding to support the shoulder joint, and the weight of the arm pulls the shoulder joint (painfully) down away from its proper location, and also keeps the broken pieces of the clavicle from holding together and healing.

 

When they put the sling - often an immobilizing sling like the one below - it's done to hold the shoulder and broken segments of clavicle in place where they belong as the clavicle heals.