Humeral Fracture Quiz
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Leg pain
Pain in the arm
Moving shoulder causes pain
Painful shoulder
Tingling
Pain in arms
Pain worsens when moving arm/shoulder
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Humeral Fracture?
A break in the upper arm bone. This can occur from different types of injuries, and has different patterns depending on the mechanism of injury and location in the bone.
Typical Symptoms of Humeral Fracture
- Arm pain started after falling on an outstretched hand
- Moving the arm / shoulder worsens the pain
- Arm pain
- Pain or discomfort in arms or legs
- Shoulder pain
- Redness in the affected area
- Swelling in the affected area
- Weakness in your arms or legs
Diagnostic Questions for Humeral Fracture
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Did your arm pain start after you fell on an outstretched hand?
- Does moving your arms or shoulders make your pain worse?
- Are you experiencing arm pain?
- Are you experiencing any pain or discomfort in your arms or legs?
- Do you have shoulder pain?
Treatment of Humeral Fracture
Some breaks can be treated with a splint or brace, while other fracture patterns may need surgery to realign and fixate the bone.
Reviewed By:
Kent C Doan, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr Doan Graduated from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and completed residency training in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Colorado. He completed additional fellowship training in Orthopedic Sports Medicine at the prestigious Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado. He is a practicing Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in complex and revision knee and shoulder surgery at the Kansas City Orthopedic Institute. He also holds an assistant professorship at the University of Kansas City.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Left arm pain
- Pain in legs
- Left shoulder pain
- Pain in the limb
- Pain from chest to arm
- Shoulder pain when raising arms
- Radiating pain from chest to left shoulder
- Shoulder pain when sleeping
- Left hand pain
- Both my back and legs hurt but the legs hurt more
- Shoulder stiffness
- Moderate leg pain with mild back pain
- Stiff left shoulder
- Severe leg pain with moderate back pain
- Tough to use left arm
See full list
Symptoms Related to Humeral Fracture
Diseases Related to Humeral Fracture
FAQs
Q.
Humerus Bone Pain? Why Your Arm Is Aching & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Humerus (upper arm) pain has many causes, most commonly muscle strain or tendinitis, but also fractures or stress fractures, osteoporosis, pinched nerves, infection, or rare tumors, and most cases are treatable with timely care. Go to urgent care now for severe pain after trauma, visible deformity, inability to move the arm, numbness or loss of circulation, or fever; otherwise book a visit if pain lasts more than 1 to 2 weeks or is worsening. There are several factors to consider; see below for medically approved next steps, diagnosis and treatment options, and prevention tips that could change what you do next.
References:
* Court-Brown, C. M., & McQueen, M. M. (2018). Proximal Humerus Fractures: Current Treatment Concepts. *Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 26*(12), e254-e263.
* Giza, E., Miller, C., & Lee, J. (2018). Humerus stress fracture in overhead athletes: a systematic review. *International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 13*(5), 907-916.
* Guler, N. T., & Kayikci, O. (2017). Primary bone tumors of the humerus: a systematic review of the literature. *Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma, 8*(2), 154-159.
* Peltola, H., & Pääkkönen, J. (2020). Management of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis. *Infectious Disease Clinics of North America, 34*(2), 297-313.
* Funk, J. R., & Nho, S. J. (2020). Osteonecrosis of the humeral head: current concepts. *Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 29*(10), 2200-2207.
Q.
Upper Arm Pain? Why Your Humerus Is Aching & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Upper arm pain in the humerus is most often from muscle strain or tendonitis, but it can also signal bruising, fractures, nerve issues, referred neck or shoulder problems, or rare bone conditions. Seek urgent care for deformity, inability to move the arm, severe swelling, numbness, open wounds, or chest pain, while mild cases often improve with rest, ice, over the counter pain relief, and gradual motion. There are several factors to consider, including when to get imaging or physical therapy and typical recovery times, so see the complete medically approved next steps and red flags below.
References:
* Lee RHJ. Evaluation and Treatment of Shoulder Pain. Med Clin North Am. 2021 May;105(3):383-397. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2021.01.002. Epub 2021 Mar 17. PMID: 33896585.
* Fernandez JD, Cifuentes A, Smith-Forbes E. Upper Extremity Pain. Hand Clin. 2021 Nov;37(4):501-512. doi: 10.1016/j.hcl.2021.07.001. Epub 2021 Sep 1. PMID: 34657682.
* Wilke JM, Scram RM. Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy. Phys Sportsmed. 2023 Feb;51(1):14-23. doi: 10.1080/00913847.2022.2139603. Epub 2022 Nov 2. PMID: 36329731.
* Miller TJ, Toth AP, Taylor DC. Bicipital Tendinopathy: A Current Concepts Review. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2021 Jul 15;29(14):e673-e682. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-20-00831. PMID: 33895786.
* Sreerama KK, Madi KR. Peripheral Nerve Entrapment Syndromes of the Upper Extremity. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2022 Oct;15(5):377-385. doi: 10.1007/s12178-022-09778-w. Epub 2022 Aug 24. PMID: 36006700.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Maresca A, Pascarella R, Bettuzzi C, Amendola L, Politano R, Fantasia R, Del Torto M. Multifocal humeral fractures. Injury. 2014 Feb;45(2):444-7. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2013.10.010. Epub 2013 Oct 18. PMID: 24183393.
https://www.injuryjournal.com/article/S0020-1383(13)00474-9/fulltextSchwartz, C., Cuny, C. Fractures of the proximal humerus: a prospective review of 188 cases. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 13, 1–12 (2003).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-003-0070-9Bhashyam, Abhiram R. MD, PhD; Ochen, Yassine MD; van der Vliet, Quirine M.J. MD, PhD; Leenen, Luke P.H. MD, PhD; Hietbrink, Falco MD, PhD; Houwert, Roderick M. MD, PhD; Dyer, George S.M. MD, FACS; Heng, Marilyn MD, MPH, FRCSC. Association of Patient-reported Outcomes With Clinical Outcomes After Distal Humerus Fracture Treatment. JAAOS: Global Research and Reviews 4(2):p e19.00122, February 2020. | DOI: 10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-19-00122
Naclerio, Emily H. MD; McKee, Michael D. MD, FRCS(C). Approach to Humeral Shaft Nonunion: Evaluation and Surgical Techniques. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 30(2):p 50-59, January 15, 2022. | DOI: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-21-00634