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Medical Author:

William Freudenthal, MD

Coauthor:

James V Ritchie, MD

Medical Editor:

Marian Gambrell, MD

Medical Editor:

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD

Medical Editor:

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Dr. Balentine received his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. He attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in1983. He completed his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he served as chief resident.

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Broken Shoulder Blade Causes

Scapular fractures are caused by direct trauma involving a large amount of force or violence. Associated injuries to chest wall, lungs, and shoulder occur in up to 80% of people with broken shoulder blades. Common causes of broken shoulder blades include the following:

• Motor vehicle accidents
  
  
• Falls with direct trauma to the shoulder
  
  
• Falls onto an outstretched arm
  
  
• Direct trauma such as from a baseball bat or hammer