Ds has fractured his shoulder - has anyone got experience of this, or advice please?

[FracturedShoulder]

Ds fell on a university ski trip and has just rung to say he's fractured his upper humerus. The French medics have put him in a neck brace, and happily he's sharing a room at the resort with a medical student who is acting as nurse

I've told him to rest and keep it still. But how still is still?

Any experience or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I think the weight of the arm acts like traction pulling the bone to the correct position. Pain will obviously limit movement. Apparently the fastest bones in our bodies to heal are the ribs which have no choice but to keep moving.

Shame for the trip to be spoiled. Hope he's not in too much pain.

Thanks, Matilda. That's reassuring! Of course being a newly adult male he is not saying much at all, so I have no real idea of how much pain he's in. I have emailed him to say he should milk it for all it's worth, however - a jokey way of saying: let other students help you.

Touching wood as I type, I have never broken a bone, so I have little knowledge of all this.