How Can My Shoulder Asymmetry Be Fixed?

Q: Dr. Eppley,  My right shoulder is much wider than my left shoulder, and my left shoulder is somewhat rounded and sloped.  Looks very asymmetrical and somewhat impinged.  In my teenage years, I’m pretty sure I had broken my collarbone or clavicle, and I never did anything about it.  I’m not 100% sure this is the reason for the narrowness or difference in appearance, but it could be. 

Is this something that can be fixed or remedied to provide a wider and more symmetrical look?

A:If you had a fractured clavicle previously and it was allowed to heal without surgical intervention replaced fixation it always does so with a shortened length. This can certainly create a rounded and more sloped shoulder as that Is exactly what happens clavicle loses length based on its anatomic position and orientation between the sternum in the shoulder joint. This is best confirmed by a 3-D CT scan of your shoulders to clearly display the differences in the clavicles between the two sides.

That being said, and assuming that this diagnosis is correct, the question then is whether one would undergo a clavicle lengthening osteotomy for symmetry improvement. And in a very muscular individual like you with the long standing contracted shoulder girdle could it be successfully  stretched out with the push of a clavicle lengthening procedure.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon