What Is an AC Joint Separation?
The medical word for what is typically referred to as a shoulder separation in layman’s terms is an AC joint separation. The shoulder blade joins the clavicle, or collarbone, rather than the humerus, or upper arm bone, at the acromioclavicular joint, or AC. An AC joint separation is characterized by sprains or tears in the ligaments supporting the AC joint, which are frequently brought on by a fall onto the shoulder. Pain, shoulder deformity, and a lack of forelimb motion may arise from this. The degree of AC joint separations ranges from minor sprains to severe full tears.
Athletes are particularly prone to AC joint issues. For instance, a 2013 study discovered that the acromioclavicular joint was linked in roughly 30% of all shoulder injuries in the NFL. Fortunately, most AC joint injuries recover completely with time and the right care
AC Joint Separation Symptoms
Several symptoms are common to AC joint injuries:
- Pain
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Weakness in the upper arm or shoulder
- A visible deformity, typically a bump at the top of the shoulder.
AC joint injuries can be categorized accordingly:
- Mild sprains of the AC ligament are the least severe form of injury. There is no visible deformity and X-rays of the shoulder appear normal.
- Tears in the AC ligament and sprains in the coracoclavicular (CC) ligament form the second, more serious category. There is an externally visible bump and the clavicle and shoulder blade are misaligned.
- With the severest form of injury, both the AC and the CC ligaments are torn. There is a large external deformity and the clavicle and shoulder blade are visibly misaligned.
AC Joint Separation Causes
A fall onto the shoulder is the most typical reason for an AC joint separation. When the ligaments are sufficiently torn, the shoulder blade, or scapula, separates from the clavicle, leading to misalignment and the development of the shoulder bump. People who play contact sports, such as football, soccer, or hockey, as well as professional athletes are at high risk for AC joint separation injuries. There is also cause for concern for cyclists, horseback riders, and other fall-prone individuals.
How to diagnose?
An AC joint injury will be identified by your doctor using the following criteria:
- Record your symptoms and medical background.
- Examine your shoulder and the surrounding areas of your body physically. The wounded area will be visually examined, and the doctor will also look for edema, bruising, flexibility, and strange joint movements.
- Obtain a shoulder X-ray on demand. The X-ray can be useless unless the damage is quite serious.
Your doctor will need to make physical contact with you to examine your shoulder. Although there may be some pain involved, every effort will be taken to minimize your discomfort.
AC Joint Separation At-Home Treatment
There are some steps you can take at home to treat an AC joint injury:
- Rest
- Apply ice
- Take over-the-counter pain medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium, to control the pain.
AC Joint Separation Surgery
Surgery is only performed in the most severe cases of AC joint injury, which often involve full ligament ruptures and clavicle fractures. Reconstructing the AC and CC ligaments as well as removing the distal end of the collarbone are frequently necessary steps in the surgical repair of an AC joint (that is, the part closest to the acromion).
The prognosis for someone who has suffered an AC joint injury is generally favorable. People with a separated shoulder often recover in a period of time ranging from a few days to three months, depending on the severity and whether surgery is necessary.
This article was written by Hashem Khdour, Medical Doctor and the founder of Medicogenic medicine learning & health website
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