Separated Shoulder


American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons,
(AAOS)

A separated shoulder is a common injury among football quarterbacks, but it can happen to anyone who falls and lands on the tip of their shoulder. The result can be an injury to the muscles, tendons and ligaments that hold the bones in your shoulder together.

Evaluation

You may have a partial or complete tear of one or both of the main ligaments that connect your collarbone (clavicle) to your shoulder blade (scapula). These ligaments are the acromioclavicular (AC) and coracoclavicular (CC). Your doctor will probably X-ray both your injured and uninjured shoulders to help correctly diagnose the extent of your problem. You may be asked to hold a 10-pound weight while you're X-rayed to make your injury more noticeable on the film.

Your shoulder separation is classified by the extent or magnitude of your injuries.
  • A mild shoulder separation involves a sprain of your AC ligament that does not move your clavicle and looks normal on X-rays.

  • A more serious injury tears the AC ligament and sprains or slightly tears the CC ligament, putting your clavicle out of alignment to some extent.

  • The most severe shoulder separation completely tears both your AC and CC ligaments and puts your shoulder joint noticeably out of position.
Treatment

Since the severity of your injuries may vary greatly, your doctor treats separated shoulders on a case-by-case basis. Generally, if your injury is mild, you'll probably wear a sling for a few days until the pain subsides. Use ice during the first 48 hours. You may also use anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers. When the pain in your shoulder eases, you may resume your normal activities. The same nonsurgical treatment is also possible for other shoulder injuries, however, if both ligaments are torn or your injury is severe, you may need surgery. After surgery, expect to immobilize your shoulder in a sling for up to a month.

Whether treated conservatively or with surgery, your shoulder will require rehabilitation to restore and rebuild motion, strength and flexibility.

posted 8/1/2000

Your Orthopaedic Connection, Patient Education Web Site of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, © 2002