AC joint injury
AC joint sprain 3rd grade or ' shoiulder separation' anterior view.
ACJ sprain is a common injury in contact sport, particolarly in Rugby but also in soccer, gaelic and others...
The Acromio is connected to the Clavicle by ligament to form the AcromioClavicular Joint, a sprain to the joint means the ligaments the stabilize the joint are torn.
Top photo, the 2 black dots show the position of the joint after injury ( left side) on the right the position of the joint as it should be.
In this case we have a 3rd grade separation which is easily recognised as the shoulder drop away from the Clavicle.
Complete separation may require surgery.
The patient usually present with his arm held up ( superiorly) as it feels more confortable, he will report a direct trauma to the shoulder or a fall with his/hers arm outstretched.
It is more difficult to recognise lower grade sprains as visualy they are more difficult to identify, bringing the arm across the body ( towards the other shoulder- Adduction) may cause disconfort, that is an indication of a likely ACJ sprain, usually RICE principle and active rest will be enough and require 3-4 weeks before resuming normal activities.
AC joint sprain 3rd grade or ' shoiulder separation' posterior view.