If left untreated, bone spurs can become very large and very painful. An acromioclavicular joint separation, or AC separation, is a very frequent injury among physically active people.In this injury the clavicle (collar bone) separates from the scapula (shoulder blade). Disorders is a general term to cover a range of conditions. Grade III- The most severe shoulder separation. Acromioclavicular (AC) joint injury is a term that is used to describe an injury to top of the shoulder, where the front part of the shoulder blade attaches to the clavicle. If you've injured your AC joint that connects your collarbone and shoulder blade, there are important AC joint exercises to avoid further injury as you heal. Before returning to any type of sport following an AC joint injury you should have full pain-free range of motion. The Painful Arc test is useful because where the pain occurs can tell you if you’ve got AC Joint injury or shoulder impingement.. AC joint: The shape of the AC joint varies significantly among people. It can be due to trauma, such as joint dislocation of the acromioclavicular joint or degenerative conditions, such as osteoarthritis. AC Joint Separation Symptoms . [1] An acromioclavicular dislocation is a traumatic dislocation of the joint in which a displacement of the clavicle occurs relative to the shoulder.[2] Some can have very prominent joints, while others have smoother appearing joints. On returning to contact sports, protect your shoulder by taping the joint.Add a circular piece of padding with a hole cut in the middle over the top of your shoulder for extra protection. Swelling, tenderness, or pain over/above the joint; Visible bump above the shoulder; Loss of strength or motion; Pain when lying on one’s side This is especially true if there was a previous injury to the AC joint. AC joint injuries are categorized into six grades ranked in increasing severity: Grade 1 - The ligaments are pulled but there's no tearing. This completely tears both the AC and CC ligaments and puts the AC joint noticeably out of position, with a larger bump. However, by the time pain sets in, you may already have developed arthritis, a labral tear, or some other shoulder issue. It can be brought about by a traumatic event, like a fall directly on outside of the shoulder, or … There can be differences in one side compared to the other as well. And here are the AC joint specific tests… Painful Arc Test. It is commonly caused by a fall directly on the "point" of the shoulder or a direct blow received in a contact sport. If your particular shoulder popping with no pain falls in the bad news category, until there is pain, your doctor is probably not going to suggest any treatment—remember, they typically ignore these issues. Returning to sport. 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