When you think of your shoulder joint, you probably think of a ball and socket joint where the top of your arm meets your shoulder blade. This is called the glenohumeral joint, but it’s not the only joining that takes place in the joint. Your collarbone and your shoulder blade also connect, forming what’s known as the acromioclavicular joint, which is oftentimes simply referred to as your AC joint.
The AC joint is where the end of your clavicle connects with the side of the shoulder blade, and like any joint, it can become irritated, inflamed or damaged as a result of stress and strain. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at AC joint injuries and explain how a shoulder specialist can help you treat these injuries.
Common Types Of AC Joint Injuries
AC joint injuries, at least in the chronic sense, tend to develop in three different forms, but they can also develop as a result of acute trauma to the area. Every so often you’ll hear of a football player who landed wrong and suffered an AC joint injury. This type of traumatic type of AC joint injury tends to respond well with weeks or months of physical therapy, but since most people are not exposed to this type of direct trauma, we’re going to focus on the more slow-developing types of chronic AC joint injuries. Chronic AC joint pain is more typically the result of:
- Degenerative Arthritis – This develops when long-term wear and tear on the cartilage of the AC joint causes it to slowly break down over time. This can eventually lead to exposed bone and the onset of painful bone spurs in the area.
- Post-Traumatic Arthritis – Trauma to the shoulder can expedite the arthritis symptoms listed above. Trauma can lead to a more rapid breakdown of protective joint cartilage, which speaks to the importance of physical therapy and treatment should you suffer trauma to the joint.
- Distal Clavicle Osteolysis – This is a condition caused by overuse, typically seen in weightlifters or those who regularly lift weights but may not use the proper form. Overhead lifts that put excessive strain on the AC joint can eventually lead to inflammation and joint deterioration.
Symptoms of an AC joint injury include pain housed at the end of the collarbone and the top of the shoulder blade, pain that radiates to the base of your neck, pain that worsens with movement and limited range of motion of the arm and shoulder area. Simple movements like attempting to fasten your seatbelt or putting on deodorant can cause significant discomfort.
Treating AC Joint Pain
As is the case with most conditions, effective treatment first begins with an accurate diagnosis. Dr. Holloway will ask you about your symptoms, ask you to perform some movement tests and may confirm his suspicions with the help of imaging tests. Once he’s figured out exactly what’s causing your AC joint discomfort, he’ll work with you to develop an individualized treatment plan.
Depending on your specific diagnosis, your doctor will walk you through non-surgical and surgical options. Non-surgical treatment of AC joint injuries involve a combination of rest/activity avoidance, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy and cortisone injections. These techniques tend to produce great results for mild or moderate AC joint injuries.
For more severe cases of arthritis or joint dysfunction, surgery may be ordered. The goal of surgery typically involves removing a small part of the end of the collarbone and any irritating bone spurs or damaged tissue. Following surgery, your shoulder will be immobilized in a sling and physical therapy will begin shortly thereafter to avoid problems associated with frozen shoulder. Slowly, you’ll begin to strengthen the shoulder joint and eventually you can expect to return to full activities in about 6-8 weeks post-op.
If you believe you’re dealing with an AC joint injury or have been battling chronic shoulder pain for some time now, reach out to Dr. Holloway’s office for a diagnosis and individualized treatment plan. Give his office a call today at (865) 410-7887.
