Acromioclavicular (A/C) joint injuries

The Acromioclavicular or A/C joint sits on the point of the shoulder, above the main joint of the shoulder (which is called the glenohumeral joint). The A/C joint plays a role in the biomechanics of throwing and other upper-limb activities, although it is such a small joint that a shoulder can actually function without it. A/C joint injuries occur from falling directly on the point of the shoulder or from a direct clash of shoulders between players.

A/C joint injuries are usually graded in severity from 1-3, with a grade 3 being a total separation that is the most severe. Grade 1-2 injuries usually settle in a matter of weeks without requiring surgery. Professional football players will often be injected with local anaesthetic to play with a grade 1-2 A/C joint. To read more about this process, see the following article in Acrobat .pdf format from the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Grade 3 or 3+ injuries to the A/C joint sometimes require surgery (which can keep a professional player out for 6-8 weeks) although some players may be able to return after a few weeks without surgery.

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