Shoulder AC Separation grade 3.

repmks · Jan 17, 2013

I tore my ac joint due to a very strong impact. It is a grade 3 tear with the clavicle sitting pretty high up and loose.

There is not much pain left in the area but I cannot do any pressing of any kind in any angle(my best lifts :banghead

. Also i think holding things standing up (deadlifts) seem out of the question since the bone juts out significantly more when i put weight in my hand. I seem to have lost the ability to shurg my left trap as well. I train very seriously and will compete in BB and Powerlifting.

I have insurance and money. I am convinced i need surgery to get full function back.

If any of you guys have experience with complete ac separations and recovery please chime in. This is pretty depressing. Any suggestions for doctors in the tri state area would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks in advance.

stealth1245 · Jan 17, 2013

I'm currently managing a grade 2, which is likely to progress to grade 3..

I have sought medical info re surgery.. and options aren't particularly fun..

If you are grade 3, surgery is a must.. Rehab takes a very long time..

Be weary, arthritis is said to set in approx 12 months afterr surgery..

I have a mate, who has had both shoulders done.. he train, yet suffers from constant pain..

All i can say is, pick the very best surgeon you can.. and do your rehab to a tea.. Do not fuck it up.. you only get one good go at it..

chinaboy · Jan 17, 2013

Look into prolotherapy and prp injection

stealth1245 · Jan 17, 2013

chinaboy said:
Look into prolotherapy and prp injection

I had prp.. seemed to aid slightly.. but nothing is going to reattach the tendon.. once they are torn, they are shot..

Mine is hanging on by a thread..

2swole79 · Jan 18, 2013

I have suffered a couple AC separations from playing football back in HS and college. I don't know that mine were quite as serious as yours, but nonetheless, my experience, unfortunately has been that even after the first one my shoulders were never quite the same. I had to give up a promising baseball career due to the fact that I could no longer throw using an overhead motion. Through months over very careful rehab I was able to get back into the gym, but to this day at 6ft 250ish lbs on a bunch of test I am not as strong as I was as a college freshman 19yo 200lbs. I can still train and build muscle, but just don't feel safe going really heavy. I do believe yours will likely require surgery, I was told that the main drawback of the surgery would be a partial loss of ROM so I elected to not do it because I wanted back on the field. Just FYI...

knucklehed · Jan 18, 2013

For full recovery get the Weaver Dunn Procedure with a non-radiated donor tendon. Recovery 8-12 weeks stronger than the original lig.

Be sure to get an experience sports ortho...

If its a grade 3-4ish injury this is your best bet. Otherwise you'll have discomfort down the road trying to handle any weight
good luck

'thundr55' · Jan 20, 2013

Like previously mentioned, if the ligaments are torn, there's no fixing it without surgery. If it's only a partial tear prolotherapy, prp work great, also look into cold laser therapy. It's been shown to work particularly well on ligamentous type injuries (intercostal sprains, ankles, ac/sc joints) when there are few other options beyond wait and pray.